Supplements To Help Adrenals

Certain dietary supplements may be helpful in treating your adrenal glands. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, your adrenal glands release hormones that control many of your body's important functions, such as the regulation of blood glucose levels, maintenance of salt and water balance and sexual maturation. Before taking dietary supplements to help treat your adrenals, talk with your doctor about possible side effects, proper dosage and potential drug interactions.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, also known as Withania somnifera, is an herbal supplement that may be helpful in treating your adrenal glands. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, ashwagandha, a member of the nightshade family, is commonly used to help treat stress, strain and fatigue -- symptoms associated with low-functioning adrenal glands -- and is used as a general tonic to help boost your energy levels and improve your health and longevity. Ashwagandha is a short shrub cultivated in the drier parts of India and has a bitter, flowery and earthy taste. Dr. Sharol Tilgner, a naturopathic physician and author of the book "Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth," states that ashwagandha is a sedative, anti-inflammatory and adaptogen that is helpful in treating adrenal-related exhaustion, impotence and agitation. The root of the plant is used for medicinal purposes.

Rhodiola

Ed Smith, an herbalist and author of the book "Therapeutic Herb Manual," states that rhodiola, also known as Rhodiola rosea, is an adaptogenic tonic that improves your energy level, endurance, stamina, work productivity, mood, mental clarity and memory. Rhodiolia, notes Smith, is an antioxidant and anti-fatigue agent. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, rhodiola has been used in Eastern European and Asian healing traditions to stimulate your nervous system, combat depression and improve the quality of your sleep. By stimulating your adrenal glands, rhodiola can improve your resistance to mental and physical stress and its associated symptoms. Rhodiola is a perennial plant that belongs to the crassulaceae family and grows at high altitudes and cold regions throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Smith cautions that some individuals may experience increased anxiety when taking herbal supplements containing rhodiola.

Gotu Kola

Gotu kola, also known as Centella asiatica, is a perennial plant native to India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and China that thrives in and around water. Gotu kola belongs to the parsley family, has fan-shaped green leaves and white, pink or purple flowers and possesses cooling tendencies. The entire plant, which has a spicy taste, is used by practitioners of botanical medicine to help to treat numerous health problems, including adrenal gland problems. Tilgner states that gotu kola is an anti-inflammatory, adaptogen and analgesic that provides general support for your adrenal glands and nervous system. Gotu kola, notes Tilgner, is an anti-stress herb that may help reduce your adrenal gland enlargement and help to treat stress-induced ulcers. Tilgner cautions that, if you are pregnant, you should avoid taking herbal supplements containing gotu kola, due to its abortifacient effects and its ability to stimulate menstruation.