Introduction to Adrenal Function

• The adrenal glands produce cortisol, the body’s key hormone for managing stress.

• When adrenal function is low, the body lacks sufficient cortisol, potentially leading to symptoms like anxiety and digestive disturbances.

• Adrenal imbalances can range from mild dysfunction to severe conditions like Addison’s disease.

The Role of Cortisol

• Cortisol regulates metabolism, immune function, and stress response.

• Low adrenal hormone levels or imbalanced cortisol ratios can trigger anxiety, as the body struggles to manage stress effectively.

• Fluctuating adrenal activity contributes to inconsistent physiological responses, impacting digestion, calcium retention, and energy levels.

Adrenal Dysfunction and Tissue Calcium Retention

• Low adrenal function can cause calcium and magnesium to accumulate in tissues.

• Excess tissue calcium may deposit in the heart and kidneys, leading to calcification and potential organ damage.

• Prevention Strategy: Vitamin K2 (found in raw butter and food-grade emu oil) helps prevent calcium deposits in soft tissues.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Adrenal Function

• Elevated tissue calcium and magnesium can lead to intermittent diarrhea.

• Adrenal hormones fluctuate daily, meaning stress levels can affect digestion unpredictably.

• Example: A day with limited stimulation may increase tissue calcium retention, triggering diarrhea, whereas a day with high cortisol production may result in normal digestion.

• Other symptoms of Addison’s include fatigue, muscle weakness, poor appetite, low blood pressure, and darkened skin pigmentation (in humans, not necessarily in pets).

Additional Factors Influencing HTMA Results

• Thyroid function affects calcium metabolism:

  • Low thyroid hormone = Low calcium levels.

  • Coexisting thyroid and adrenal dysfunction can create misleading “normal” HTMA calcium readings.

• Other influences on calcium retention:

  • Vitamin D imbalances

  • Heavy metal toxicity

  • Pituitary dysfunction

  • Malabsorption issues

• These factors will be covered in future educational materials.

Limitations of Traditional Blood Tests for Adrenal Function

• Standard bloodwork (CBC or CMP) does not assess adrenal function.

• ACTH and cortisol tests are the primary blood tests for adrenal health, but they are unreliable:

  • False Results: Stress from a vet visit can temporarily elevate cortisol levels, masking underlying low adrenal function.

  • HTMA and clinical symptoms often provide a more reliable assessment than cortisol blood tests alone.

• HTMA indicates how severely the body is reacting to hormonal imbalances.

  • Some pets with low adrenal function tolerate it well if other factors counterbalance calcium retention.

  • Others experience severe symptoms, especially if they also have high vitamin D intake or a high-calcium/magnesium diet.

Supporting Adrenal Function with Herbs and Nutrition

• Unrefined licorice root (with glycyrrhizin) stimulates cortisol production naturally.

• Adaptogenic herbs for hormonal balance:

  • Ashwagandha

  • Rhodiola

  • Holy basil

  • Siberian ginseng

• Recommended Supplements:

  • Solutions BIOME: Supports gut health and nutrient absorption.

  • Solutions Restore: Assists with detoxification and adrenal recovery.

  • Mycodog Mushroom Blends: Provide adaptogenic and immune-supporting properties.

The Role of Vitamin C in Endocrine Health

• Adrenal glands have a high demand for Vitamin C.

• Although dogs synthesize Vitamin C, metabolic stress increases demand beyond what they produce.

• Spay/neuter, environmental toxins, and dietary factors further increase Vitamin C needs.

• Recommended Vitamin C Sources:

  • Berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)

  • Red and yellow bell peppers

  • Rosehips

  • Camu camu

  • Smack Superfood Botanicals (nutrient-dense blend for adrenal support)

• Best Practice: Administer Vitamin C at night for optimal endocrine function.

Essential Oils for Hormonal Support

• AnimalEO Hormone Support Blends (developed by veterinarians) provide natural endocrine system support.

• Essential oils should always be used under veterinary guidance for safety and efficacy.

Summary and Actionable Steps

• Understand the signs: Anxiety, diarrhea, fatigue, calcium retention, and inconsistent digestion are key indicators of adrenal dysfunction.

• HTMA offers better long-term insight than standard blood tests.

• Nutritional and herbal support can optimize adrenal health, including licorice root, adaptogenic herbs, Vitamin C, and K2.

• Supplementation recommendations: Solutions BIOME, Restore, Mycodog, and Smack Superfood Botanicals.

• Use holistic approaches (nutrition, herbs, and essential oils) to provide comprehensive endocrine support.

You can see that pituitary and thyroid uptake are ideal and adrenal hormone uptake is adequate but slightly low. The next image shows that the response is slightly elevated (but mostly in range) calcium and magnesium. So a slight depression in adrenal production or uptake might not cause calcium and magnesium to go out of range but it does cause an elevation. 

You can see that the pituitary uptake is ideal, thyroid is slightly high (which will cause elevated calcium and magnesium), and adrenal is slightly low (which will cause elevated calcium and magnesium). The next image shows that the response is very elevated calcium and magnesium. So while neither hyperthyroidism or Addison’s would be diagnosed here, the imbalance in the ratio between the two, and the influence of each results in very elevated tissue calcium and magnesium. This dog is at high risk of calcification of the heart and kidneys, despite the lack of diagnosable hormone disease or hypervitaminosis D. 

You can see that the pituitary function is pretty high, and adrenal hormone function/uptake is pretty low. Again, neither would be expected to result in a diagnosable disease but the imbalance in the ratio is significant and the influences oppose each other. In this type of scenario, imbalances in pituitary hormone function (which causes low tissue calcium) or uptake usually “wins” – Therefore, despite low adrenal hormone uptake (which causes high calcium retention), this dog has lowering calcium retention in response to high pituitary function/uptake. Because there are opposing influences, it is possible that a dog with this profile will suffer from symptoms of high and low calcium simultaneously. On low-stress days, this dog is likely to experience diarrhea and GI sensitivities. On higher stress/stimulation days, this dog is at a higher risk of experiencing increased allergies and issues with fat metabolism including fatty lipomas, sebaceous cysts, pancreatitis, tremors, seizures, and weight management issues.