Adrenal diseases are a serious disruption in the entire hormonal system of the body.

To function effectively, the adrenal glands need protein and vitamins D, A, C and B5. They are involved in the formation of hormones - cortisol, female and male. The amino acid tyrosine and unsaturated omega fatty acids will also help tired glands. Find out what you need to use in your diet, which vitamins for the adrenal glands to choose for women and men, and what harms the glands, from our article.

Where are the adrenal glands located?

Paired endocrine glands (adrenal glands) are located in the space behind the peritoneum, above the right and left kidneys. It is noteworthy that the left adrenal gland has the shape of a hemisphere, the right one has the shape of a pyramid. These glands consist of 90% cortex, and 10% medulla. The adrenal medulla produces catecholamine hormones (adrenaline, dopamine, norepinephrine), and the cortex produces glucocorticoids, sex hormones, and mineralocorticoids. Diseases of the adrenal glands can cause excess, deficiency, or no hormonal function.

How to Help Tired Adrenal Glands

Since the adrenal glands protect the body from stress, their fatigue occurs when the external and internal environment changes. For the body, a stressful situation is anything that threatens security, confidence in constancy, joy, and well-being.

Therefore, stress is not only an emotional shock, but also a diet, stopping or starting the use of medications, a change in climate, work, and living conditions. Harmful factors include infection, lack of sleep, and even loneliness and lack of love. To restore the function of the glands, special products and the use of vitamins are recommended.

We recommend reading the article about foods for the adrenal glands. From it you will learn about the effect of nutrition on the adrenal glands, healthy foods for diseased organs, as well as about the diet after removal of the adrenal gland.

And here is more information about how to restore the adrenal glands.

Nutrition

To synthesize hormones, the adrenal glands need fat-soluble vitamins E, A and D, as well as water-soluble vitamins C and B5. In order for them to be absorbed from food, the presence of complete fats, microelements, and amino acids is important. The most important nutrients they contain include:

tocopherol (E) – wheat sprouts, sunflower oil, eggs, nuts, seeds;
retinol (A) and ergocalciferol (D) – liver, butter, egg yolk;
carotene (provitamin A) – pumpkin, carrots (oil and sour cream are needed for absorption);
pantothenic acid (B5) – oat bran, wheat bran, raw egg yolk, avocado, legumes, hard cheese, peanuts, kidneys and liver;
unsaturated fatty acids – fish oil, nuts, chia seeds, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, seafood;
ascorbic acid (C) – black and red currants, rose hips, sweet peppers, fresh orange juice, sauerkraut.

Vitamin B5

Pantothenic acid is needed for metabolism, as it:

is part of enzymes involved in the formation of energy;
helps release fat from the depot and use it;
helps reduce cholesterol in the blood by including it in the formation of hormones.

With a lack of vitamin B5, the glands reduce the production of cortisol and sex hormones. The body becomes more sensitive to stress, physical, mental and emotional stress. In brain cells, pantothenic acid ensures signal transmission (helps in the formation of acetylcholine). Taking it helps to maintain attention, remember information, “clarifies” thoughts, and improves mood.

This vitamin supports skin elasticity and recovery after damage, and prevents early aging and graying of hair. It is needed for the functioning of the immune system, liver and intestinal motility. With the participation of B5, hemoglobin is formed, folic acid and vitamin C are absorbed, which is especially important during pregnancy.

To compensate for the deficiency, it is recommended to take 5 mg per day. This amount can be obtained from food. The need for drugs arises from intestinal diseases, dysbiosis, long-term use of antibiotics, monotonous or poor nutrition. Pantothenic acid in the form of its calcium salt (calcium pantothenate) can be found on sale as a dietary supplement, as well as in the preparations Duovit, Vitrum, Centrum, Oligovit, Supradin.

Vitamin D

With a deficiency of this vitamin, the adrenal glands produce little cortisol, as well as medulla hormones (adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine). As a result, there is a constant feeling of fatigue, depression, and an increased risk of inflammatory processes and vascular diseases. The problem of providing vitamin D is that even adequate nutrition is not enough for its normal intake.

To avoid deficiency, the formation of the vitamin in the skin under the influence of the sun is necessary. To do this, it is important to be exposed to its rays for at least 15 minutes every day with open limbs. Since this is not feasible in winter, spring and autumn for mid-latitudes, hypovitaminosis is often observed.

The situation is complicated by polluted city air, which does not allow sunlight to pass through, the risk of skin diseases (including cancer), and the use of sunscreens.

Therefore, from November to March, vitamin D is recommended to be taken as part of vitamin-mineral complexes. There are also special categories of people who absolutely need it:

obesity;
age after 50 years;
with intolerance to fish and milk;
vegans (refusal of all animal products);
pregnancy and breastfeeding.

For preventive purposes, Aquadetrim and Calcium D3 Nycomed are suitable, and for treatment, the doctor may prescribe more active forms (for example, Rocaltrol).

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid increases the formation of adrenal hormones in both the cortex and medulla. When it enters the body, the immune system is activated, the body resists viral and bacterial infections, and the severity of respiratory tract diseases and their duration are reduced. Vitamin C helps restore damaged skin, treat bleeding, and strengthens capillaries.

The vitamin is recommended for all people experiencing stress - poor environmental conditions, climate change, seasons, smoking, emotional and physical stress.

Indications for additional use in the form of tablets and dragees include:

anemia;
early aging;
chronic fatigue;
hereditary predisposition to tumors, stroke, heart attack;
atherosclerosis, lipid metabolism disorder;
tooth decay, osteoporosis (susceptibility to fractures due to decreased bone density);
cataract;
angina pectoris.

Acute adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms

Dysfunction of the adrenal cortex causes a lack of some hormones and an excess of others. Primary and secondary acute adrenal insufficiency is a disruption of the cortical layer of the glands. This condition is very dangerous; if it occurs, it is necessary to begin immediate treatment in a hospital. The cause of this pathology may be the sudden withdrawal of tableted glucocorticosteroids, hemorrhage into the gland tissue, or a sharp deterioration in the course of chronic adrenal insufficiency due to stress. In the neuropsychic form of acute adrenal insufficiency, the patient experiences convulsions, severe weakness, and headache. After some time, a disturbance of consciousness begins (stupor, delirium, coma). The cardiovascular form of acute adrenal insufficiency is manifested by circulatory disorders. There is pale, cold skin on the hands and feet, weak pulse, lack of spontaneous urination, bluish lips, and a drop in blood pressure.

How to support the adrenal glands and what is harmful to them

To improve the functioning of the glands, you need good nutrition, sufficient rest both during the day and during night sleep, comfortable living conditions, reasons for joy, peace and a sense of security. All this needs to be found in the world around you and introduced into your life. At the same time, it is just as important to exclude damaging factors. Not all of them are obvious.

The most dangerous for adrenal function are:

Excess sugar, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, abuse of energy drinks.
The presence of trans fats (found in margarine, mayonnaise, and most confectionery products).
Substances that provoke allergies. You need to monitor your tolerance to wheat and milk.

If, after taking them, the next day there is bloating, abnormal bowel movements, skin rashes and itching, then there is a possibility of an allergic reaction to gluten or lactose.

Mold fungi indoors.
Feasts, especially in combination with lack of sleep.
Excessive exercise, passion for work.

In addition to proper nutrition and vitamins, herbs are also used for tired adrenal glands: licorice and ginger root, ginkgo biloba, St. John's wort, ginseng, Rhodiola rosea, ashwagandha (Indian ginseng).

We recommend reading the article on adrenal fatigue. From it you will learn about the causes of adrenal fatigue, symptoms in women and men, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of the syndrome.

And here is more information about drugs for the adrenal glands.

Vitamins for the adrenal glands help the formation of cortisol in the cortical layer, estrogens and testosterone, and normalize the synthesis of adrenaline and other catecholamines in the medulla. This protects the glands from fatigue, exhaustion, and restores hormonal levels in women and men.

Functions can be improved by a healthy lifestyle, good nutrition, sleep, physical activity and taking vitamin complexes. Their most important components are vitamins B5, D, C, A, E, the amino acid tyrosine, and unsaturated omega fatty acids.

Chronic insufficiency of the adrenal cortex. Symptoms

Symptoms of chronic adrenal insufficiency develop over a long period of time and increase gradually. With primary chronic insufficiency of the adrenal cortex, general weakness, asthenia, memory impairment, decreased intelligence, nervousness, and decreased sexual desire are observed; hyperpigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes, frequent urination at night.

Secondary adrenal insufficiency has similar symptoms, but patients do not have muscle weakness, hyperpigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes, and digestive disorders are less pronounced.

Useful video

Watch the video about adrenal burnout and how to test yourself: