The busy lifestyle that most of us live today puts a great deal of pressure on us, whether it be getting the kids ready in the mornings, catching public transport, a meeting with your boss or peak hour traffic. All of these stressful situations put a great deal of burden on a couple of tiny glands that sit on top of the Kidneys.

The Adrenal glands (which weight approx 3.5 – 5g & sit above the kidneys) produce and secrete many of the essential hormones that are required to maintain composure and strength during the stresses we face every day.

Not your usual hormone discussion!

Glucocorticoids (the main one being Cortisol) are responsible for the formation of glucose for energy in a range of situations such as exercise, fasting, fright, temperature extremes, high altitude, bleeding, infection, surgery, trauma and disease; as well as the breakdown of proteins, mainly in muscle fibres; anti-inflammatory effects and depression of immune responses. Essentially the Glucocorticoids, or steroid hormones affect glucose, amino acid and fat metabolism.

Androgens, the main one being dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA contributes to libido in females and is converted to oestrogens by other body tissues, especially after menopause where most of the bodies oestrogen comes from the adrenal glands instead of the ovaries.

We’ve all heard of, and probably feel the most physical effects from Adrenalin and Noradrenalin which to a large extent are responsible for the flight-or-fight response. Just like Cortisol, these hormones help in times of stress by increasing blood pressure, increasing blood flow to the heart, liver and skeletal muscles (enhancing muscle activity), they increase the passage of air to the lungs and increase blood levels of glucose and fatty acids. Effectively helping us run away from or face-up a threatening situation.

Thousands of years ago our ancestors saw stress as something very different to what we do today, it was in fact a matter of life or death which gave them the opportunity to use the hormones provided, by running from the predator or hunting to catch food. Today we are more commonly under emotional stress rather than physical and have little opportunity to run away from a confronting situation. We have to face our boss or our children or a traffic jam with an abundance of adrenalin running through our system with no way to utilise it effectively.

Now that you know how the Adrenal glands help you get through a busy day, it is easy to see how they can become exhausted from being overworked and generally stressed out, leading to what is referred to as adrenal exhaustion.

Using our natural resoruces

Luckily nature provides us with some fantastic herbs known as Adaptogens (Adrenal Tonics) and Nervines (Nervous System Tonics).

Ashwahandha (Withania somnifera) – An ayurvedic herb, also known as Indian Ginseng and Winter cherry, is also popular in western society.

This Adaptogen and Nervine and has restorative, tonic and strengthening properties making it very useful for conditions of long-term stress and exhaustion. Rather than stimulating an overworked system with other popular energy sources like caffeine, this gentle herb helps to rebuild a persons' vitality and is useful for preventing stress-related disorders and depletion of cortisol. It can increase Libido, is anti-inflammatory (arthritis) and strengthens the immune system.

Great for someone who is generally exhausted and often has trouble sleeping because they are over-tired, known as ‘wired but tired’.

Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) – one of the most powerful adrenal gland tonics, increases resistance to prolonged periods of exhaustion and debility brought on by over-work and long term stress. Also beneficial for active people who love to exercise and need that little bit extra to get through their busy day.  Siberian Ginseng is traditionally used by athletes for an increase in stamina and endurance as it is known to increase the body’s resistance to physical and mental stresses.

This herb also strengthens and protects the immune system, which is often lowered in people who partake in physical exercise or are under a great deal of stress.

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) – Another Ayurvedic herb, Gotu Kola is traditionally used for digestive disorders, skin conditions and circulation.

It is more of a tonic for the Nervous system than an Adaptogen, but has a place in the treatment of stress and exhaustion as the Nervous system inadvertently suffers when the adrenals are under pressure and vice versa. 

Gotu kola is used for its ability to reduce fatigue and depression, increase libido, help sleep disorders and increase delivery of oxygen to tissues.

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) – A great energy tonic due to its restorative effects on the nervous system, making it a very effective treatment for exhaustion. It also has a mood-enhancing quality, given to people suffering from mild to moderate depression and is especially valuable for people who suffer anxiety and depression at the same time.

Damiana is probably most commonly known for its aphrodisiac quality and is beneficial for both men and women.

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) – Used for thousands of years in China, Astragalus is a true adaptogen and energy tonic which also has the added benefit of stimulating and protecting the immune system (which often fails when the body is under stress).  It's beneficial for long-term or chronic illness such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or immune deficiency, rather than acute (short lasting) illnesses.

By helping raise the immune response Astragalus also improves physical endurance and stamina and protects the adrenal glands from exhaustion due to overuse.

Unfortunately we cannot remove most of the stresses we face in day to day life but the good news is, a combination of natural therapies including herbs, a good quality multivitamin, a balanced diet and moderate exercise, can certainly improve the way we deal with any challenges we’re are faced with.

See your Naturopath, Herbalist or TCM practitioner for more information on the correct way to use these fantastic herbal remedies.