A disorder in which the adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones. Specifically, the adrenal glands produce insufficient amounts of the hormone cortisol and sometimes aldosterone, too. When the body is under stress (e.g. fighting an infection), this deficiency of cortisol can result in a life threatening Addisonian crisis characterised by low blood pressure. Symptoms tend to be non-specific and include fatigue, nausea, darkening of the skin and dizziness upon standing. Treatment involves taking hormones to replace those not produced by the adrenal glands. Addison's disease occurs in all age groups and both sexes, and can be life-threatening. Treatment involves taking hormones to replace those that are missing. Addison's disease symptoms usually develop slowly, often over several months. Often, the disease progresses so slowly that symptoms are ignored until a stress, such as illness or injury, occurs and makes symptoms worse. Signs and symptoms may include:

Extreme fatigue Weight loss and decreased appetite Darkening of your skin (hyperpigmentation) Low blood pressure, even fainting Salt craving Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) Nausea, diarrhea or vomiting (gastrointestinal symptoms) Abdominal pain Muscle or joint pains Irritability Depression or other behavioral symptoms Body hair loss or sexual dysfunction in women