Does Lexapro help with adrenal fatigue? (3+findings)

In this article, we will discuss whether Lexapro can help with adrenal fatigue or not, the mechanism of action of Lexapro, research findings on the correlation between Lexapro and adrenal fatigue, what to do if Lexapro cannot help you with your adrenal fatigue, and suitable Lexapro alternatives that can help with adrenal fatigue.

Does Lexapro help with adrenal fatigue?

Yes, Lexapro can help with Adrenal fatigue. Lexapro is the brand name of the medication escitalopram, an antidepressant that is used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. It belongs to the SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) class of drugs. (1)

Antidepressants are mainly recommended to treat depressive or anxiety problems. Currently, depression is one of the common signs of adrenal fatigue. Depression and adrenal fatigue exacerbate one another.

The main circulating glucocorticoid in humans and the product of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis is cortisol. Diverse conclusions have been drawn from studies looking at how SSRIs affect cortisol levels. Short and long-term SSRI use has resulted in both increasing and decreasing baseline cortisol levels in healthy and depressive patients. (2)

What does research suggest?

Escitalopram was compared to a placebo for 12 weeks in research to see how it affected adrenal activity. Change in adrenal activity (adrenal activity was measured by an ACTH test) during escitalopram/placebo treatment was the study’s main objective.

Studies involving a number of depressed people found that antidepressants significantly changed the adrenal activity. The study came to the conclusion that escitalopram therapy raised cortisol levels, which is beneficial for treating adrenal fatigue. (3)

According to another study, depression is linked to the HPA system post-stimulus hyperactivity. The manipulation of corticosteroids in the brain results in memory impairment, according to strong evidence. 

Both dysfunctions are reduced with SSRI antidepressant therapy. Findings suggested a link between changes in memory functions during antidepressant therapy and alterations in the endocrinological response of the HPA system to challenge with dexamethasone. (4)

What should you do if Lexapro doesn’t help with adrenal fatigue?

If taking Lexapro doesn’t help with your adrenal fatigue, you should take the following steps:

  • Contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. To see if the symptoms go away, your healthcare provider might opt to lower your Lexapro dosage at first.
  • Your healthcare provider may perform the necessary tests and diagnoses to rule out any medical illnesses like Addison’s disease and Cushing’s syndrome that can increase your adrenal fatigue.
  • Prednisone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone are examples of drugs whose use may result in adrenal fatigue as a side effect. To alleviate adrenal fatigue by lowering the doses of your current medications, your healthcare provider may need to be aware of them.

What Lexapro alternatives can help with adrenal fatigue?

Lexapro alternatives that can help with adrenal fatigue include other SSRIs. 

Due to their ability to lower cortisol levels, SSRIs are the first choice of antidepressants for helping adrenal fatigue. (2)

Your healthcare provider may switch you to the antidepressant citalopram (Celexa), another medication in the SSRI class that affects serotonin levels by restoring the normal balance of serotonin in the brain. (5)

Another suitable alternative for Lexapro is fluoxetine, which is marketed under the brand name Prozac. It is also an SSRI that works by preventing serotonin reuptake into presynaptic serotonin neurons by inhibiting the reuptake transporter protein found in the presynaptic terminal. It can help with adrenal fatigue by adjusting cortisol levels in the hypothalamus. (6)

Conclusion

According to my knowledge and research, SSRIs such as Lexapro can help with adrenal fatigue by balancing cortisol levels. If Lexapro is not effective, speak with your doctor about switching to a different SSRI.

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References

1.-

Escitalopram: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. medlineplus.gov. 2022. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a603005.html

2.-

Ronaldson A, Carvalho LA, Kostich K, Lazzarino AI, Urbanova L, Steptoe A. The effects of six-day SSRI administration on diurnal cortisol secretion in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology. 2018 Oct 3;235(12):3415–22. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267127/

3.-

Glintborg D, Altinok ML, Ravn P, Stage KB, Højlund K, Andersen M. Adrenal activity and metabolic risk during randomized escitalopram or placebo treatment in PCOS. Endocrine Connections. 2018 Mar;7(3):479–89. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5861369/

4.-

Zobel A, Svenja Schulze-Rauschenbach, Olrik von Widdern, Metten M, N. Freymann, K Grasmäder, et al. Improvement of working but not declarative memory is correlated with HPA normalization during antidepressant treatment. 2004 Jul 1;38(4):377–83. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15203289/

5.-

Pariante CM, Thomas SA, Lovestone S, Makoff A, Kerwin RW. Do antidepressants regulate how cortisol affects the brain? Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2004 May;29(4):423–47. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14749091/#:~:text=Studies%20in%20depressed%20patients%2C%20animals,and%20thus%20with%20reduced%20resting 

6.-

Sohel AJ, Shutter MC, Molla M. Fluoxetine [Internet]. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459223/#:~:text=Mechanism%20of%20Action

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