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Which Supplements Help Adrenal Gland Fatigue?

Feb 26, 2011 | By Tracey Roizman, D.C.
Which Supplements Help Adrenal Gland Fatigue?
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Your adrenal glands, situated above each kidney, produce as many as 30 different steroid hormones. The most notable of the adrenal hormones are aldosterone, which regulates water balance, and cortisol, which controls blood sugar and inflammation and is associated with the stress response. A variety of supplements are purported to assist the adrenal glands, some of which have been supported in research studies. Consult with a qualified health professional before using supplements for adrenal health.

Ginseng

Ginseng decreases adrenal stress, according to a study published in the August 2010 journal "Nutrition Research and Practice." In the study, laboratory rats took ginseng and then underwent confinement stress. The rats showed decreased levels of adrenal enzymes that become elevated in response to stress. The researchers concluded that ginseng was effective at alleviating adrenal stress.

Licorice

Licorice root is a popular remedy for adrenal fatigue in Chinese medicine. However, eating licorice to alleviate adrenal fatigue while pregnant may result in cortisol-stressed babies with more risk for adult diseases later on, say authors of a study published in the November 2010 "Psychoneuroendocrinology." Glycyrrhizin, the active compound in licorice, inhibits a barrier that protects developing fetuses from exposure to maternal cortisol. In the study, children of mothers who consumed more than 500 mg per week of licorice while pregnant showed higher-than-normal cortisol levels. The researchers concluded that licorice consumption while pregnant programs the baby's adrenal glands toward higher cortisol output, which simulates high stress and can lead to health problems. While licorice may alleviate fatigue by bringing cortisol levels up in pregnant women with low cortisol levels, this may not be healthy for the baby.

Pantothenic Acid

Pantothenic acid, vitamin B-5, improves adrenal output, say authors of a study published in the June 2008 "Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin." Researchers gave laboratory rats drinking water with 0.03 percent pantothenic acid for nine weeks and observed higher levels of the adrenal hormones corticosterone and progesterone than a control group of rats that did not receive pantothenic acid. Also, the rats in the pantothenic acid group showed greater response to adrenocorticotropic hormone --- an adrenal-stimulating hormone produced by the pituitary gland.

Rhodiola rosea

Rhodiola rosea acts as an adaptogen --- an herb that decreases stress and fosters balance --- according to the 2009 "Alternative Medicine Review." Rhodiola modulates levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, which in turn influence adrenal function. Rhodiola also increases endorphin levels in the central nervous system, prevents depletion of adrenal hormones and promotes energy production in heart muscle, all of which serve to decrease stress levels and decrease mental and physical fatigue.

Cordyceps

The fungus Cordyceps sinensis improved endurance and decreased fatigue in laboratory mice, in a study published in the May 2003 "Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin." The researchers also noted that the rats' adrenal gland, spleen, thymus and thyroid did not increase with the stress of the endurance tests, implying a high level of health and resilience in those organs.

References

Article reviewed by Holland Hammond Last updated on: Feb 26, 2011

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