Hormonal Imbalances Prevalent in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Next in the CFS Symptoms Series is the discussion on the hormonal imbalances found in PWCs. This post is very long and in depth, so I did not go into the emotional and social effects the hormonal imbalances have on PWCs, but it's safe for me to say that the affects are the same as what I talked about with the other symptoms.

From Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum's From Fatigued to Fantastic Book:

"The hypothalamus is the body's master gland and acts like the conductor in an orchestra. It sends hormones to its next-door neighbor, the pituitary gland, which in turn controls the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands, and the ovaries in females and testicles in males. The hypothalamus also monitors the levels of the hormones that all these glands make and tells the glands whether to make more or less.

The pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary glands work together to direct and balance the metabolic system (the body's energy) and the immune system (the body's defense systems), as well as the autonomic nervous system, which is the part of the nervous system that controls blood flow to the skin, muscles and organs. Current evidence suggests that a major portion of the symptoms of CFS are manifestations of a poorly functioning hypothalamus."

Most PWCs have an under active thyroid gland. Even if your doctor tests your thyroid and says that it is normal, but you are showing signs of hypothyroidism, then your thyroid is most likely off. The thyroid gland is the body's gas pedal. It is in charge of slowing down and speeding up your metabolism. If it is under active, as is common in CFS, you will have fatigue, achiness, weight gain, poor mental functioning and cold intolerance.

PWCs often comment on how their bodies can physically not deal with stress. The adrenal glands are several glands in one. They help direct the body's defense systems plus assist the body in dealing with stressful situations. If the adrenal glands are under active, the person will suffer from fatigue, recurrent/persistent infections, low blood sugar, allergies/multiple chemical sensitivities, low blood pressure, dizziness, crave sugar, and a poor ability to deal with stress.