12/24/2025
🧠 The Importance of the Adrenal Glands (2/4)
Cortisol, the main glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal glands, plays a central role in energy regulation, metabolism, stress response and hormonal balance.
When cortisol levels are insufficient, symptoms can vary greatly from one person to another, which often makes diagnosis difficult — and frequently misunderstood.
⚠️ Common signs of low cortisol include:
• Persistent fatigue, sometimes progressing to severe exhaustion
• Weight changes (gain or, in advanced cases, loss)
• Difficulty concentrating, brain fog, memory issues
• Dizziness, confusion, or paradoxical over-agitation
• Worsening symptoms under stress, regardless of the time of day
Because many of these symptoms overlap with thyroid dysfunction, adrenal and thyroid weaknesses often coexist.
⏰ Clues that help differentiate:
• Morning fatigue (difficulty getting up) → more often thyroid-related
• End-of-day fatigue, aggravated by stress → more typically adrenal-related
🚨 More specific warning signs of cortisol deficiency:
• Hypoglycaemia with sudden malaise and craving for sugary foods
• Orthostatic hypotension (dizziness when standing up)
• Evening palpitations or tachycardia, especially at bedtime
• Cold, clammy skin
• Hyperpigmentation (dark patches on elbows, knees, palms, stretch marks) — a strong indicator of low cortisol
• Unusually rapid tanning
Some patients may also develop cravings for salt, strong spices, caffeine, to***co or other stimulants, instinctively trying to compensate for low cortisol levels.
🔬 Cortisol can be measured:
• In blood
• In saliva
• Or via its metabolites in 24-hour urine collection (17-hydroxysteroids)
👉 To learn more, visit www.gmouton.com
You’ll find a detailed PowerPoint presentation (202 slides, English) in:
Conferences → Functional Hormonology → Adrenals
👨⚕️ Dr Georges MOUTON – FunMedDev
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