Tired All the Time? Adaptogens For Adrenal Fatigue

Tired all the time? Adaptogen herbs should be a supplement requirement during perimenopause, and for anyone under stress. Why? Using adaptogenic herbs can drastically improve symptoms that are increased during times of stress. When you combine any extra stressors with the day-to-day stressors of life, your adrenal glands can quickly become overactive.1

These adrenal glands are part of the HPA-axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal). The hypothalamus is the part of your brain that senses and recognizes stress. When stressed, your hypothalamus then signals the pituitary gland, and with both of them triggered, it ‘turns on’ the signal to your adrenal glands to produce stress hormones. The adrenal glands secrete more than 50 hormones including adrenaline and cortisol, which can become overactivated during times of increased stress – specifically, during perimenopause.2

What are Adaptogenic Herbs?

Tired All the Time? Adaptogens are a specific group of herbs that target your body’s HPA-axis, helping manage and heal your brain’s stress response. They help lower your brain’s perception of stress while also increasing your resilience to stress. By regulating your adrenal glands, adaptogens can help normalize your body’s immune system, improve brain fog, improve mood, calm inflammation, and stabilize your blood sugar—all of which are common symptoms during perimenopause.3 Consistently incorporating adaptogenic herbs into your regimen can significantly improve your overall sense of well-being before, during, and after menopausal years.

Tired All The Time? Best Adaptogens for Reducing Adrenal Fatigue

Ashwagandha is a native herb to India and Asia and is an extremely powerful and potent adaptogen. Multiple studies have demonstrated that ashwagandha can help your body adapt to stress by helping balance your hormonal and immune systems. 4 Ashwagandha is exceptionally beneficial to women moving into menopause because it contains a high concentration of active ingredients that help regulate hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. The calming and nourishing herb is also great for treating insomnia, anxiety, and low thyroid function.

Ashwagandha comes in capsules, tincture, and loose herbs. Start with a low-dose of 3,000 mg per day in capsule form to see how your body responds. Increase up to 6,000 mg daily if tolerated. 5

Maca

Maca root isn’t just an adaptogen; it’s also a superfood. The has been used for centuries to increase libido, improve mood, and reduce symptoms of adrenal fatigue. 6 Maca is a beautiful adaptogen because it raises hormone production when your body is under-producing and lowers hormone production when your body is over-producing. Over time, maca enhances the overall function of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which then restores balance to the adrenal glands.

Due to its potency, maca should be consumed at a very low dose in a gelatinized or cooked form. Aim for around ½ teaspoon or around 2,000 mg to see how your body responds.

Holy Basil aka Tulsi

Holy Basil, also known as Tulsi, is a beneficial herb as a treatment for thyroid issues, balancing blood sugar and blood pressure, and inflammation, including acne—making it an excellent herb for treating symptoms relating to perimenopause and menopause. Tulsi supports the adrenal system, especially during times of stress. It has also been shown that consuming Tulsi regularly can significantly improve your immune system.7

Enjoy a cup of Tulsi tea on a daily or regular basis for its full adaptogenic benefits.

Rhodiola

Another powerful adaptogen is from the perennial plant Rhodiola Rosea, which is also known as roseroot, golden root, or arctic root. This adaptogen herb has been shown to reduce the production and secretion of cortisol during times of stress. Too much cortisol in the system can affect your metabolism, impair memory, deplete your nutrient reserves, and affect your blood pressure. Rhodiola can help those with adrenal fatigue by increasing energy and enhancing concentration.8

The optimal dose for Rhodiola is around 400-600 mg in tablet or capsule form.9

Ginseng

Ginseng is probably the most well-known and recognized adaptogen, and there are a variety of forms—Panax ginseng being the most potent. This useful herb supports the immune system, fights and protects against inflammation, fights infection, and improves brain function.10 Another benefit of ginseng during menopause is its ability to manage your body’s glucose and its effectiveness with helping losing weight.

Ginseng can be found in supplement or tea form.

Reishi

Reishi is not an herb but a mushroom, however, it is still considered an adaptogen. Medicinally, this fungus has been used to treat anxiety, high blood pressure, respiratory ailments, and immune response. In terms of helping perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, reishi helps your body find a hormonal balance, improves circulation, and increases overall well-being.

To consume reishi, you can boil whole, dried mushrooms to make a stock and eat the softened pieces or its also available in powder, capsule, and tea form.11

My Favorite Herbal Adaptogen Blend? (affiliate link)

AdrenaRelax™ is a combination of standardized adaptogenic herbs and nutrients which are known to contribute to rejuvenating the adrenals. This product is designed to help support healthy cortisol levels, hypothalamic and pituitary function (HPTA axis), and catecholamine production (dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine).

 

References

1. “8 Adaptogen Herbs to Help Perimenopause and Menopause ….” 28 Aug. 2019, https://drrhonda.com/8-adaptogen-herbs-to-help-perimenopause-and-menopause/.
2. “The 5 Best Adaptogens to Combat Stress and Adrenal Fatigue ….” 23 Sep. 2019, https://www.amymyersmd.com/2018/08/adaptogens-stress-adrenal-fatigue/.
3. “A preliminary review of studies on adaptogens … – NCBI.” 16 Nov. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6240259/.
4. “The Truth About Ashwagandha Thyroid Benefits – ThyroMate.” 3 Aug. 2016, https://www.thyromate.com/blog/the-truth-about-ashwagandha-thyroid-benefits.
5. “Adaptogenic Herbs for Women’s Hormonal Health – Nicole ….” 8 Feb. 2020, https://nicolejardim.com/adaptogenic-herbs-womens-hormonal-health/.
6. “Maca Root & Adrenal Fatigue | LIVESTRONG.COM.” 14 Aug. 2017, http://www.livestrong.com/article/411654-how-to-take-maca-root.
7. “Ocimum sanctum L (Holy Basil or Tulsi) and its … – NCBI.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23682780.
8. “Rhodiola Rosea and MAOI Side Effects | Healthfully.” 8 Jul. 2011, https://healthfully.com/467053-rhodiola-rosea-and-maoi-side-effects.html.
9. “7 Proven Health Benefits of Rhodiola Rosea – Healthline.” 3 Mar. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/rhodiola-rosea.
10. “A preliminary review of studies on adaptogens … – NCBI.” 16 Nov. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6240259/.
11. “Herbal Remedies: Menopause Relief | Slumber Cloud Blog.” 12 Oct. 2017, https://www.slumbercloud.com/blog/herbal-remedies-menopause-relief/.