Don’t let adrenal dysfunction steal your joy!
Photo by Stuartpilbrow
Feeling burned out, worn out, and frazzled? Does it feel like life has taken the wind out of your sails? You certainly aren’t alone. It’s estimated that between 60 and 80 percent of all people suffer from a condition known as adrenal dysfunction, sometimes referred to as adrenal fatigue, in their lives. And one of the primary causes is today’s 24/7 nonstop lifestyle that often seems packed with wall-to-wall stress.
Small, but Mighty
Your adrenals are tiny triangle-shaped glands that weight less than a quarter ounce each. You have a pair and they sit one on top of each kidney. But even though they are tiny, they secrete some might important hormones which act like chemical messengers that tell certain parts of the body what to do. These hormones include aldosterone, which helps to keep your water-sodium levels in balance. This regulates your blood pressure. Your adrenals also secrete sex hormones like dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), estrogen, and testosterone.
But perhaps the most important family of hormones secreted by the adrenal glands is glucocorticoids, including one you may have heard of: cortisol. Cortisol is essential for a healthy stress response and it also helps regulate body metabolism. But when your adrenal glands are constantly responding to chronic stressors, you may suffer because your adrenals are over-adapting—and are continually stimulated to release cortisol.
The result is a collection of symptoms that can undermine a healthy, happy, and energetic life. Fortunately, learning to moderate your response to stress, making some smart lifestyle choices, and including the following key nutrients in your everyday routine can help to fortify your adrenal glands and support optimal adrenal function.
8 Adrenal Advocates
Feel Better with Botanicals
Ashwagandha
Photo by Steven Foster
This adaptogenic herb helps keep your body in balance during times of stress thanks to natural hormone precursors called withanolides. The primary way it does this is by turning withanolides into usable hormones when the body needs them. During one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 64 stressed-out people took either 300 mg of ashwagandha or a dummy pill twice a day for 60 days. At the end of the study, those taking the adaptogen showed a 76 percent drop in the physical symptoms of stress. Plus, they suffered significantly less insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression than the placebo group. Also, their cortisol levels were considerably lower.
Licorice Root Extract
Long before licorice became a favorite among candy lovers, they used medicinally it to treat several conditions. Today, science has found that licorice slows the breakdown of adrenal hormones to help maintain healthy levels. During one study, researchers discovered that licorice root extract supports healthy adrenal function by increasing cortisol levels in saliva. Another trial of 20 healthy men and women found that licorice root supplementation boosted DHEA in all the participants in just one week.
Rehmannia
Preliminary research into this little-known herb suggests it may help to prevent or even reverse damage to the pituitary and adrenal glands—critical actions to optimize HPA axis function during times of prolonged stress. Popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine, rehmannia is also used in many adrenal formulas because it is said to balance the “yin” in the body.
Rhodiola
Rhodiola rosea; Photo by Hedwig Storch
They have shown this adaptogenic herb to reduce fatigue while improving both mood and cognition when you’re feeling anxious. Studies have found that, when taken prior to a stressful event, this herb can keep those anxious feelings in check and boost your performance. Rhodiola also supports immune health. But to make sure you’re getting all that rhodiola offers, choose a supplement that is standardized to contain at least 5% rosavins and 1.8% salidrosides.
Nutrients That Maximize Adrenal Function
The Bs
The B vitamins are critical for energy production, but something can readily deplete them during times of prolonged stress. That’s why supplementation is critical if you’re suffering from adrenal dysregulation. Among the most important is B5, which supports healthy adrenal function and is involved in the synthesis of cortisol. B6 is also key for supporting the action of your stress hormones and for a healthy stress response. And don’t forget vitamins B1 and B2, which are essential for energy production. The best way to ensure you’re getting all the Bs you need is by taking a comprehensive B-complex offering 100 mg of each of these important nutrients.
DHEA
Short for dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA is a precursor to the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone that are produced by the adrenal glands. But when cortisol levels go up, DHEA levels go down. Adding insult to injury, DHEA production drops off as you age. But adding a supplement can blunt cortisol’s ill effects and help to fortify our resistance to stress. As a bonus, some research suggests that DHEA also lowers cholesterol levels, helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels, boosts cognition, protects against bone loss, improves mood, and even enhances libido!
L-Tyrosine
This non-essential amino acid aids in the production of two neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. Researchers at the State University of New York showed indispensable for normal adrenal, pituitary, and thyroid function, Downstate to support adrenal balance by modulating the adrenal glands’ production and release of stress hormones.
Vitamin C
This antioxidant vitamin is a cofactor in both adrenal hormone production and secretion. They have also shown it to modulate cortisol levels. But since stores of cigarette smoke and environmental toxins can easily deplete vitamin C, it’s smart to take a daily dose of supplemental C to make sure you’re getting all of its adrenal-supporting benefits.
Habits to Help You Power Up!
When adrenal dysregulation has knocked you flat, the following changes to your routine can help you recharge and better manage those everyday stressors.
• Build a diet around high-quality protein, healthy fats, and plenty of nutrient-rich produce.
• Minimize how much sugar and processed food you eat.
• Stay hydrated with good old-fashioned H2O.
• Skip caffeine and other stimulants.
• Engage in a moderate exercise like yoga, tai chi, or walking.
• Download a meditation app and get into the OM zone for 10 minutes each day.
• Aim to get 7 to 8 hours of high-quality sleep every night.
Article originally published in Good Health Lifestyles magazine, Winter 2017.
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