Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is a monoamine that operates both as a stress hormone and excitatory neurotransmitter. It is one of three neurotransmitters called catecholamines, the others being dopamine and norepinephrine. Epinephrine acts as a potent agonist of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, which powerfully stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. The adrenal glands secrete most of the epinephrine in the body during acute stress, while a smaller amount is produced in and secreted by neurons of the sympathetic nervous system.
Epinephrine’s primary function is to prepare the body for the energy and alertness required to respond to stressors. It achieves this by binding to alpha and beta adrenergic receptors and causing changes in organ function. Epinephrine increases blood pressure and flow by increasing the rate and force of cardiac contractions, while blood vessels constrict throughout the body, and dilate in key areas such as the skeletal muscle and liver. Skeletal muscles receive additional blood flow and resources, while the smooth muscles of the lungs are relaxed, allowing for bronchodilation and increased oxygen intake. Blood glucose levels are increased by initiating glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis in the liver, providing the body with fuel. Dilator muscles in the eye constrict, dilating the pupils for improved visual acuity. Blood flow to the gut decreases, while the smooth muscles of the stomach and intestines relax, slowing or even halting digestion.
Most of the epinephrine in the body is produced by chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla of the adrenal gland and is secreted into the bloodstream as a hormone. A small amount of epinephrine that serves as a neurotransmitter is produced by neurons of the sympathetic nervous system. Tyrosine, an amino acid produced in the liver or obtained from the diet, serves as the precursor for catecholamine synthesis, which begins with the uptake of tyrosine into the cytoplasm. Enzymatic reactions convert tyrosine into L-Dopa, then dopamine, norepinephrine, and finally epinephrine. The catecholamine pathway is facilitated by cofactors that work with enzymes to synthesize and break down neurotransmitters. These cofactors include tetrahydrobiopterin, iron, copper, vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, and s-adenosylmethionine.
What’s the difference between epinephrine and Norepinephrine?
Epinephrine and norepinephrine are two closely related hormones, also known as catecholamines, that are released by the adrenal glands and play a role in the body's stress response. While both hormones have similar effects, there are some key differences between them:
Location of release: Epinephrine is primarily released from the adrenal medulla, which is located in the center of the adrenal gland, while norepinephrine is primarily released from sympathetic nerve endings throughout the body.
Mode of action: Epinephrine acts on both alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, while norepinephrine primarily acts on alpha adrenergic receptors.
Effects on the body: Epinephrine is known for its effects on the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, and is often called the "fight or flight" hormone. It increases heart rate, dilates bronchial tubes, and constricts blood vessels, leading to an increase in blood pressure. Norepinephrine also increases heart rate and blood pressure, but has more of a vasoconstrictive effect on blood vessels, leading to an increase in peripheral resistance.
In summary, while epinephrine and norepinephrine are both important hormones involved in the stress response, they differ in their site of release, mode of action, and effects on the body.
Referenes:
Your medical lab tests hold vital information about your health. Our tools help you understand what's going on and how to take action.
$15 $5.99/first month
Cancel or upgrade anytime
How does Epinephrine become imbalanced?
Stress:
While the definition of a stressful situation may have evolved over the past millennium, our body's response to it has remained constant. Whether it's traffic congestion, familial conflicts, contentious political discourse, or unpleasant work conditions, these stressors are equally capable of triggering the fight-or-flight response, similar to how a buffalo stampede would have done 200 years ago.
For the most part, today’s stressors are not life-threatening, but they’re more common than stressors of the past.
Epinephrine’s job is to activate the fight-or-flight response, not sustain it. The HPA axis, a network consisting of the hypothalamus (H), pituitary gland (P), and the adrenal glands (A), sets off a cascade of stress hormones in response to the initial surge of epinephrine.
When the threat eventually passes, cortisol levels will fall, heart rate and blood pressure will return to normal, and other affected organ systems will resume their normal activity. However, frequent surges of epinephrine can damage blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Elevated levels of cortisol can impact blood sugar levels, weight management, immune system activity, digestion, and even erectile function and the menstrual cycle. 5,6
Other causes of epinephrine imbalance include:
Maldigestion or malabsorption. Problems digesting and using nutrients from the diet can make it difficult for the body to produce epinephrine. Amino acids, B vitamins, and minerals are required for the body to produce healthy levels of epinephrine.
Hormone imbalances. Epinephrine is a key part of the HPA axis and when other hormones are imbalanced, it can throw off epinephrine levels as well. Cortisol and insulin are known to interact with epinephrine.
Methylation problems. To make epinephrine and dispose of it, the body needs to move around small chemical groups called “methyl groups.” This process doesn’t work optimally in all people and requires B vitamins, S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and, for epinephrine production, adequate cortisol.
High epinephrine levels can cause:
Although rare, pheochromocytomas, neuroblastomas, and paragangliomas are tumors that can increase catecholamine secretion and cause high epinephrine levels. They are found in and around the adrenal gland. These types of tumors are diagnosed by biopsy and elevated 24-hour urinary catecholamines. 7
There are several natural ways to support epinephrine balance in the body, including:
Exercise: Regular physical activity can help regulate stress levels and improve the body's response to stressors.
Meditation: Mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a healthier stress response.
Adequate Sleep: Getting enough sleep is essential for overall health and can help regulate stress hormones like epinephrine.
Balanced Diet: Eating a well-balanced diet that is rich in nutrients like vitamins B and C, magnesium, and zinc can help support the body's stress response.
Herbal Supplements: Certain herbal supplements like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and ginseng have been shown to help regulate the body's stress response and support healthy epinephrine levels.
It's important to note that these natural approaches can be used in conjunction with medical treatment but should not be used as a replacement for professional medical advice.
Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
How does Epinephrine become imbalanced?
Stress:
While the definition of a stressful situation may have evolved over the past millennium, our body's response to it has remained constant. Whether it's traffic congestion, familial conflicts, contentious political discourse, or unpleasant work conditions, these stressors are equally capable of triggering the fight-or-flight response, similar to how a buffalo stampede would have done 200 years ago.
For the most part, today’s stressors are not life-threatening, but they’re more common than stressors of the past.
Epinephrine’s job is to activate the fight-or-flight response, not sustain it. The HPA axis, a network consisting of the hypothalamus (H), pituitary gland (P), and the adrenal glands (A), sets off a cascade of stress hormones in response to the initial surge of epinephrine.
When the threat eventually passes, cortisol levels will fall, heart rate and blood pressure will return to normal, and other affected organ systems will resume their normal activity. However, frequent surges of epinephrine can damage blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Elevated levels of cortisol can impact blood sugar levels, weight management, immune system activity, digestion, and even erectile function and the menstrual cycle. 5,6
Other causes of epinephrine imbalance include:
Maldigestion or malabsorption. Problems digesting and using nutrients from the diet can make it difficult for the body to produce epinephrine. Amino acids, B vitamins, and minerals are required for the body to produce healthy levels of epinephrine.
Hormone imbalances. Epinephrine is a key part of the HPA axis and when other hormones are imbalanced, it can throw off epinephrine levels as well. Cortisol and insulin are known to interact with epinephrine.
Methylation problems. To make epinephrine and dispose of it, the body needs to move around small chemical groups called “methyl groups.” This process doesn’t work optimally in all people and requires B vitamins, S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and, for epinephrine production, adequate cortisol.
Low epinephrine levels have been associated with:
There are several natural ways to support epinephrine balance in the body, including:
Exercise: Regular physical activity can help regulate stress levels and improve the body's response to stressors.
Meditation: Mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a healthier stress response.
Adequate Sleep: Getting enough sleep is essential for overall health and can help regulate stress hormones like epinephrine.
Balanced Diet: Eating a well-balanced diet that is rich in nutrients like vitamins B and C, magnesium, and zinc can help support the body's stress response.
Herbal Supplements: Certain herbal supplements like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and ginseng have been shown to help regulate the body's stress response and support healthy epinephrine levels.
It's important to note that these natural approaches can be used in conjunction with medical treatment but should not be used as a replacement for professional medical advice.
Guiding our users for 10 years to promptly understand, track, and act on their laboratory results.
$15 $5.99/first month
Cancel your subscription at any time.
$250/once
full premium version
$45/month
track your clients’ labs
Cancel your subscription at any time.
Guiding our users for 10 years to promptly understand, track, and act on their laboratory results.
Personal plans
track personal results
Professional Plan
track multiple client's results
$15 $5.99/first month
$250/once
own it for life
$45/month
for health professionals
Complete Plan
Unlimited Plan
$15 $5.99
$250 full version
Are you a health professional?
Level up your lab report analysis with our Pro plan, built for health practitioners like you.
Health Business Account
$45/month
Cancel your subscription at any time.
Unlock additional Pro plans when you sign up.
Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.
Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.
With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.
For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.
We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.
Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.
Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.
For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.
Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.
Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.
The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.
For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.
Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.
You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
2. All Tests ViewExplore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.
3. Table View:For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.
Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.
Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.
Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
