Recognizing Symptoms of Sympathetic Exhaustion
NUTRITION
Howard F. Loomis
A basic science education in the healing arts includes a detailed description of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and its two divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic. It is necessary for the student and prospective clinician to understand how the brain collects data from sensory receptors in the organs and tissues, and then sends appropriate signals back to initiate the proper response. Unfortunately, once we have passed examinations and received a license to practice, we walk into a completely different world.
Once in clinical practice, we quickly realize that the academic descriptions of sympathetic and parasympathetic response do not match the clinical realities we see on a daily basis. Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying—there was not a problem with your basic science education, which prepared you to pass exams and get a license. But when is the last time you had a patient who exhibited the classical signs or parasympathetic dominance? Or a patient who needed your clinical guidance because he or she had good digestion, healed and rested well, and had no symptoms related to reproductive function? Those are the classic signs of parasympathetic innervation. While they certainly exist for patients lacking symptoms, I assume you seldom see patients who present them as a chief complaint.
We see the opposite of that. Our practices are filled with patients, regardless of chief complaint, who have digestive problems, poor immune response and slow healing. They do not rest well and are unable to get adequate amounts of sleep. Those are signs of sympathetic exhaustion. Of course, the classic signs of sympathetic dominance results from the patient being frightened (or otherwise challenged to maintain normal organ/tissue function) and deciding on either “fight or flight”—the well-documented stress response. Obviously, we are talking about stress, which in my opinion is the twentyfirst century pandemic.
Let’s Review the Stress Response
When needed, large portions of the sympathetic nervous system discharge at the same time and enable the body to dramatically increase muscle activity in many different ways.
■ ^Our practices are filled with patients, regardless of chief complaint, who have digestive problems, poor immune response, and slow healing. They do not rest well and are unable to get adequate amounts of sleep. Those are signs of sympathetic exhaustion. J J
The sum of its effects permits the person to perform far more strenuous physical activity than would otherwise be possible.
• Increased arterial pressure.
• Increased blood flow to active muscles combined with decreased blood flow to organs that are not needed for rapid activity.
• Increased rates of cellular metabolism throughout the body.
• Increased glycolysis in muscle.
• Increased muscle strength.
• Increased blood glucose concentration.
• Increased mental activity.
• Increased blood-clotting ability.
This usually is described in terms of an acute, short-term reaction. In such cases, signals originate in the hypothalamus and are transmitted downward through the reticular formation
and spinal cord to cause massive sympathetic discharge, and then all of the sympathetic events previously listed ensue immediately.
However, when stress continues for long periods, the responding tissues require increased nutrition to meet demand and they produce increased amounts of waste that must be removed and not allowed to accumulate. What happens when the stress response continues and the tissue or organ is no longer able to respond appropriately?
In our present society, long-term stress reactions result from any form of stress—visceral, structural, or emotional. When
the brain sends the signal without adequate nutrition, tissue cannot respond appropriately and symptoms appear.
Chronic Stress: What If an Organ Cannot Respond Appropriately?
How long can an organ or tissue respond to stress before it becomes exhausted? Since stress accounts for all symptoms, all patients are under some type of stress. All stressed organs and tissues require increased nutrition and produce increased amounts of waste. Let’s take a closer look at the previous list and check it against commonly recommended medications, either over-the-counter or prescription.
ACUTE RESPONSE CHRONIC RESULT Increased mental activity. Sleep aids for insomnia. Tranquillizers for anxiety. Increased rates of cellular metabolism throughout the body. Thyroid medications. Increased arterial pressure. High blood pressure medications. Decreased blood flow to organs that are not needed for rapid Antacids, proton-pump inhibitors. activity. Statin drugs—laxatives. Increased blood glucose concentration. Prescriptions for type 2 diabetes and high triglycerides. Increased blood flow to active muscles—increased strength. Lactic acid accumulation, muscle soreness—fibromyalgia. Increased blood-clotting ability. Blood thinners (aspirin deficiency).
You could specialize in nutrition and assist patients presently being treated medically for any or all of those findings taken from your case history. In fact, it could be argued that is where you should start since those findings are clear indications of each patient’s nutritional stress.
F or tissues to respond to sympathetic stimulation, calcium must be present in adequate amounts in the extracellular fluid (ECF). It is not commonly appreciated that available calcium is dependent upon adequate plasma protein levels. While it may be true that most routine blood tests show normal amounts of albumin, it does not mean the patient is not protein deficient. In fact, I have found that most female patients, and especially female athletes, lack adequate protein and calcium to maintain normal function. In other words, a calcium deficiency results in symptoms of sympathetic exhaustion because the cells lack adequate calcium to respond to sympathetic stimulation.
Symptoms Commonly Associated with Calcium Deficiency
1. History of bone disorders, spurs, osteoporosis, etc.
2. Muscle soreness, weakness, and cramps.
3. Frequent symptoms of irritability and anxiety.
4. Restlessness, including restless legs at night.
5. Low back pain, weak joints and ligaments, and fallen arches.
Symptoms of Sympathetic Stimulation
Potassium is necessary for maintaining a cell’s ability to respond to the parasympathetic nervous system. A diet with adequate alkaline minerals is needed to relieve symptoms that appear to be due to sympathetic dominance (F-F-F).
• If there is a relative intracellular increase in calcium over potassium due to a potassium deficiency in the ECF, the patient complains of excessive symptoms of inappropriate fright, flight, or fight (F-F-F).
Symptoms of Sympathetic Exhaustion
Calcium is known to be necessary for the function of the sympathetic nervous system. A diet with adequate protein and calcium is needed to relieve symptoms of sympathetic exhaustion.
• If there is a relative intracellular increase in potassium over calcium due to a calcium/protein deficiency in the ECF, the patient complains of excessive symptoms of an inappropriate need for rest, the inability to heal or recuperate, and reproductive problems.
I am suggesting that a prudent clinical approach to stubborn unresponsive symptoms (or to patients requiring continued OTC or prescription medications for relief) may be to determine whether your patient is in sympathetic stimulation or sympathetic exhaustion and then recommend the appropriate nutritional changes.
Dr. Loomis has an extensive background in enzymes and enzyme supplements. He is the founder and president of the Food Enzyme Institute. His extensive knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, and enzymology has made him a sought-after speaker and a prolific writer. The Food Enzyme Institute offers seminars to healthcare practitioners around the country. Dr. Loomis published ENZYMES: The Key to Health in 1999. He also co-authored and published The Enzyme Advantage: For Healthcare Providers and People Who Care About Their Health in 2015, and The Enzyme Advantage for Women in 2016, with respected medical journalist Arnold Mann. Contact info: 6421 Enterprise Lane, Madison, WI53719, customerservicefffoodenzymeinstitute.com, 800-662-2630.
