The Effects of Overtraining on the Adrenal Gland,
With a Focus on Cortisol and Adrenal Medullary Response
As a society, we generally view exercise such as running, swimming, boxing, or other forms of aerobic training, as positive acts towards maintaining our health and stress levels. Even so, two things that are often not acknowledged when considering exercise are moderation and recovery. Paired with aerobic exercise, the absence of adequate moderation and recovery can result in overtraining. Overtraining inflicts chronic stress on the body, resulting in detrimental and devastating effects on the adrenal gland, a major integrating center related to our stress response, regulation, and maintenance. Overtraining produces physical stress which …show more content…
In result, the individual lacks the ability to cope with stress. There are two types of adrenal insufficiency – primary and secondary. Primary adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison’s Disease, is a condition in which the adrenal cortex is destructed, usually by the individual’s immune system, resulting in hyposecretion of both cortisol and aldosterone. Secondary adrenal insufficiency is linked to a lack of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), which leads to hyposecretion of cortisol in the adrenal cortex. Secondary adrenal insufficiency is more commonly seen in overtrained athletes compared to primary adrenal insufficiency. Unfortunately, due to the prolonged progression and generic nature of the symptoms, the individual is typically unaware of symptoms until a large portion of the adrenal cortex has been damaged, often times up to 90%. At this point, adrenal capacity is nearly diminished, so it is useful to be aware of precursors to the disease. A major precursor is a condition called Overtraining …show more content…
When an athlete participates in prolonged endurance training or overreaching sessions, the hypothalamus releases Corticotrophin-Releasing Hormone (CRH), which travels via the hypothalamic hypophyseal portal system and stimulates the release of the Growth Hormone (GH) and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary gland. Following high-intensity training, the adrenal cortex is then stimulated by ACTH to release cortisol. The short-term elevation in cortisol is a standard response, often resulting from training adaptions such as increased loads, varied intensity, extended training time and/or frequency, etc. These acute elevations reduce inflammation by suppressing the immune system, a frequent causative agent of inflammation, using a negative-feedback system. Cortisol, when released in an acute manner, improves the body’s catabolic stress response after high-intensity exercise. Quite the reverse, when released in a chronic, or constant manner, the elevated levels of cortisol act as a stimulus to continually catabolize cells and body functions. When an athlete experiences high levels of cortisol, the adrenal cortex fails to respond
With a Focus on Cortisol and Adrenal Medullary Response
As a society, we generally view exercise such as running, swimming, boxing, or other forms of aerobic training, as positive acts towards maintaining our health and stress levels. Even so, two things that are often not acknowledged when considering exercise are moderation and recovery. Paired with aerobic exercise, the absence of adequate moderation and recovery can result in overtraining. Overtraining inflicts chronic stress on the body, resulting in detrimental and devastating effects on the adrenal gland, a major integrating center related to our stress response, regulation, and maintenance. Overtraining produces physical stress which …show more content…
In result, the individual lacks the ability to cope with stress. There are two types of adrenal insufficiency – primary and secondary. Primary adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison’s Disease, is a condition in which the adrenal cortex is destructed, usually by the individual’s immune system, resulting in hyposecretion of both cortisol and aldosterone. Secondary adrenal insufficiency is linked to a lack of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), which leads to hyposecretion of cortisol in the adrenal cortex. Secondary adrenal insufficiency is more commonly seen in overtrained athletes compared to primary adrenal insufficiency. Unfortunately, due to the prolonged progression and generic nature of the symptoms, the individual is typically unaware of symptoms until a large portion of the adrenal cortex has been damaged, often times up to 90%. At this point, adrenal capacity is nearly diminished, so it is useful to be aware of precursors to the disease. A major precursor is a condition called Overtraining …show more content…
When an athlete participates in prolonged endurance training or overreaching sessions, the hypothalamus releases Corticotrophin-Releasing Hormone (CRH), which travels via the hypothalamic hypophyseal portal system and stimulates the release of the Growth Hormone (GH) and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary gland. Following high-intensity training, the adrenal cortex is then stimulated by ACTH to release cortisol. The short-term elevation in cortisol is a standard response, often resulting from training adaptions such as increased loads, varied intensity, extended training time and/or frequency, etc. These acute elevations reduce inflammation by suppressing the immune system, a frequent causative agent of inflammation, using a negative-feedback system. Cortisol, when released in an acute manner, improves the body’s catabolic stress response after high-intensity exercise. Quite the reverse, when released in a chronic, or constant manner, the elevated levels of cortisol act as a stimulus to continually catabolize cells and body functions. When an athlete experiences high levels of cortisol, the adrenal cortex fails to respond