Dr. Berg Table of Contents
we’re going to talk about the non-stress cause of adrenal fatigue symptoms and The Role of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Deficiency. Many of those with adrenal fatigue are highly stressed; others experience symptoms without any stress. Why?
There’s another cause of adrenal fatigue that I’m going to talk about today. First, let’s talk about the adrenal glands.
Unveiling the Non-Stress Trigger of Adrenal Fatigue: The Role of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Deficiency”
The non-stress cause of adrenal fatigue symptoms
Now so many people are stressed out and they’re burnt out , but some people have adrenal fatigue , and they really haven’t been through stress , and they’re wondering why did I end up with an adrenal issue with no stress .
So there’s another cause of this , but before I get into that , let me just tell you what the adrenal gland does .
What do your adrenals do?
The adrenal gland has 2 parts , an outside and an inside .
The inside is all neurological tissue .
It makes neurotransmitters .
It’s called the adrenal medulla .
The outside is all glandular and that makes hormones like cortisol and a few others .
Now the adrenal medulla is primarily part of the autonomic nervous system , specifically the sympathetic nervous system , which is the flight or fight .
You have the opposing system called the parasympathetic and that is located in your brain stem .
It’s located in a few other places .
But for this video , we’re just gonna focus in on the adrenals and also the brain stem .
The adrenals have an outside and inside. The inside is all neurological tissue—this makes neurotransmitters. The outside is all glandular tissue—this makes cortisol and other hormones.
The insides of the adrenals are part of the fight or flight response, also known as the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system counteracts the sympathetic nervous system.
If your parasympathetic nervous system isn’t working at 100%, you can develop a sympathetic nervous system dominance, where you feel like you’re stuck in stress even when there are no stressors.
The brain stem is very sensitive to vitamin B1, or thiamine. Low B1 can cause a low ability to adapt to stress.
Feeling dizzy when getting up quickly is a sign of this issue.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue and a vitamin B1 deficiency include:
- • Low ability to adapt to stress
- • Anxiety
- • Fatigue
The two nervous systems
So the parasympathetic nervous system , which is located in the brain stem , kind of counteracts the sympathetic flight or fight mode .
So it’s all about rest , digest , and recovery .
So if you experience stress , you can activate the adrenals and eventually wear out the adrenals .
But what about if you lose the parasympathetic control ?
What happens then ?
Like you lose your brake pads and from a non stress source .
Well , that can actually create a sympathetic dominant problem where you’re kinda stuck in stress and you have all the symptoms .
And so the brain stem is very sensitive to thiamine b one deficiencies .
So when you’re deficient in b one , you can have all sorts of problems with the brain stem , specifically a lack of adaptation to stress because the autonomic nervous system then starts becoming dysfunctional .
So one real simple way that you know that that system is involved is if you stand up too quickly and you get dizzy or you might pass out .
There’s a severe condition called POTS which also falls in this category .
But so many people get up from a seated position or they get up too quick and they’re like , woah .
And that could be an electrolyte problem where you’re low in salt or potassium , but it can also be a B1 deficiency because the brain stem needs b one to work correctly .
Being b one deficient can create a lack of adaptation to gravity stress and it can affect your ability to tolerate stress in general .
So it’s not just about physical stress , it could be about adapting to mental stress as well .
adrenal fatigue symptoms
As you may already know , a B1 deficiency can create anxiety and fatigue very similar to having just an adrenal gland that’s burnt out and having high levels of cortisol .
So it’s very , very similar .
The problem with vitamin b1 , it’s water soluble and it doesn’t store for very long .
I mean , you could be completely depleted within 18 days of not consuming vitamin b1 .
However , it’s not just about not consuming B1 , it’s about certain things that actually directly create a deficiency .
Causes of vitamin B1 deficiency
The biggest thing is refined carbohydrates , whether it’s grains or sugar .
That will create a huge problem .
And also the more carbohydrate you consume , the more the demand for b one .
So if you consume a lot of carbs , you’re gonna need a lot of b one to be able to metabolize those carbohydrates .
Also , alcohol is a big b 1 , depleter .
Coffee can create a b one deficiency .
So those jittery feelings that you might feel if you drank too much coffee , if you took b1 boom , goes away .
Tea with its tannic acid can create a B1 deficiency .
Sulfites , which are in wine so we combine the alcohol and the sulfites can deplete your B1 .
Antibiotics , I’ve done a video on that can create a B1 deficiency .
Diuretics can create a B1 deficiency .
Metformin , the drug for diabetes can also create a B1 deficiency .
The most common causes of a vitamin B1 deficiency include:
- • Refined carbs and sugar
- • Alcohol
- • Coffee
- • Tea
- • Sulfites
- • Antibiotics
- • Diuretics
So in summary , the symptoms of adrenal fatigue are very , very , very similar , if not identical to the symptoms of a b1 deficiency .
