If you're pregnant, you need to be particularly cautious about what you put into your body because some supplements, medications and compounds -- even if they're safe when you're not pregnant -- can cross the placenta and affect your fetus. Do not take herbs for adrenals during pregnancy without talking to your doctor.
Your Adrenals
Adrenal glands sit on top of each kidney and produce a variety of hormones that regulate different responses in your body. One of the hormones produced by the adrenals, adrenaline, is the "fight or flight" hormone that the glands release under conditions of extreme stress. Other adrenal hormones include corticosteroids, which regulate the responses of the body to chronic stress and illness. While there are many herbs and supplements for conditions such as "adrenal fatigue," many supposed adrenal disorders that you can read about on the Internet aren't recognized medical diagnoses, explains MayoClinic.com.
Adrenal Herbs
There are a number of herbs and supplements sold as remedies for the supposed adrenal conditions, such as "adrenal fatigue," that result from chronic stress. However, there's little scientific evidence to support the use of any of these supplements. One such supplement is a hormone called DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, while your body produces DHEA and low levels are associated with some diseases, there's no evidence that supplemental DHEA does you any good.
During Pregnancy
One of the problems associated with taking herbal supplements for a condition during pregnancy is that most herbal supplements haven't been established as safe or effective in pregnant women. The American Pregnancy Association stresses that just because a substance is herbal and therefore natural, doesn't mean that it's any safer for you than a pharmaceutical. Talk to your doctor before taking any herbs during pregnancy, and discuss any concerns about your adrenal glands with a physician before attempting to treat yourself.
Another Concern
Another reason to avoid adrenal gland herbs during pregnancy is that the FDA doesn't regulate dietary supplements -- including herbs -- the same way it does pharmaceutical drugs and foods. Manufacturers are free to sell herbal supplements without having to first prove that they're safe or effective, based on the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Just because an herb is for sale, therefore, doesn't mean it's been proven safe. Many herbs can cross the placenta and affect your fetus, and in the case of adrenal herbs, no one knows what affect they could have on a developing baby, because of the lack of research.
