The Science Behind the Adrenal Gland

adrenal glands blood sugar cortisol epinephrine fuel your body hpa axis norepinephrine regulate your system stress hormones

The Science Behind the Adrenal Gland

Your adrenal glands are walnut-sized organs that sit on top of your kidneys. They're small, but they control nearly every aspect of your stress response, energy production, immune function, and metabolic health.

When your adrenals function properly, you handle stress efficiently. When they're exhausted, everything breaks down—fatigue, inflammation, hormone imbalances, blood sugar crashes, immune dysfunction.

Understanding how your adrenal glands work helps you recognize when they're failing and what to do about it.

Here's the science behind adrenal function, the three major stress hormones, and why chronic stress wrecks your health.

The Three Major Adrenal Hormones

Your adrenal glands produce dozens of hormones, but three dominate your stress response:

1. Epinephrine (Adrenaline)

Epinephrine is your immediate "fight or flight" hormone.

Example: You're driving. The car in front of you slams on its brakes. You swerve into the next lane, barel...