Natural Therapies: Adrenal Support
The foods you eat are your first line of management of adrenal fatigue.
Basic principles include eating meals at the right times, consuming lots of nutritious whole foods, and avoiding foods to which you have sensitivities or intolerances.
Food Sensitivities
Food sensitivities may lead to inflammation in the body and inability to properly absorb and process nutrients. Inflammation may lead to a disturbed sleep wake cycle. Diarrhea, constipation and other gut problems are frequently the first signs of an intolerance. Inflammation can lead to histamine release. Food sensitivities lead to the growth of unhealthy bacteria in our gut, which can lead to a variety of issues further weakening our immune system further. The food in question should be avoided. Food sensitivity testing is also an option, but it does tend to be quite unreliable. Rely on it for guidance only – your own reaction to each food is a much more reliable test.
Supplements to strengthen your gut may be helpful. The most common supplement in this category is Glutamine, an amino acid that your intestinal walls use as a fuel source. This aids in the repair and regeneration of the intestinal lining. You can also try herbs like licorice or slippery elm, which act to coat the intestinal lining and protect it from irritants.
Gut Support Supplement DGL Plus from Pure Encapsulations contains licorice and slippery elm
Probiotics or digestive enzymes can help. They will allow you to digest food more easily and retrieve more nutrients from each food item too.
Timing of Eating
Eat breakfast with a high quality protein combined with a small amount of high quality carbohydrate. Healthy fats are also good.
Eat frequent small meals throughout the day.
Eat Less Sugar
Excess sugar needs to be controlled by cortisol, so when you eat too much sugar you are indirectly taxing your adrenal glands.
You should be aware that sugary snacks and fast food are not the only source of excess sugar – items like fruit juices are also high sugar foods. Better sources of carbohydrate include vegetables, beans and whole, sprouted grains like wild rice or quinoa. Low sugar fruits can also be a good option.
Eat More Protein and Good Fats
Getting enough protein is a good way to keep your energy levels high without causing spikes in your blood sugar. Good choices include beef, wild fish, eggs, free-range chicken and good quality protein powders. Always try to buy your meat organic if possible.
For fats, consider foods like avocado, coconut, nuts and seeds, butter, cheese and other dairy products. Eating enough fat is important, and it’s a great source of energy, but make sure that your sources of fat are from natural, whole foods.
The 11 Best Foods for Adrenal Fatigue
· Organ meats (e.g. liver)
· Fish
· Organic meats (e.g. beef, chicken)
· Eggs
· Low sugar fruits
· Vegetables
· Beans
· Whole, sprouted grains
· Avocado
· Nuts and seeds
· Organic dairy products
The 7 Worst Foods for Adrenal Fatigue
· High sugar fruits
· Sugary snacks
· Fast food
· Processed foods
· Refined grains (e.g. white bread)
· Dried fruits
· Coffee
Cut Out Caffeine
Caffeinated drinks are adding significant stress to your adrenal glands and endocrine system. Caffeine stimulates the adrenals to produce adrenaline and cortisol in exactly the same way as they do during a ‘fight or flight’ reaction. Over time, as the adrenals become depleted, they become less and less able to respond in the same way.
After quitting coffee, most Adrenal Fatigue sufferers report a more even, consistent energy level throughout the day, without any of the crashes associated with caffeine intake.
Stay Hydrated
Staying well hydrated is important no matter who you are, but if you are suffering from Adrenal Fatigue then it becomes doubly important. You can take it a step further by adding a little sea salt or lemon to your glass of water (remember that many AFS sufferers have mineral and electrolyte deficiencies).
Superfoods for Adrenal Fatigue
Taking a step beyond the foods to eat and avoid listed above, there is also a small group of foods that can actually help you to recover more quickly from Adrenal Fatigue. These foods do not form part of the regular Western diet, although they are now increasingly common sights in our supermarkets and kitchens.
Bone broth. Bone marrow has been proven to reduce inflammation, boost the immune system and encourage healthy cholesterol. It can also provide essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are easily absorbable in our intestines.
Seaweed. Seaweeds are rich in minerals and phytonutrients that we might not get from the rest of our diet.
Fermented drinks
These drinks are rich in minerals and provide a huge boost of ‘good bacteria’ to improve your digestion and nutrient absorption. Good examples are kombucha and kvass.
Supplements For Adrenal Fatigue
Adrenal fatigue causes not only a deficiency in hormones, but also a deficiency in many of the vitamins, minerals and essential compounds that our bodies need to function efficiently. Blood tests might show that you are within range for many of these nutrients, but fatigue and low energy levels often suggest otherwise. Just like hormone levels, you should be aiming for the optimal levels of these vitamins and minerals, not just the minimum levels.
Additionally, there are a number of herbs, probiotics and other supplements that play valuable roles in the treatment of adrenal fatigue.
Support nutrients might typically include Vitamins B5 and B12, Vitamin C, probiotics, and herbs such as ashwagandha, licorice, and maca.
There are a number of vitamins and minerals that tend to be lacking in adrenal fatigue.
Vitamins B5, B6, B12
These important B vitamins play an important role in cell metabolism. Improving metabolic pathways boosts energy levels and is a great way to reduce the fatigue often felt during adrenal fatigue. B5 helps to produce co-enzyme A, which contributes to cellular respiration and the breakdown of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. B6 acts in several of the pathways that are used to create adrenal hormones. And B12 helps with energy production, cell repair and the maintenance of our red blood cells.
The amounts that you need of each these B vitamins are quite different. For example, you should be aiming for much higher amounts of B5 than B6 or B12. There are some excellent B-Complex supplements that combine all three.
Vitamin C
This powerful antioxidant vitamin is directly involved in the production of cortisol in the adrenals. So besides the other health benefits it carries (boosting your immune system, protecting from free radicals), vitamin C is also an essential building block for the recovery of adrenal glands. You can start with 1000mg of vitamin C and then gradually increase your dose over time. Buffered or liposomal vitamin C is generally the best form, and it should be in combination with bioflavonoids, just as it often is in nature.
Magnesium
Some studies estimate that 75% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. In very simple terms, magnesium helps to maintain energy flow, so you can see that deficiency might be a problem! A lack of magnesium can result in symptoms like fatigue and depression. But there are also a few other tell-tale signs like muscle cramping, stiffness and insomnia. Taking too much magnesium can result in digestive problems, so be careful with your starting dose. Something like 400mg is a good place to start.
Probiotics
The health-affirming benefits of probiotics have been established beyond doubt by a long series of scientific studies. Among other things they can improve your digestion, reduce the side effects of antibiotics, and may lower stress levels. For Adrenal Fatigue sufferers, many of whom suffer from poor digestion, they are particularly important.
When shopping for a probiotic, look for one that has at least 10 billion CFUs (Colony Forming Units). It should also contain at least 5 different strains of bacteria, preferably including Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Herbal Supplements
Herbs should also play an important part in the recovery from Adrenal Fatigue. These can be taken along with the other supplements mentioned on this page. We can often trace the use of these herbs back for centuries in traditional cultures, where they have been used to maintain vitality and energy, exactly what a typical patient with Adrenal Fatigue needs. Listed below are a few that you should consider.
Gaia Herbs adrenal health daily support
Licorice root
This is an herb that has long been used to stimulate hormone production, maintain energy levels and increase endurance. It is a great choice for many individuals with Adrenal Fatigue, as it helps your cortisol to circulate for longer, but there is one significant drawback. Licorice root can raise your blood pressure, so you should not take it if you are experiencing high blood pressure. This is not usually a problem as most AFS sufferers tend to have low blood pressure anyway.
Ashwagandha
Known as an adaptogenic herb, ashwagandha regulates various systems in our bodies. If cortisol is too high, it acts to lower it, And if cortisol is too low, it acts to raise it.
Siberian ginseng
Is reported to improve stamina, increase mental awareness and boosts energy levels. However, just like licorice root it can raise your blood pressure so those with hypertension.
Rhodiola Rosea
Popular in Scandinavia and Russia, this herb can help with a wide variety of conditions including muscle tension, poor circulation, depression and fatigue. By improving our circulation it enables us to increase our cortisol production further when we need it.
Maca root
Research has shown maca to have beneficial effects on cortisol regulation and blood sugar. It also allows for more efficient uptake of hormones into our cells, increasing their effectiveness.
Other Supplements To Consider
Omega-3
Many of us are deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids, although we tend to have an adequate supply of Omega-6. This imbalance can lead to increased inflammation, which requires an increase in cortisol production to manage. Taking a good Omega-3 supplement can reduce inflammation throughout your body and relieve the workload placed on your adrenals.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
This supplement is particularly useful for boosting metabolism and increasing energy levels. Acetyl-L-Carnitine increases the production of certain neurotransmitters in which we are often deficient, and it helps to move fatty acids into the mitochondria where we need them to produce energy.
CoQ10
Your body produces CoQ10 and uses it to produce energy for growing and maintaining your cells. Some find that it increases endurance and improves recovery time after exercise. Good food sources include beef, sardines and various organ meats, but if you are not getting enough from food then supplementation might be an excellent choice.
D-Ribose
This supplement is another way to sustain higher energy levels throughout the day without placing any stress on your adrenal glands. D-Ribose is actually a form of sugar, but it won’t spike your blood sugar like glucose or other sweeteners. Instead, it goes directly to forming ATP, the molecule that facilitates the transfer of energy between our cells. Tissues in the heart and muscles respond particularly well to D-Ribose supplementation, and many find it gives a useful boost to their energy levels.
Mind And Body
Treating Adrenal Fatigue must involve addressing the underlying causes of stress in our lives. Just as our mental state can cause illness, improving our emotional wellbeing can also reverse these conditions. On this page I will describe a few techniques that will help to restore your emotional and physical health.
The Right Exercise
Staying fit can be great for your spirit and physical health, but if you are suffering from Adrenal Fatigue then you need to be very careful how you exercise. Here are some simple principles that you need to follow.
If you are experiencing late stage adrenal Fatigue (i.e. your energy levels are extremely low), you need to avoid strenuous exercise altogether. Good options are walking, swimming, yoga or tai chi. These will boost your circulation without putting too much stress on your adrenal glands.
If you are still in earlier stages of adrenal fatigue, then more vigorous exercises like running and weight lifting are not counterproductive.
Try to complete your exercise early in the day. This will both give your metabolism a kick-start and help you to sleep later on. Exercising late in the day can interrupt natural sleep patterns.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the duration of your exercise should depend on your age. Younger individuals can target 1 hour of exercise daily and individuals who are older should begin with 30 minutes or exercise each day.
Meditation and Deep Breathing
Here’s another great example of how the mind can directly affect the body. Studies have shown that meditation and deep breathing actually change not only our brain waves, but also our immune response and our circulatory patterns.
For those of us with any stage of adrenal fatigue, mindfulness techniques enable stress reduction and normalization of adrenaline and cortisol levels. increase our energy levels by increasing oxygen saturation.
Sources for Meditation and Deep Breathing
TIme to Recover from Adrenal Fatigue
Typically, recovery will take somewhere between 6 and 18 months, but there is a very wide variation between patients. Some may take less than 6 months, but others may take two years before they can really claim to have returned to normal. The length of time to recover will depend on the severity of the adrenal fatigue and mitigation of the stressors that contributed to it. Women with early stage adrenal fatigue may respond to treatments and resolve in 6 months.
If one has reached more advanced stage adrenal fatigue, such as Stage 3, treatment will likely take much longer. At these stages both the adrenal glands and the rest of the endocrine system are beginning to get severely fatigued, and production of at least a few of our hormones has started to flag. The diurnal cortisol pattern has begun to be disrupted. To rebuild adrenal strength requires lifestyle changes, a nutritious diet and proper supplementation. This takes some time, and you can anticipate the process taking at least 6 months.
For individuals into Stage 4 adrenal fatigue, where levels of both the sex hormones and stress hormones have dropped substantially, treatment will take even longer. A treatment period of at least 12 months should be anticipated, possibly involving bioidentical hormone replacement as well as the dietary changes, lifestyle changes and supplementation mentioned above.