Adrenal Supplements: High Cortisol, Low Cortisol, and What Might Help

Adrenal fatigue is a common condition involving loss of energy, an increase in fatigue, and even exhaustion. The symptoms are varied, and can be debilitating in some cases. That’s why many healthcare professionals turn to adrenal supplements to bring relief to their patients. This article will cover several possible adrenal supplements you may try in consultation with your doctor. But to understand which adrenal support supplements may work best for you, it's important to first understand the condition itself.

Causes of Adrenal Fatigue

Cortisol works to counter the effects of stress from any source. This hormone comes from your adrenal glands located on top of your kidneys. Stress stimulates the adrenals to produce and release cortisol. Ideally, cortisol alone will prove sufficient to deal with the effects of stress. However, when stress becomes chronic as so often happens now your adrenals may not produce sufficient cortisol. In other words, they become fatigued. As a result, Adrenal Fatigue  (AF) begins.

In order to deal with stress in such a case, another natural mechanism, the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response becomes activated. This consists of a series of six circuits, each containing three organs or systems, that spreads the task of handling stress over your entire body. These circuits work in an inter-related manner such that what affects one will affect others as well. Severe symptoms occur when these circuits become dysregulated.

Loss of energy, fatigue, and exhaustion come about with this kind of dysregulation. Adrenal supplements can help strengthen your adrenals and lessen the impact of stress on your body.

How Adrenal Problems Affect Related Organs

In addition to low energy production, other problems can occur when your adrenal glands do not function adequately. The NEM stress response describes how different systems are called into action when your adrenals are unable to handle stress alone. Likewise, when one of these systems becomes overworked and dysregulated, other related systems develop problems as well.

For example, your adrenals, reproductive organs, and thyroid make up the Hormonal circuit of your NEM. If your adrenals function at a low level, you may also develop low thyroid function and reproductive disorders. Likewise, low thyroid levels can lead to impaired adrenal function, and reproductive disorders such as estrogen dominance can exacerbate hypothyroidism.

The goal of taking adrenal supplements is to essentially short-circuit this cascade of dysregulation.

The Best Adrenal Supplements

Bringing your cortisol level to appropriate levels is a major goal of using adrenal supplements. Both high and low cortisol levels bring on the symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Initially, when you experience stress, cortisol levels increase. However, as adrenal fatigue worsens, the level of cortisol in your body decreases. Some adrenal supplements work to lower cortisol levels while others work to increase these levels. Thus, it is also important to consider your current cortisol levels and state of adrenal fatigue when choosing adrenal supplements.

Adrenal Supplements for Low Cortisol

• Vitamin C. One of the most important supplements to help feed your adrenals the right nutrients, it's important to give this cofactor in different delivery forms and dosages depending on your body's sensitivity. Without vitamin C, your adrenals won't have the nutrients to make adequate levels of the right hormones.
• Adrenal Glandulars.  These supplements bring a fast increase in energy. When combined with other supplements for low cortisol, they can work to kick start the adrenals. However, you have to be very careful about overstimulating yourself as glandular supplements could turn off your own production of adrenal hormones. This is sometimes given as first-line supplement by inexperienced providers, but it could backfire very easily if you're in the late stages of adrenal fatigue, and if you are not getting the right nutrients as a foundation for the adrenals at the same time. An in-depth discussion follows below.
• Vitamin B5. This vitamin works to help produce adrenal hormones as a cofactor. In addition, it is a nutrient that many people suffer deficiencies in. You may need to take increased amounts initially.
• Adrenal Adaptogens. These supplements work to lower cortisol levels but can help raise those levels as well. Blends of various adaptogens appear to work well. Likewise, when combined with glandulars, their effects increase. If you're unsure, it's best not to start with adaptogens as they can go either way in stimulating or calming. An in-depth discussion follows below.
• CoQ10. Involved in appropriate mitochondrial energy production, this supplement helps increase energy. Boosting mitochondrial efficiency works well in cases of adrenal problems. Dosage is best at 240 mg per day for several months.
• Alpha Lipoic Acid. ALA works to increase mitochondrial energy production, works to decrease inflammation, and acts as a strong antioxidant. In addition, through its effects on insulin, it can help reduce weight. An in-depth discussion follows below.
• DHEA. This one of the adrenal supplements works as the precursor to testosterone and some estrogen metabolites. With low cortisol and low adrenal hormone production, this supplement can help. Start with a low dose every 2-3 days, increasing to daily as you can tolerate it. Please be aware that high doses of DHEA can turn into androgens or estrogens. In women, too much DHEA can lead to hair loss or irritability. Thus, it's important not to overdose on DHEA.
• Pregnenolone. This supplement also works as a hormone precursor. When used with DHEA, it can help boost adrenal function. Some people get acne as a side effect, so start with low doses. You need to use it for 3 months or longer for it to be most effective.

Adrenal Supplements for High Cortisol

• Phosphatidylserine. This adrenal supplement can lower cortisol levels if taken in doses of up to 600 mg per day. Taking 400 to 600 mg at night for 2 to 3 months should lower those levels. An in-depth discussion follows below.
• Ashwagandha. This adaptogen can work to lower cortisol levels, help you lose weight, and increase your libido. Be careful of it's overstimulating properties if you're sensitive and prone to paradoxical reactions. Fermented forms are best absorbed. An in-depth discussion follows below.
• Melatonin. This is one of the adrenal supplements that will reduce cortisol levels and help alleviate sleeplessness. A dosage range of 1-3 mg typically works. You should start with 3 mg and continue if tolerated.

Adrenal Supplements In-Depth

Adrenal Adaptogens (Ashwagandha)

Clinical practice shows adaptogens to be possibly the most important supplements for dealing with adrenal fatigue and cortisol problems. Their defining characteristic is their ability to balance and normalize cortisol levels. Above all, research indicates they contain the ability to either lower or raise cortisol levels as needed. Ashwagandha appears to function better than any other adaptogen in both clinical and research applications.

In addition, ashwagandha possesses properties that help:

• Increase muscle mass and lose weight
• Boost energy levels, exercise tolerance, and ability to recover
• Increase thyroid function, both T3 and T4 levels
• Reduce sleeplessness
• Improve your ability to manage stress

In addition, this supplement may help rebalance related systems in the body, improving your overall health and resilience.

The dosage of ashwagandha can vary from 500 to 2,000 mg daily, depending on the severity of your symptoms and your ability to tolerate it. You may need to take this supplement for six months or longer, depending on your condition.

Adrenal Glandulars (often taken with adaptogens)

The mechanism behind glandulars still eludes scientists, but they work well. Research suggests they provide benefits at the cellular level such as reducing inflammation. On the other hand, they may contain hormones that give you support at the cellular level.

When glandulars come from good sources, they do work to support your adrenals and balance cortisol levels. Clinical practice indicates they work best for those with very severe fatigue and very low cortisol levels. Some people get a quick boost in energy levels in a short time. For best results, you should not use them for more than six months at a time.

Dosage for using glandulars includes 1 to 2 tablets per day taken in the morning and at noon. Some jitteriness may come with their use. If this occurs, you should cut back to 1 or even ½ tablet per day. You may need to take this supplement for as long as six months. But this supplement shouldn't be taken long-term and only with the guidance of an experienced practitioner.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Because stress, nutritional problems, and low-grade inflammation may also cause or result from adrenal fatigue, you may need supplements that address these issues, too. ALA works along multiple pathways to deal with adrenal fatigue and increase energy levels. For example, it:

• Increases insulin sensitivity by reducing insulin resistance.
• Increases the effectiveness of other supplements and medications.
• Works as an anti-inflammatory to combat chronic inflammation.
• Specifically increases mitochondrial enzyme production.
• Helps you lose weight.
• Increases mitochondrial energy production.

Because of the above benefits, you can add ALA to other adrenal supplements to increase energy and help with weight issues.

Dosage should begin at 600 mg daily and titrate upward as you tolerate it. You can take up to 1,800 mg daily. The length of treatment will vary depending on your condition but should last at least 3 months.

Phosphatidylserine

This supplement works well for those with high cortisol levels or who experience spikes of cortisol during the day. It is one of the few supplements that deal with high cortisol levels.

It works well for those who exercise frequently. Exercise tends to lead to a spike in cortisol. You can take phosphatidylserine and reduce the frequency of exercise to reduce your cortisol levels. It also appears useful for those who have difficulty calming down in the evening or with racing thoughts.

The optimum dosage is up to 600 mg daily taken at night. Phosphatidylserine can also be taken throughout the day to calm cortisol down. However, taking it can cause you to feel an acute loss in energy when you were so used to functioning on high cortisol levels. It's always a good idea to start low and go slow.

Conclusions

When considering the use of supplements to boost your adrenal glands, you need to understand your cortisol levels and whether they tend to be too high or too low. There are effective adrenal supplements for both too high and too low cortisol levels. Working to balance cortisol levels appears to be the best approach for boosting your adrenal glands and increasing energy levels.

Fatigued adrenal glands also can become the source of many other physical issues. For example, hypothyroidism can result from low functioning adrenal glands that affect your thyroid. If you suffer from PMS or any of several other menstrual issues, you may also have low functioning adrenal glands.

By boosting your adrenal function, you may find relief from a number of other physical problems. Taking adrenal supplements is a good addition to a recovery protocol to strengthen your adrenals. However, adrenal supplements are only one part of an overall recovery protocol for a condition like adrenal fatigue, and should be accompanied by changes to diet, lifestyle, and supplements to reduce stress and improve your ability to tolerate it.

What Can You Do

If you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, here are a few suggestions:

• Have your healthcare provider check your cortisol levels.
• Take supplements that can either lower or raise cortisol levels with the guidance of your healthcare provider.
• Make sure the supplements you take are of good quality.
• Work with your healthcare provider to develop an overall recovery plan involving diet, lifestyle changes, and additional supplements to reduce stress and support adrenal recovery.

If you have questions about the best adrenal supplements for you, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1-626-571-1234 where we will privately discuss your symptoms and various options. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.