Adrenal fatigue and chronic fatigue can present with many similar symptoms and often get confused. In adrenal fatigue is due to overworked adrenal glands after an extreme stress and comes with tendency to gain weight. Chronic fatigue also comes with profound fatigue but could have many underlying causes and comes with tendency of weight loss and lock of appetite.
One test for adrenal fatigue it is Ragland test: comparing the blood pressure when standing and when lying down. It is normal for blood pressure to go up with standing, however when it goes down with standing it is a sign for possible adrenal fatigue. However, when it comes to diagnosis it is better you have a Physician fully evaluate the person and not self-diagnose with internet.
Chronic stress tends to accumulate in the body and under stress body secretes extra cortisol and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) which raises the blood glucose and insulin levels to help the body handle stress. When stressed it is very difficult to lose weight because of elevated cortisol and insulin.
What treatment choices could help? Acupuncture, glandulars, adrenal herbs, nutrients, and exercise low intensity. Glandulars which contain protein like substances were included in the Adrenal Complex to help the body strengthen the adrenal glands and help generate more cortisol. Another adrenal support is the acid N-Acetyl-l-Tyrosine that improves the body responses in fighting stress. Vitamin C was found to improve stress induced exercise and was added to the formula. The B vitamins are well known as the cofactors in balancing the stress hormones especially B1 (thiamine), B6 (P-5-P), B2 (riboflavin) and B5 (pantothenic acid). By reducing the cortisol and insulin in the body you may reduce the risk of weight gain and anxiety that usually comes with it. Important nutrients for replenishing the adrenal are B1 (depleted by stress) and it is found in yeast (not fortify), potassium (it will not show in the blood test unless extreme depleted).