Aaptiv: What Exactly Is Adrenal Fatigue and Do I Have It?

Everyone has those mornings where they wake up and everything—and we mean everything—hurts. From body aches to a headache that won’t pass, it’s not necessarily sickness, but it’s something.

Many people associate these all-over sore spots to be the product of a killer Aaptiv workout or the result of a stressful time at work. While being overworked can sometimes result in physical symptoms, the culprit can also be a little thing called adrenal fatigue.

So, what is adrenal fatigue?

Everyone has an adrenal gland that products a group of hormones that are essential for maintaining energy and metabolism, explains Co-Founder of LabFinder.com Dr. Robert Segal.

The concept of adrenal fatigue is just as it sounds. It’s the reaction your body has when the gland has hit its max performance.

“Adrenal fatigue is a constellation of non-specific symptoms where the hallmark is overall malaise. It is presumed that this arises from adrenal gland dysfunction,” he says.

Usually it’s ignited when someone is running on steam and not putting their health first. So, you can think of adrenal fatigue as the most extreme version of stressed AF—one that impacts every part of your body and attitude. (Keep in mind, this is different from adrenal insufficiency, in which the gland doesn’t produce enough hormones.)

While many people report this concoction of symptoms, Dr. Segal notes that it’s a debated topic since there isn’t real scientific evidence to support the claims.

“Since it is debatable that the symptoms attributed to adrenal fatigue are generated from an issue with the adrenal gland or from some other more common process, it’s important to rule out thyroid issues, anemia, sleep apnea, heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and autoimmune disease,” he says.

Read more on Aaptiv.