Adrenal Fatigue: Impact on Vaginal Health

Author: Jessica Lloyd
Senior Naturopath | BHSc(N) | ISSVD, ISSWSH, BSSM, ATMS

Last reviewed: November 17, 2025

If you’ve been highly stressed for an extended period, you may have what’s known as adrenal fatigue or adrenal exhaustion. Adrenal fatigue isn’t a medical diagnosis per se, but many healthcare practitioners are familiar with the concept of burnout.

Because of the web of hormones involved in the stress response and how they interact with reproductive hormones, chronic stress can leave you with a dysfunctional system that may result in impacts to vaginal tissue and the microbiome. Vaginal symptoms may include itching, discharge, and infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV).

A doctor may run tests on cortisol and related factors, as well as conduct a vaginal screen for infections. A series of tests can determine if your cortisol systems are working as they should.

Adrenal fatigue and progesterone

Adrenal fatigue may affect your progesterone levels in two ways.

First, by reducing the amount of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) secreted by the adrenals, you reduce your body’s ability to produce normal progesterone levels.

DHEA regulates cholesterol metabolism, as cholesterol is required to produce progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone.

Second, you may end up with lower progesterone production via the ovaries, resulting in less cortisol and adrenaline being made in the adrenal glands.

So how exactly does adrenal fatigue give you an itchy vagina?

The adrenal glands produce cortisol, which keeps you alert during the day and offers a feeling of anxiety when you are stressed, or conversely, a feeling of excitement when you are having fun.¹
Your body uses progesterone to make cortisol.
If you are low in progesterone, you can run out of cortisol.
Or conversely, if you are stressed for long periods, you can end up converting all your progesterone to cortisol, leaving you low in progesterone, and very stressed and anxious – until you run out of everything.
When you run out of cortisol (and/or progesterone), you end up with adrenal fatigue or burnout.
Signs of low progesterone include an itchy vagina, vaginal discharge, and even urinary tract discomfort (needing to urinate a lot/urinary urgency).

What low progesterone means

If you are low in progesterone, the result can be imbalanced and relative oestrogen excess. Progesterone and oestrogen naturally oppose one another, keeping each other in check. An abundance of oestrogen can result in vulvovaginal symptoms and allow yeast to flourish.

What to do about itching and discharge caused by adrenal fatigue

Soothing your vagina will be important. Try a vaginal moisturiser, such as coconut oil, to keep the itch at bay.

Without dealing with stress and burnout thoroughly, the rest of the body, including the vagina. If you’re struggling to get results, book with an experienced practitioner who can give you the support you need to get yourself back on track.

Recovering from adrenal fatigue is usually quite a slow process, so try different strategies to help reduce vaginal symptoms as you go.

Speak to your healthcare practitioner and ask for their advice, as they may be able to help with temporary measures while your body recovers.

References

1.
Amabebe E, Anumba DOC. Psychosocial Stress, Cortisol Levels, and Maintenance of Vaginal Health. Front Endocrinol. Published online September 24, 2018. doi:10.3389/fendo.2018.00568