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Does The Body Release Adrenaline Under Physical Stress?

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Posted on Fri, 20 Jan 2017
Question: Does the body release adrenaline under physical stress?

I have been having a lot of episodes of shortness of breath with activity and tachycardia. I am so fatigued and simple tasks wear me out.My lung function is normal and my cardiac echo was ok but I am going for further cardiac workup because my doctor thinks it is cardiac related. My hemoglobin is normal.

However, a strange thing that I have noticed is when I push myself to do things I feel like I get a shot of adrenaline. I feel like I have better blood flow but I become very irritable and uneasy. Sometimes I feel like I am going crazy. My breathing gets heavy and deep. Sometimes I get dizzy,nauseous, or hot. Its a terrible feeling.

I had slightly elevated metanephrines in plasma and urine, but barely elevated, so a Pheo was ruled out.

So my question is..could my body be releasing adrenaline to make up for my heart not working as well as it should?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Binu Parameswaran Pillai (49 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Adrenaline response by body

Detailed Answer:
Good day.
Noted your concern. Adrenal gland has 2 areas: Medulla and cortex. The adrenal medulla produce Adrenaline and noradrenaline. These are stress hormones which are considered as " flight and fight" hormones. When ever a person is angry/agitated/afraid, adrenals produce these hormnes in excess to cope with the situation.
If adrenaline is produced in massive amounts ( As in Pheochromocytomas), it even can stun the heart.

To answer you question, your body can produce enough adrenalne to make the heart work more efficiently ( by mainly increasing the heart rate, and also to improve the contraction of heart). However, in excess, this is bad especially if the heart is unhealthy.

Doctors would like to reduce heart rate by giving beta blockers in pople with poor heart health. Beta blockers block some actions of adrenaline, especially the heart beat risning action.

In addition, adrenaline, works in conjunction with Cortisol, which is another stress hormone. So if a person is stressed, often both adrenaline and cortisol, both tend to be high.

regards
Binu
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
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Answered by
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Dr. Binu Parameswaran Pillai

Endocrinologist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 1439 Questions

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Does The Body Release Adrenaline Under Physical Stress?

Brief Answer: Adrenaline response by body Detailed Answer: Good day. Noted your concern. Adrenal gland has 2 areas: Medulla and cortex. The adrenal medulla produce Adrenaline and noradrenaline. These are stress hormones which are considered as " flight and fight" hormones. When ever a person is angry/agitated/afraid, adrenals produce these hormnes in excess to cope with the situation. If adrenaline is produced in massive amounts ( As in Pheochromocytomas), it even can stun the heart. To answer you question, your body can produce enough adrenalne to make the heart work more efficiently ( by mainly increasing the heart rate, and also to improve the contraction of heart). However, in excess, this is bad especially if the heart is unhealthy. Doctors would like to reduce heart rate by giving beta blockers in pople with poor heart health. Beta blockers block some actions of adrenaline, especially the heart beat risning action. In addition, adrenaline, works in conjunction with Cortisol, which is another stress hormone. So if a person is stressed, often both adrenaline and cortisol, both tend to be high. regards Binu