Segal, T Y, Hindmarsh, P C, Viner, R M · Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM · 2005 · DOI
This study tested how well the adrenal glands (small glands that produce stress hormones) respond to stimulation in adolescents with ME/CFS compared to healthy teens. Researchers found that adolescents with ME/CFS had weaker adrenal responses, producing less of the hormone cortisol and taking longer to reach peak levels. These differences were more noticeable in girls than boys.
Adrenal dysfunction has long been hypothesized as a potential mechanism in ME/CFS, and this study provides objective evidence of subtle but significant differences in adrenal responsiveness in adolescents. Understanding whether reduced cortisol production contributes to fatigue, immune dysfunction, or other ME/CFS symptoms could inform future treatment approaches targeting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
This study does not prove that adrenal dysfunction causes ME/CFS—it only shows an association. The findings are correlational and cannot establish whether altered adrenal function is a primary cause, a consequence of chronic illness, or an epiphenomenon. The study also cannot determine whether these adrenal changes contribute to specific ME/CFS symptoms like post-exertional malaise.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
Spotted an error in this entry? Report it →