@JasonUT Note that I am not a doctor, and I merely speak from my experience and research.
With your low aldosterone, I'm concerned about the rare kind of dangerous electrolyte imbalance. Potassium monitoring is very important in this situation. Unfortunately there are no medically approved home potassium monitors that I know of. Some people do try to monitor potassium in saliva with unapproved monitors to keep from inhabiting the ER.
WARNING: Use of the mass marketed electrolyte drinks like Gatorade which all contain potassium, that could cause hyperkalemia in someone who cannot excrete excess potassium ...as in those without aldosterone. You may want to check out the food lists on line to see what foods are high in potassium. As you crave salt you may be tempted to eat potato chips but potatoes have lots of potassium, so it's a bad idea.
"The adrenal glands produce many more hormones than just glucocorticoids. One very important hormone is aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid. Aldosterone regulates fluid and electrolytes (sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium) in the blood, between and in the cells of the body. As adrenal fatigue progresses, the production of aldosterone lessens. This causes "salt-wasting". As the salt is excreted by the kidneys, water follows leading to electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. Those with adrenal fatigue should always add salt (preferably sea salt with its trace minerals) to their water.
Soft drinks and electrolyte drinks like Gatorade are high in potassium and low in sodium, the opposite of what someone with low cortisol needs. Commercial electrolyte drinks are designed for those who produce high cortisol when exercising, not for someone who produces little or no extra cortisol during exercise. You need to add ¼ to 1 teaspoon of salt to a glass of water or eat something salty to maintain fluid/electrolyte balance."
Use of licorice in normal people can eventually result in serious problems, like those cause by hyperaldosterone. So when using licorice one is still constantly concerned potassium levels and whether one's adrenals are returning to normal function although that is usually a very slow process.
I mentioned the foot arch instep pain because I had it when my aldosterone was low and I was going into adrenal crisis. My neighbor friend who was eventually diagnosed with Addison's disease, where the adrenals have virtually ceased to function, also had this symptom. His wife, a nurse, somehow traced this foot pain to low adrenal function and ended up thereby saving his life.
There are of course a number of things which can cause HPA dysfunction including:
"Disturbance of the HPA hypo-thalamic-pituitary axis is common from many prescription and street drugs which have psycho active properties. Examples are MDMA, Ecstasy-type street drugs, Narcotics, Benzodiazepines, Alcohol , etc. HPA disturbance may continue many years after the causative drug has been discontinued. These patients are commonly given psychiatric drugs which do not address the underlying problem. Rather than treat with psychoactive drugs, these patients should need supportive treatment to allow the endocrine system and HPA to return to normal functioning."
From:
http://jeffreydachmd.com/2014/04/b12-deficiency-neuro-psychiatric-disorders-jeffrey-dach-md/
Many drugs, whether legal or not, cause problems with mitochondria which can result in low adrenal function as well:
https://emediahealth.com/2011/04/10...algia-and-myalgic-encephalomyelitis-patients/
Endocrinologists test adrenals with the ACTH stimulation test. This places a demand on the adrenals and the results measure their response. You can "pass" this test and still have majorly malfunctioning adrenals. It is basically a test as to whether they have ceased function. Since the end result of this standard protocol is that one is placed on steroids for life (which could cause adrenal atrophy and failure just by their use), one realizes that help must be sought elsewhere. Endocrinologists have no training in how to restore adrenals to health and are not trained in nutrition. Endocrinologists have the most training in things like protocols for diabetes.
That is why I recommend you check out Dr. Lam's book. Dr. Lam has gone beyond basic training. He discusses a number of nutrients and herbs which may benefit adrenals. It is important to check this out because many adrenal formulas and adrenal remedy lists contain adrenal stimulants which can be detrimental to adrenals when in poor shape.
A body scan may help to reveal some physiological abnormalities... which may or may not be able to resolve on their own. It's not something used to discover mitochondrial problems that are intracellular.
In my recovery I also used adrenal glandulars...but ONLY those which were processed to remove hormones. Those which contain hormones can be horribly stimulatory and very detrimental. Glandulars are used only when one is in a very severe state of low adrenal function.
The ones I took were formulated by Dr. Wilson:
http://adrenalfatigue.org/dr-wilsons-protocols/
Note that use of glandulars cannot be withdrawn without slow tapering and that quitting cold turkey in some instances could end up being fatal.
With regard to the licorice, the response I had was pretty immediate. I took capsule forms which are available in many supplement stores. There is also licorice tea. However, you may want to get more testing done beforehand if possible since licorice will make test results inconclusive. Still from my experience, you sound to be in a critical situation, and if I were you I would order some licorice to have on hand. Hopefully you live with people who can help monitor your situation. Look up adrenal insufficiency. You will find Addison's forums and you will find youtube videos where you will see someone non-responsive in a coma like state who is dying from adrenal crisis. Note that impending signs often include vomiting and nausea. Study the signs listed and check out the symptoms of low aldosterone.
If it is a matter of mitochondrial problems...the adrenals might not themselves be the issue, but rehabbing the mitochondria could be of essence.