What are the Symptoms of Adrenal Insufficiency
Adrenal insufficiency can be grouped as primary, secondary, or tertiary. Primary adrenal insufficiency is clinically called Addison’s disease. In most cases, it usually occurs when the outer layer of your adrenals (the cortex) becomes damaged. This damage causes your adrenal glands to produce inadequate amounts of steroid hormones.
Addison’s disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is a condition that occurs when the adrenal glands cannot produce enough cortisol. The synthesis and production of aldosterone and androgens, two other types of steroid hormones produced by the adrenal glands, is usually affected as well.
Secondary adrenal insufficiency is a more common type, which occurs when the pituitary gland, a small gland near the brain, does not send ACTH, the hormone that signals the adrenal gland to produce cortisol. The major symptoms of adrenal insufficiency usually appear slowly, and may include:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite [1]
- Unexplained weight loss
Adrenal insufficiency may also be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Muscle and joint pain
- Low blood pressure (dizziness upon standing)
- Darkened skin your face, neck, and/or the back of your hands