John Lennon said Everything is clearer when you're in love.But is love the elixir it claims to be or can it be the source of stress and adrenal exhaustion?

A heart swooning with love can be an exhilarating feeling. The world seems brighter and clearer.  Many of us at some point in our lives have experienced the excitement of a budding romance and that is precisely what new love produces in the brain excitement!

The adrenal glands release adrenaline epinephrine and norepinephrine which then flow through the blood and cause the heart to beat faster and stronger. This feeling mimics that of an aerobic workout which can feel great. However falling in love has none of the benefits of exercise and can actually pose a risk for people with heart disease. Imagine having atherosclerosis or high blood pressure and putting that increased blood flow into your heart. Is love dangerous? you may ask.

For some yes.

Another hormone produced as a result of new love is the stress hormone cortisol.  The production of this hormone may raise the question Can love be stressful too?

Absolutely!

We can get heartache or heartsick. When people were asked to relive that moment of falling in love their cortisol levels actually increased and stayed higher for a half an hour after recalling the memory. Cortisol is beneficial in the short-term because it gives a quick burst of energy increased immunity and heightened awareness but prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream can be deleterious to overall health.

Basically love can do strange things.

But here's the good news. When the initial excitement wears off which for most people it does a firmer foundation can be laid for a long-lasting connection with your partner. The key here is to foster a flourishing and supportive relationship. This bond can actually stabilize your heart health.

Long-term studies show that a loving stable relationship is superior to new romance particularly when it comes to anxiety. When comparing passionate new couples with long-term couples strongly connected both groups show activation in a part of the brain associated with intense love. However in the long-term relationships the areas in the brain associated with bonding were activated and this lessened anxiety as a whole. Relationships founded in trust and intimacy also help with stress management. If for example you lose your job having a loving partner can provide emotional and financial support you otherwise would not have.

Whether love is helping abate the stress in your life or further complicating it adrenal support during stressful times is important. Eat a clean whole foods diet to help remove toxins and increase insulin sensitivity. Remember the nutrients shown to support the adrenal glands:  N-acetyl-tyrosine and vitamin C for providing  critical catecholamine repletion B-vitamins to help balance production of stress hormones American and Indian ginseng to aid in regulating cortisol levels and licorice root to extend the serum life of cortisol.

Attend Designs for Health's Seminar:

Functional Endocrinology: A 21st Century Approach to Thyroid & Adrenal Disorders and the Diobesity Epidemic 

featuring

Rebecca Murray APRN FNP MSN CDE & Alan Weiss MD

with 4 Locations and Dates Nationwide