what are the symptoms of loosing adrenal gland function?
Adrenal insufficiency relates to decreased secretion of cortisol (the stress hormone), and aldosterone (the osmoregulatory hormone). Diminished cortisol secretion results in fatigue, weight loss, appetite loss, low blood pressure, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Reduced aldosterone results in excessive sodium and water to be excreted in the kidney, and excessive potassium to be retained in the blood. This leads to excessive thirst, craving for salty foods, and disruption of cardiac rhythm. Losing one of two adrenal glands does not necessarily mean that you will have adrenal insufficiency, as the remaining gland can enlarge and compensate for functions of the lost gland.
