Perimenopause & Your Adrenals – Why the Midlife Transition Feels So Draining
Perimenopause is a season of transition. It’s the bridge between the reproductive years, when ovulation and hormone production happen regularly, and menopause, when cycles eventually stop altogether. But this shift isn’t a straight line. It’s more like a winding road filled with hormonal fluctuations, detours, and, often, some unwelcome surprises.
For many women, perimenopause brings fatigue, mood swings, weight changes, disrupted sleep, and a general sense of “not feeling like yourself.” What you may not realize is that your adrenals, the tiny stress-managing glands that sit above your kidneys, play a huge role in this process.
The Adrenal Backup Plan
As estrogen and progesterone production from your ovaries slows down, your adrenals step in to pick up some of the slack. They produce small amounts of these hormones to help keep your body functioning smoothly.
The catch? Most women are already living under chronic stress by the time they reach their 40s. Your adrenals may already be overworked from years of “doing all the things”, juggling careers, caregiving, relationships, and daily stress.
Add the hormonal demands of perimenopause, and suddenly your adrenals are stretched thin. This can lead to what many call adrenal fatigue, or sluggish adrenal function.
Signs Your Adrenals Are Sluggish
You’re tired even after a full night’s sleep.
Small stresses feel overwhelming or trigger anxiety.
Your hormones feel all over the place, cortisol spikes, thyroid slowdowns, insulin swings.
Your mood and energy fluctuate wildly through the day.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. And here’s the good news: your body isn’t broken. It’s signaling that it needs deeper support.
The Mineral Connection
This is where minerals come in. Every adrenal response—every hormone release, every ounce of energy, depends on minerals. When your adrenals are under pressure, your mineral reserves get depleted more quickly. The result? A vicious cycle of fatigue, stress, and imbalance.
But instead of guessing which minerals you need, there’s a better way.
How HTMA Testing Fits In
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a non-invasive test that reveals your body’s mineral patterns and stress response over the past 3–4 months. It shows not just where you’re low, but how your minerals are interacting with each other, a key piece most blood tests miss.
For example, you might crave salt and assume you need more sodium, but if your potassium is already low, simply adding salt can make things worse. HTMA gives clarity, showing you exactly what your adrenals need to get back in balance.
The Bottom Line
Perimenopause is challenging enough—you don’t need to feel like you’re running on empty. By understanding the adrenal connection and uncovering your mineral patterns, you can finally stop guessing and start supporting your body in the way it truly needs.
HTMA testing is often the first step women take with me, because it provides the roadmap for restoring energy, balancing hormones, and feeling resilient again
