Treating Stress Related Fatigue Naturally with Chinese Medicine

Low energy is one of the most common chief complaints that is seen in doctor’s offices across the United States today. One study found that anywhere between 5-10% of primary care visits were fatigue related (Junghaenel et al., 2011). Another study discovered that nearly 40% of the American work force claim that they suffer from low energy (Ricci et al., 2007). Despite being one of the top reasons that people seek medical intervention, many Western doctors often have a hard time diagnosing and treating low energy. One of the reasons behind this is that diagnoses such as adrenal fatigue are still controversial in Western medicine. Even though there may still be gaps in understanding how diagnostic tests can demonstrate the effects that stress has on the body, Chinese Medicine has been effectively treating stress related fatigue for centuries.

Although controversial from a Western perspective, stress related fatigue is often correlated to the adrenals and is also known as adrenal fatigue. The adrenals are two glands that sit on top of each of the kidneys and are responsible for the regulation of hormones such as epinephrine, adrenaline and cortisol. These specific hormones are directly related to stress. They allow for your body to respond rapidly when you are in fight or flight mode and stressful situations. Adrenaline allows for airways to dilate which provides muscles with the oxygen and also contracts blood vessels in order to re-direct blood towards the lungs and heart. The hormone Epinephrine signals your heart to pump faster, allowing for more fresh blood flow through your body. Cortisol increases the availability of glucose in your bloodstream. When you experience a perceived stressor, the release of these hormones allows your body to have access to extra energy stores in order to survive the threat.

Think of a time that you were stressed. How did your body respond? Increased blood pressure? Mind and heart racing? A deeper awareness of everything around you? This is because stress hormones play a role in increasing the amount blood, oxygen and glucose. As a result, you will have more energy available in your body to physically escape the stressor. Your mind will also be more heightened and aware. This is because the extra boost of glucose will help your brain function more clearly.

Adrenal fatigue is thought to occur when the adrenals have become overtaxed by excessive and repeated hormone release. It is believed that this constant exposure to stress has a detrimental effect on optimal body function. Stress has even been labeled as the silent killer. This is with good reason. Stress has been correlated with major deadly diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Potential stressors can include environmental factors, dietary influences, and emotional stresses. Experiences such as grief, trauma, and autoimmune conditions are all considered to have a possible chronic negative impact on adrenal function. PTSD can also play a role in adrenal dysfunction.

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, low energy and fatigue is commonly rooted in a deficiency of the Earth element. The Earth element organs are the Stomach and the Spleen. The Stomach is responsible for digesting food and transforming it into important nutrients and substances such as Qi and Blood. Qi is a type of energy or vital life source that circulates throughout the body. The Spleen also plays an important role in transforming the nutrients into energy, but also in transporting those nutrients throughout your body so that it can function at its best. When your Spleen Qi is deficient, your body does not get properly nourished. The main side effect of this is fatigue because without proper nourishment, your body does not have the energy it needs to function. Many things can weaken the Spleen Qi. This includes a poor diet and improper nourishment, overexertion, worrying and overthinking, the consumption of too many cold, raw and damp foods, and stress. Because of this, many Americans today are affected on some level by Spleen Qi deficiency. Common symptoms of this type of deficiency can include brain fog, abdominal pain and distension, and issues with digestion and bowel movements. Other symptoms can include weakened muscles, spontaneous sweating, bruising easily, craving sweets, nausea and hemorrhoids. People with Spleen Qi deficiency will often have a puffy and swollen tongue with teeth marks on the sides. Spleen Qi deficiency and adrenal fatigue have the similar root cause of stress. This is one of the reasons why symptoms of both often look identical. Other signs of stress related fatigue can include: waking up tired, experiencing improper regulation of energy though out the day such as feeling wired at bed time and having energy “crashes” throughout the day, poor stress response and mood regulation, a history of overusing stimulants such as caffeine, getting sick often, insomnia, poor circulation, depression, weight gain and decreased libido.

Luckily in Chinese Medicine, stress related fatigue connected to Spleen Qi deficiency has been widely acknowledged and effectively treated with acupuncture for thousands of years. Recent studies have even shown that certain points can actually help modulate hormones such as those impacted by adrenal fatigue. For example, a study regarding the effects of auricular (ear) acupuncture on salivary cortisol levels demonstrated that cortisol could be modulated over the course of just four weeks of treatment (Pirnia et al., 2020). Another study found that acupuncture improved fatigue in patients after the course of four consecutive treatments using only three acupuncture points which were Stomach 36 bilaterally and Conception Vessel 4 (Shu et al., 2016). From a Chinese nutrition standpoint, there are certain foods that can help tonify Spleen Qi. Incorporating these into your diet can help to balance your hormones as well as tonify the Spleen, leading to improved digestion and increased energy.

Foods That Help Tonify Spleen Qi

·      Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir and kimchi

·      Healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocados and salmon

·      Fruits and vegetables that are lightly cooked

·      Gluten free whole grains such as quinoa, oats and congee

Because adrenal fatigue is not recognized widely as a medical condition, the world of Western medicine doesn’t offer many treatment options. Some doctors might even recommend stimulants, which can help in the interim, but only make things worse in the long run. Presently, there are no pharmaceutical interventions for the treatment of stress related fatigue. Suggested natural remedies include lifestyle changes such as a low-carbohydrate diet, avoidance of sugary and processed food, and a healthy sleep schedule. Vitamin C and vitamin B have also been shown to help balance the adrenals. Other healthy lifestyle choices such as adequate daily hydration and meditation are also believed to have positive effects on restoring the adrenal glands to optimal function.

Another type of nutritional supplementation known as adaptogens, have been shown to be beneficial in treating stress related fatigue. Studies have revealed that adaptogens have the ability to “exert an anti-fatigue effect that can increase mental work capacity against a background of stress and fatigue, particularly in tolerance to mental exhaustion and enhanced attention” (Panossian & Wikman, 2010). What this means is that adaptogens essentially increase your physical tolerance to stress. Furthermore, the research has shown that they also can help to regulate cortisol. There are many Chinese herbs such as wu wei zi (schisandra berry), licorice root (gan cao), and reishi mushroom (ling zhi) have been labelled as adaptogens. Other adaptogens include ashwagandha, cordyceps, ginseng, chaga and maca. The therapeutic effects of adaptogens have been demonstrated time and again, and really seem to positively impact the lives of those who take them regularly.

Common Adaptogens

·      Ashwagandha

·      Cordyceps

·      Ginseng

·      Chaga

·      Maca

·      Reishi

·      Licorice Root

·      Schisandra Berry

Ultimately, the best way to treat stress related fatigue is to learn new coping skills for how to deal with stress. Obviously, this is much easier said than done. Things like making sure that you have a good support system, letting go of expectations, maintaining healthy relationships, distancing yourself from the source of your stress when possible, participating in self-care activities like the ones already mentioned, and engaging in problem solving are a great place to start. Setting aside a little bit of time daily just for yourself can work wonders. Booking yourself an acupuncture appointment may in fact be one of the best ways to take some relaxing time for yourself, while also being proactive about working on regulating hormones to support your body in properly managing stress.

References

Junghaenel, D. U., Christodoulou, C., Lai, J.-S., & Stone, A. A. (2011). Demographic correlates of fatigue in the US general population: Results from the patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) initiative. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 71(3), 117–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2011.04.007

Panossian, A., & Wikman, G. (2010). Effects of adaptogens on the central nervous system and the molecular mechanisms associated with their stress—protective activity. Pharmaceuticals, 3(1), 188–224. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph3010188

Pirnia, B., Mohammadzadeh Bazargan, N., Hamdieh, M., Pirnia, K., Malekanmehr, P., Maleki, F., & Zahiroddin, A. (2020). The effectiveness of auricular acupuncture on the levels of cortisol in a depressed patient. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 1748–1750. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v48i9.3040

Ricci, J. A., Chee, E., Lorandeau, A. L., & Berger, J. (2007). Fatigue in the U.S. workforce: Prevalence and implications for lost productive work time. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 49(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.jom.0000249782.60321.2

Shu, Q., Wang, H., Litscher, D., Wu, S., Chen, L., Gaischek, I., Wang, L., He, W., Zhou, H., Litscher, G., & Liang, F. (2016). Acupuncture and moxibustion have different effects on fatigue by regulating the autonomic nervous system: A pilot controlled clinical trial. Scientific Reports, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep37846