The adrenal glands manage stress on the body in all its forms. Whether from mental and emotional tension, from a protracted illness, poor diet, the stress of processing environmental toxins or a combination of all of these, the adrenal glands are responsible for orchestrating the physiological processes that bring the body back into balance. Certain nutrients and natural substances are particularly useful at replenishing the adrenal glands if they become depleted from overuse.
Vitamin C
The "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reported in 2007 on a study that evaluated a theory that vitamin C is secreted from the adrenal glands during periods of stress. The study used human subjects with hyperaldosteronism -- a disease characterized by overproduction of the hormone aldosterone by the adrenal glands. The participants were given adrenocorticotrophic hormone -- a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal glands -- and the levels of vitamin C and cortisol in adrenal veins and peripheral veins were measured. The researchers observed that vitamin C increased in adrenal veins in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone, but not in peripheral veins. They reported that this was the first data showing that hormones cause vitamin secretion in humans and concluded that adrenal vitamin C secretion is part of the stress response.
Vitamin E
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is a relay system within the brain and endocrine organs that controls many of the hormonal responses in the body. A study published in 2009 in the "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition" looked at the effect of vitamin E on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and its ability to prevent oxidative stress and associated cognitive decline with age. In the study, rats were subjected to various forms of oxidative stress and levels of stress hormones, such as adrenocorticotrophic hormone and corticosterone, from the adrenal glands were markedly elevated. Additionally, some rats were not subjected to stress but were fed a vitamin E deficient diet and these rats exhibited the same biomarkers of stress. With vitamin E supplementation, the researchers noted a decrease in the levels of stress hormones produced by the adrenal glands. The researchers concluded that vitamin E prevents the sort of adrenal stress that leads to oxidation and cognitive impairment in aging individuals.
Cordyceps Sinensis
A fungus known as Cordyceps sinensis was tested in a study published in 2005 in the "Biology and Pharmaceutical Bulletin" and found to have properties that enhance the adrenal and immune systems. Cordyceps sinensis has historically been used in traditional Chinese medicine for its immune-modulating effects. In the study, coricosterone production in mice was tested in response to varying dosage levels of Cordyceps. The researchers noted that corticosterone production was increased by Cordyceps, indicating activation of the adrenal glands, while body weight and adrenal gland weight were preserved, implying a stress-sparing effect. The researchers concluded that Cordyceps sinensis has the potential for use as an alternative medicine to support adrenal function.
References
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Human adrenal glands secrete vitamin C in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone
- PubMed: Elevation by Oxidative Stress and Aging of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Activity in Rats and Its Prevention by Vitamin E
- PubMed: The in vivo effect of Cordyceps sinensis mycelium on plasma corticosterone level in male mouse.
