SODIUM AND THE
ADRENALS
By Lawrence Wilson, MD
© Revised, LD Wilson
Consultants, Inc., December 2007
Lowered
adrenal glandular activity is the finding on about 85% of the hair mineral
analyses performed at Analytical Research Laboratories. Some claim that one cannot assess
adrenal activity from a hair mineral test. However, when hair is not washed at the laboratory, adrenal
assessment is one of the most important uses for hair analysis.
ADRENAL
PHYSIOLOGY
The adrenals produce a variety of hormones. These include the fast-acting stress
hormones, adrenaline and nor-adrenaline.
It also includes the slower-acting glucocorticoid hormones, cortisol and
cortisone. In addition, the
adrenals produce aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid hormone and many others in
smaller quantities.
Many
vitamins are required to produce these hormones, including vitamins A, C, E,
pantothenic acid and other B-complex vitamins. Many minerals are required as well. Among these are zinc, manganese,
selenium, chromium and many others.
The adrenals can and do become nutritionally depleted easily
when they are overused. Then toxic
metals accumulate and replace some of the vital nutrient minerals. Examples of these toxic metals are lead, cadmium, mercury
and aluminum, to name just a few.
These replace vital minerals in enzyme binding sites and in other
locations in the glands. They can
cause either reduced or excessive activity of the adrenal glands. Which of these depends on how they
affect the functioning of the adrenal glands.
The
adrenals are an important part of the sympathetic or fight-or-flight branch of
the autonomic nervous system.
Their effects including raising blood pressure and blood sugar, and
raising the sodium level. Raising
sodium in turn depresses calcium and magnesium levels because sodium dissolves
out a certain amount of calcium and magnesium. This has to do with the valences of these elements. Calcium and magnesium are divalent,
while sodium is a monovalent element and is sometimes called Òthe great
dissolver of solubilizerÓ.
Raising sodium and reducing calcium and magnesium causes the
body to go into a heightened state of readiness and responsiveness that is
called the fight-or-flight
reaction.
Symptoms
of adrenal dysfunction often include fatigue, allergies, joint pain, depression
and low blood sugar. These are
among the most common complaints in doctorÕs offices.
THE
ADRENALS AND HAIR ANALYSIS
Aldosterone,
the primary mineralocorticoid secreted by the adrenals, causes sodium retention
by the kidneys. As long as hair is
not washed at the laboratory, the hair sodium level tends to reflect
aldosterone activity.
The
hair potassium level roughly correlates with cortisol activity. In adrenal exhaustion, both hair sodium
and potassium tend to be low. In
late stages of stress, according to Selye, (The Stress of Life and other works), cortisol levels
rise again, reflected on a hair analysis by potassium rising in relation to
sodium. This is called an inverted
sodium/potassium ratio, an indicator of chronic stress.
Washing
the hair at the laboratory erratically removes water-soluble elements,
especially sodium and potassium.
These labs insist that hair sodium and potassium readings are
unreliable. This is true because
they wash the hair. It is not true
of an analysis by Analytical Research Labs. With the ARL test, the sodium level and its ratios are
often the most important readings on the test. Most
people are unaware of this important difference in hair analysis lab
procedures.
OTHER
FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE SODIUM LEVEL
In
addition to aldosterone, the following may elevate a hair sodium reading.
Toxic
metals can elevate
the sodium level. Those that may
elevate sodium include cadmium, mercury, aluminum and nickel. Whenever these are present, the sodium level is in fact not
as high as it appears. Often, on a
retest, a sodium level will decrease as toxic metals are eliminated. If one is fortunate, the diet and
supplement program will assist the adrenals and the sodium level will be
maintained or perhaps increase even as toxic metals are eliminated.
Excesses
of physiological minerals also elevate the sodium level. These include manganese, copper, iron, chromium and
selenium. Any time one observes an
elevated level of any of these minerals, the sodium level is in fact not as
high as it appears. Once again, as
excess physiological minerals are eliminated, the sodium level may decrease.
Hidden
toxic or physiological minerals may also elevate the sodium level. Minerals are called ÔhiddenÕ when they are present, but not
revealed on a hair analysis or on other tests for toxic metals. They are not revealed because they are
sequestered deep within other body organs or tissues.
Hidden
copper toxicity
will raise sodium and is very common in slow oxidizers. In these cases, the copper level
appears normal or even low.
Indicators for hidden copper imbalance include a:
á
Calcium
level greater than roughly 70 mg%
á
Potassium
level less than 5 mg%
á
Sodium/potassium
ratio less than 2:1
á
Mercury
greater than about 0.04 mg%
á
Zinc
is less than 16 mg%
á
Zinc level
greater than about 18 mg% often
á
Zinc/copper
ratio less than 8:1
Hidden manganese, iron, chromium, aluminum, cadmium,
selenium and other minerals will also raise sodium.
Minerals
may remain hidden for years, even when one is on a corrective nutritional
program. They are needed
internally to support exhausted adrenal and thyroid glandular activity. This is similar to defective blocks
holding up a house. They cannot be
removed until the house is shored up and rebuilt.
This
can be confusing because the hair analysis may initially show fairly normal
levels of sodium, yet the patient may feel tired or have other symptoms of low
adrenal activity such as joint pain, allergies, low blood sugar or
depression. Over a period of
several months to several years, as the sodium-raising excess minerals are
removed, the sodium level may appear worse and worse on repeat tests, yet the
patient may feel better and better.
Stress, especially acute stress, is one of the most common reasons
for an elevated hair sodium reading.
Stress forces the adrenals to work harder.
The stress may be physical, including a state of fatigue or
a deficiency of vital nutrients.
Another common one is the use of stimulants such as coffee or cola
drinks. It might be too much
exercise that just stimulates the body. Others are chronic infections, pain, chiropractic
misalignments and many other problems that affect the physical body.
Other types of stress are also very common Examples may be emotional, social,
financial or another type of stress.
The adrenal glands are often the first to feel the effects of stress and
to react with elevated cortisol secretion, for example. So reducing stress is always a key to
balancing the sodium level and restoring proper adrenal gland activity.
ADRENAL
RATIOS
Since
many factors can affect the sodium level, Dr. Paul Eck discovered that a better indicator of
adrenal activity is the ratios of sodium to other minerals. This adds complexity to the test interpretation, but is most
helpful to assess adrenal activity.
The main ratios to consider are sodium to potassium and sodium to magnesium.
The
sodium/magnesium ratio. Sodium and magnesium tend
to be antagonistic. As one goes up
the other goes down. The ratio of
the two minerals often gives a better picture of adrenal activity than the
sodium level alone.
Called Ôthe adrenal ratioÕ, we use an ideal ratio of 4.17:1
for sodium/magnesium. As the ratio
elevates, it reflects an excessive adrenal effect, while a low ratio indicates
underactivity.
This will often not correlate perfectly with blood or saliva
tests for adrenal hormones. This
is because the latter measures hormones or their metabolites in the blood or
other fluids. The hair test
measures tissue effect. This is a critical
difference that is discussed in more depth in the article on Adrenal Burnout Syndrome.
One
may have adequate or even excessive hormones in the blood, but they may not be
reaching the tissues, or they may not have the proper tissue effect due to
impaired cell permeability, impaired energy production in the cells, the
presence of other toxins or for other reasons.
The
sodium/potassium ratio. The ratio of sodium to
potassium reflects many factors related to adrenal glandular activity. A ratio greater than about 2.5:1
represents a tendency for an excess of pro-inflammatory hormones such as
aldosterone, in relation to anti-inflammatory adrenal hormones such as cortisol
and cortisone.
Emotionally, it is associated with acute stress and
anger. An elevated ratio is
considered better than a low ratio.
When the latter is present, the body is less able to mount an
inflammatory response.
A
low ratio is a chronic stress indicator, associated with carbohydrate
intolerance, exhaustion, cardiac, liver and kidney stress, low gastric
hydrochloric acid, an impaired immune system and a tendency for
infections. Emotionally it is
associated with chronic negative emotions including frustration, resentment and
hostility.
Original
copyright 2003, The Eck Institute Bulletin,
Volume 19 February
2003 Number 2. Material is for educational purposes
only.
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