Certain dietary supplements may be helpful in supporting your adrenal gland function. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, your adrenal glands produce and release hormones that help regulate numerous processes in your body. In some cases, your adrenal gland function may be impaired by excessive stress or a medical condition. Before taking supplements to help improve your adrenal gland function, talk with your doctor about the possible side effects, proper dosage and potential drug interactions.
Gotu Kola
Gotu kola, also known as Centella asiatica, is an herbal supplement that may be helpful in supporting your adrenal gland function. According to the University of Michigan Health System, gotu kola, a member of the Parsley family, has been used for centuries in the medicine systems of Central Asia to help treat numerous health problems. Gotu kola is an herbaceous annual plant that thrives in the tropical, swampy parts of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Madagascar and South Africa. Gotu kola has a spicy taste, possesses cooling tendencies and has pinkish to red colored flowers. The roots and leaves of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. Dr. Sharol Tilgner, a naturopathic physician and author of the book "Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth," states that gotu kola is an anti-inflammatory and adaptogen that provides general support for your adrenals, is an anti-stress herb and may be helpful in reducing your enlarged adrenal glands.
Ginkgo
Dr. William A. Mitchell Jr., a naturopathic physician and author of the book "Plant Medicine in Practice," states that ginkgo, also known as Ginkgo biloba, is an ancient plant, unchanged since before the Jurassic period. Tilgner notes that ginkgo supports all activities of your brain, including your hypothalamus and your pituitary gland, which regulate metabolic functions throughout your body, including your adrenal glands and other endocrine glands. Ginkgo is a tree that grows in China, Korea, southern France and certain parts of the United States. Practitioners of botanical medicine use the leaves of the ginkgo tree medicinally. The leaves have a slightly sour taste. Tilgner states that ginkgo is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-thrombotic that increases blood flow to your limbs and brain. Ginkgo may cause side effects in some individuals, including headaches, gastrointestinal upset and prolonged bleeding time.
Licorice
Licorice, a member of the Legume family, is an herbaceous perennial plant that grows throughout Europe and Asia. Licorice, also called Glycyrrhiza glabra, has a sweet and nutritious taste, possesses moistening tendencies, thrives in sunny conditions and deep, fertile soils and is harvested in the autumn. The root of the plant is used for medicinal purposes, such as supporting your adrenal gland function. According to Ed Smith, an herbalist and author of the book "Therapeutic Herb Manual," licorice is particularly helpful in treating adrenal gland insufficiency, a condition in which your adrenal glands are no longer capable of producing sufficient amounts of adrenal hormones. Tilgner states that licorice is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and adrenal modulator. If you have elevated blood pressure, heart failure, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis and cholestatic liver disorders, you should avoid taking supplements containing licorice.
References
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Adrenal Gland Disorders
- University of Michigan Health System: Gotu Kola
- "Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth;" Sharol Tilgner, N.D.; 1999
- "Plant Medicine in Practice;" William A. Mitchell Jr., N.D.; 2003
- "Therapeutic Herb Manual;" Ed Smith; 2007
