Alternative medicine is a growing field, with many patients and consumers turning to what they believe are more natural, safer alternatives to medication a doctor might prescribe. Unfortunately, many of these supplements are dangerous, contain elements of drugs that are regulated and interact with other medication and supplements, and can leave patients and consumers worse off than they were before they took the supplements.
The latest ‘fad’ to hit the dietary supplementation market is adrenal support supplements. These nutritional supplements are touted as being capable of anything from helping to stop hunger cravings for carbohydrates to helping people have more energy and stamina. None of these statements, of course, have been tested or tried by any competent regulatory group, including the FDA, who frequently pulls things like this from the market due to undeclared ingredients.
Adrenal Fatigue Controversy
Adrenal fatigue is a condition that not all doctors are willing to admit exists. Dr. Elhaj, an endocrinologist in Houston, Texas, told me in an office visit that adrenal fatigue, ” — is all bunk. Junk science. Doesn’t exist.” Then again, I have Addison’s Disease, confirmed by multiple lab tests and ACTH stimulation, and he told me to just stop taking my steroids cold turkey too. He also made other comments about steroids being comparable to cocaine and heroin. Clearly, a medical doctor has his opinions, and they can vary widely from doctor to doctor.
Adrenal fatigue, for those who are proponents of its existence, is a condition in which the adrenal glands become stressed-due to disease, illness, physical stress, chronic pain, etc-and thus they begin to function inadequately. While a patient’s cortisol (the good hormone that the adrenals secrete to help promote healing and stress response) levels might be good for the entire day, they go up and down at the wrong times. Sometimes, the adrenals simply don’t secrete enough cortisol to cover an appropriate stress response.
When this happens, a patient can become tired, shaky, nauseated, emotional, worn out, cold, anxious and more. Usually, this is in response to a jolt of adrenaline, which is the last-ditch effort the adrenals mount to try to reduce the stress of the body during a trying time. Adrenaline is not good for the body, causing metabolic changes that can last long after the adrenaline release. Eventually, adrenaline will break down into cortisol, though, which the body does need.
Adrenal Supplementation
The goal, then, of adrenal supplementation is to stabilize the release of cortisol by the body and try to prevent the adrenals from releasing adrenaline when it is not necessary. Unfortunately, there are many different types of adrenal support on the market, and learning which ones are safe and which aren’t can be difficult.
For example, some adrenal support products actually contain adrenaline. Adrenaline is the very thing that needs to be avoided in an effort to help heal the adrenals, so taking an adrenal support supplement containing adrenaline is counter-intuitive. Sometimes, bovine or sheep adrenal cortex can also contain adrenaline. Before taking or considering any adrenal support supplement, be sure to ask if it contains adrenaline. Do your research to ensure any of the ingredients listed in the supplement don’t mean adrenaline is included.
Isocort Adrenal Supplementation
The best adrenal supplementation I have found on the market is Isocort. It was once made from animal byproducts of the adrenal cortex, but has since been changed to a soy-based plant-derived supplement. The consensus is that it contains the equivalent of 1.5mg of hydrocortisone support per capsule.
For someone with mild adrenal fatigue, taking these pills as directed by a healthcare professional might make a huge difference in energy, stamina and stress response. It cannot be stressed enough, though, that working with a healthcare professional is crucial.
Because Isocort and other adrenal supplements function in the body similarly to taking low-dose steroids, it’s very important that once you start taking the adrenal supplement, you do not simply stop taking it cold turkey. This can cause your adrenal glands to quit functioning, or to function even more poorly, and can lead to shock and a medication-induced Addisonian Crisis. These conditions can be deadly. All adrenal supplements should be weaned off slowly, to allow time for the adrenal glands to heal and begin working before the supplementation is stopped.
Adrenal Supplements Don’t Help Cravings
It doesn’t matter what the advertising might tell you, adrenal supplements do not help with cravings one bit. In fact, it’s a well-known fact that steroids can increase hunger and cravings, and since Isocort and other adrenal supplements break down into a natural steroid, it’s safe to assume they can do the same. The adrenal supplements should be used to treat mild adrenal fatigue with the guidance of your healthcare professional, and not be used as a dietary aid for weight loss or staving off cravings.