Adrenal Insufficiency has become a modern day epidemic.  High stress and poor diet are the two main culprits when it comes to adrenal fatigue.  In fact, many are unsure how to even fuel themselves properly in order to support their adrenals.

For those interested in a proper adrenal diet and a starting point for how to eat properly be sure to check out this free guide.  Also, there is numerous amounts of information that can be found in Dr. Weston A Price’s book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.  This book is a must read for anyone dealing with adrenal insufficiency or for anyone looking to better their health.

Signs of Adrenal Fatigue

Before we talk about the best adrenal fatigue supplements, let’s first look into some of the signs and symptom of adrenal fatigue:

Constant fatigue
Brain fog
Insomnia
Anxiety
Depression
Salt craving
Multiple food allergies
Low body temperature
Dry skin
Inability to hand stress

Keep in mind that this is just a small list of symptoms pertaining to adrenal insufficiency.  There are many more symptoms that can result from adrenal fatigue; however, these are the most common.

Causes of Adrenal Insufficiency

As mentioned before, diet and stress are the two biggest culprits when it comes to adrenal fatigue.  Those following a low salt diet are at even greater risk of developing adrenal insufficiency.

Low salt diets totally negate the fact that the adrenals require sodium in order to function properly.  In fact, without sodium, we would die.  It’s an essential element and attempting remove it from the diet is extremely dangerous.

There is no reason to fear salt as long as it’s natural like Celtic grey sea salt or pink Himalayan salt.  These salts have not been adulterated and contain an abundance of minerals not found in table salt.   In fact, this one study proved that sea salt does not have the same detrimental effects as table salt does on the body (1)

Other causes of adrenal insufficiency could be caused by vegan /vegetarian diets or restriction of animal protein.  You can read our post on why vegan diets are extremely counterproductive if you’re trying to improve your health.

Adrenal Fatigue Supplements

Once diet is corrected, the use of adrenal supporting supplements can be extremely beneficial. Below are the top 5 supplements for supporting the adrenals naturally.

Liver

There’s a reason liver is often called “the king” of all food.  Animal liver is loaded full of essential vitamins and minerals that can help support the body in ways no other food can. In fact, we have written about the health benefits of raw cod liver oil, as well as desiccated beef liver.

One study showed that that the omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, both found in cod liver oil, are extremely important for the integrity of the nervous system (2).

Those with adrenal insufficiency often have nervous system dysfunction as well as a deficiency in animal omega 3s DHA and EPA.

Furthermore, research has shown that desiccated beef liver is so nutritious, that it can be used by those battling with nutrient deficiencies (3).

The minerals found in beef liver are highly bioavailable due to it being a complete food with no anti nutrient issues that could possibly hinder absorption.

However, we have found that consuming a raw cod liver supplement is the quickest way to obtain the health benefits of this superfood.

Maca Root

Maca is essential for anyone battling fatigue caused by an adrenal insufficiency.  This herb has been used for centuries by Peruvian Indians in order to promote vigor and longevity in the body.

Its stress reducing and fatigue fighting properties make it extremely beneficial for combating symptoms often associated with adrenal fatigue.

A study revealed that maca root can balance the HPA-Axis in the body, reduce the stress response and balance the hormones (4).

It’s important to always buy “gelatinized” maca since all the research surrounding it is based on gelatinized and not raw.  For those unaware, gelatinized is just a fancy word for “cooked” and not raw.

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods can’t be emphasized enough for those looking for adrenal support.  All fermented foods contain raw probiotics that help populate our gut and improve the structure of our gut microbiome.

In fact, research is showing that probiotics can help combat gut dsybosis and improve autoimmune conditions (5).

Interestingly, researchers are now finding that the microbiota may influence our response to stress and may control stress related conditions such as anxiety and depression (6)

Since we only want what’s best for our readers, we do not recommend you take a probiotic supplement.  Instead, make your own fermented foods at home.  A tablespoon of sauerkraut is estimated to contain over 6 billion live probiotics that can survive in your body’s harsh acidic stomach..

Sea Salt

Sea salt is crucial for anyone dealing with adrenal type disorders.  As mentioned before, sodium is mandatory for healthy adrenal gland functioning.

In fact, without adequate levels of sodium in the body, the adrenals cannot release appropriate amounts of aldosterone and cortisol.  These two hormones help use respond to stress more effectively.  Unfortunately, when an individual is facing adrenal insufficiency, they will not produce these hormones and their ability to handle stress diminishes greatly.

A Deficiency in cortisol can lead to weight gain, poor immune system, dry skin and weak bones.  Likewise, the symptoms of too little aldosterone can lead to rapid pulse/high pulse, salt craving, dizziness when standing and heart palpitations (7).

Luckily, sea salt can balance these two hormones insuring that you’re adrenals has the necessary material to produce these two vital hormones.

Collagen

Collagen is absolutely amazing when it comes to skin, hair and nail health.  This food was a staple in traditional diets and would have been obtained from bone broths.  Unfortunately, most of the population no longer consumes nutrient dense broths.  As a result the majority are extremely deficient in collagen.

Inflammation and poor gut health are all symptoms of lack of collagen in the diet.  Collagen is also full of essential amino acids that can help improve energy levels, reduce fatigue and boost mood.  Those suffering from adrenal insufficiency can benefit tremendously by supplementing with bone broth or a quality collagen supplement.

Researchers found that women between the ages of 35-65 who supplemented with collagen daily for 4 weeks saw a significant improvement in skin elasticity and skin moisture (8).

Furthermore, another study revealed that subjects who consumed collagen significantly reduced signs of aging and a reduction in wrinkles (9).

Not only does collagen help beautify the body, but it also improves gut health and reduces stress levels due to its impressive amino acid profile.