Other Names:
Adrenal overactivity

Symptoms:
Rounded "moon" faces, heavy abdomen and buttocks, thin limbs, The muscles seem weak and wasting away. The eyelids may appear swollen and round; red spots may appear on the face. The skin seems to get thinner, and produces stretch marks and bruising.

Body hair grows faster, and women may grow mustaches and beards. Healing is more difficult and illnesses more frequent.

Reduced adrenal function (resulting either from Addison's or Cushing's Disease) can result in weakness, headaches, memory problems, dizziness, allergies, food cravings, and blood sugar disorders.

Cause:
See "Addison's Disease" for more information.

There are two adrenal glands in your body. One is on top of each kidney. Each one is remarkably small, and weighs only about one-fifth of an ounce.

The outer thick "rind" of each adrenal is the cortex. It produces cortisone. The inner portion is called the medulla; it secretes adrenaline (epinephrine) when stress occurs.

Treatment:
• See "Addison's Disease" for more information. The objective is to live better so the adrenals, whether working too fast or too slow, can be helped to normalize.