# 764. Is It Cortisol? How to Tell If Your Adrenals Are Really the Problem

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-female-health-solution-podcast-410185/764-is-it-cortisol-how-to-tell-if-your-adrenals-are-really-the-problem
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-female-health-solution-podcast-410185/764-is-it-cortisol-how-to-tell-if-your-adrenals-are-really-the-problem.md
Podcast: [The Female Health Solution Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-female-health-solution-podcast-410185)
Published: 2025-12-29T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://drbethwestie.libsyn.com/764-is-it-cortisol-how-to-tell-if-your-adrenals-are-really-the-problem
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/drbethwestie/If_I_was_struggling_with_energy_this_is_the_FIRST_thing_I_would_do_Tincture_Bundle.mp3?dest-id=745215
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-female-health-solution-podcast-410185/episodes/764-is-it-cortisol-how-to-tell-if-your-adrenals-are-really-the-problem
Duration seconds: 1023

## Resource

How do you know if it's really your cortisol causing symptoms like exhaustion, burnout, low mood, or low libido? How do you know if it's adrenal insufficiency, adrenal dysfunction, or something else entirely? In this episode, I break down exactly how to tell the difference between low cortisol and high cortisol , why symptoms overlap with thyroid issues and other hormone imbalances, and why guessing or treating blindly can actually make things worse. What I Cover in This Episode • The difference between adrenal function vs cortisol output • Why blood, saliva, and urine cortisol tests tell very different stories • Why DUTCH testing shows the full picture of adrenal function and cortisol metabolism • Common low cortisol symptoms , including – Extreme fatigue and burnout – Low motivation and low mood – Feeling "overcast" instead of like yourself – Low libido (even with normal testosterone) – Dizziness when standing, heart racing, weakness – Sleep issues that don't improve with rest • Why these symptoms are often confused with – Thyroid dysfunction – Low testosterone – Low estrogen or DHEA – Neurotransmitter imbalances – Gut issues, blood sugar problems, dehydration, or histamine issues • Why women are often told to "just be less stressed" when their systems are actually running on empty • Why taking the wrong supplement for cortisol can pour gas on the fire • How stress, sleep loss, life changes, and overtraining can stall healing even when you're "doing everything right" Without the right testing, it's like being lost in the woods with the wrong map. DUTCH testing shows us where you are , what systems are struggling, and what needs support first so your body can actually recover. Once we know what your system needs, herbal tinctures can be powerful tools during the heali…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-female-health-solution-podcast-410185/episodes/764-is-it-cortisol-how-to-tell-if-your-adrenals-are-really-the-problem/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-female-health-solution-podcast-410185/764-is-it-cortisol-how-to-tell-if-your-adrenals-are-really-the-problem.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.