To assess the function of the adrenal glands we have to look at the pattern of cortisol secretion over twenty-four hours. Any deviation from the normal cycle indicates strain on the adrenals. Most fibromyalgia patients show mild adrenal burnout, with a flattening of the usual curve of hormonal release throughout the day. Several studies have shown this “blunting” of the normal pattern of cortisol secretion in fibromyalgia patients (Mahdi 2011; Riedel 1998; Riva 2010).
