Adrenal Fatigue

I have been drinking 10-12, 8 oz glasses of water on a daily basis and while I'm not thirsty all the time, my skin on my hands looks and feels so dehydrated. My fingers are "shriveled" and there is no elasticity. I've been tested for diabetes and it's negative. I also tire rather quickly and do not sleep well, waking up after only 3 or 4 hours most nights. I've asked several doctors why when I drink so much water, does my skin still appear dehydrated and they all either say nothing, or respond with something like - that's just you. I've never had this problem until about 6 months ago. Any clue as to what this might be in your opinion?

[rumpled]

Are your drinking it because you are that thirsty? Are you also peeing it all out as quickly as you drink it in?

While water drinking is good, there is also a drawback to too much - it washes out your electrolytes - so you could be low in sodium and potassium simply from the action of the water. If you are doing this from thirst, it could be a pituitary problem - diabetes insipidus. In that case you need testing. If it is the former, you should simply cut down on the water and your electrolytes will balance - if the latter then you need testing.

As you say you are not thirsty - I would cut down on the fluids.

[Aline1156]

It's not that I'm thirsty, it's more like my skin on my hands is all wrinkled and dehydrated. I drink it slow enough throughout the day so that I don't pee it all out. All blood tests for sodium, potassium and other levels are coming back ok. I'm in the process of adrenal gland testing. I've read a lot about the Adrenal glands and one of their functions is to regulate fluids.

[rumpled]

It is not exactly fluid regulation - but blood volume. That is aldosterone and perhaps renin. So as long as your sodium and potassium are fine (which would be off if your aldosterone was off) then it is not an adrenal issue. Perhaps it is another issue altogether. If your BP is ok, sodium and potassium are fine - adrenals are likely fine.

"What is the adrenal cortex?

The adrenal cortex secretes hormones that have an effect on the body's metabolism, on chemicals in the blood, and on certain body characteristics. The adrenal cortex secretes corticosteroids and other hormones directly into the bloodstream. The hormones produced by the adrenal cortex include:

    Corticosteroid hormones:

        Hydrocortisone (cortisol). This hormone helps control the body's use of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

        Corticosterone. This hormone, together with hydrocortisone, suppresses inflammatory reactions in the body and also affects the immune system.

    Aldosterone. This hormone regulates the level of sodium excreted into the urine, maintaining blood volume and blood pressure.

    Androgenic steroids (androgen hormones). These hormones are converted elsewhere in the body to female hormones (estrogens) and male hormones (androgens); however, these steroid hormones are produced in much larger amounts by the ovaries in women and testes in men.

What is the adrenal medulla?

The adrenal medulla, the inner part of the adrenal gland, is not essential to life, but helps a person cope with physical and emotional stress. The adrenal medulla secretes the following hormones:

    Epinephrine (also called adrenaline). This hormone helps the body to respond to a stressful situation by increasing the heart rate and force of heart contractions, facilitates blood flow to the muscles and brain, causes relaxation of smooth muscles, helps with conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and other activities.

    Norepinephrine (also called noradrenaline). This hormone has little effect on smooth muscle, metabolic processes, and cardiac output, but has strong vasoconstrictive effects, thus increasing blood pressure."

[minksters]

I have this aswell I'm sure its low aldosterone x

[kevieb]

You may be drinking too much water. There really is nothing to back up the "drink 8 glasses of water a day" thing that we were told for years.  You get fluids from other things you eat, so 8 glasses of water a day is really not necessary.

A good way to flush water out of your body is to drink lots of water.  Also, you may just have dry skin.  My hands have looked wrinkled and lined since I was a teenager.    I have what is called "hyperlinear palms"  I have lots of extra little lines because my skin is so dry.

Have you had your thyroid checked.  The backs of my upper arms looked like crepe paper until I got on  good dose of thyroid---I could not believe the difference in the skin on my arms.  I also wake up with some oil on my face again.