Are you getting 8 hours of sleep a night and STILL struggling to wake up, or get through the day without a caffeine fix? You might be living with adrenal fatigue – a state of adrenal exhaustion that develops after long-term stress has overworked your body’s stress-response system. According to adrenal experts like Dr James Wilson, this condition occurs when chronic stress forces your adrenal glands to continually pump out cortisol and adrenaline until they can’t keep up.
With recent research showing that 74% of adults in the UK have been so stressed in the past year that they felt overwhelmed, it’s clear that stress is a widespread issue that isn’t going anywhere. The good news? There are effective ways to support your body; from supportive supplements like our handy vitamin patches, to simple lifestyle tweaks – and we’re sharing them in this blog. We’ve also shared a blog on Adrenal Deficiency Recovery, so check that out if you want to learn more.
What is adrenal fatigue and how does it happen?
Your adrenal glands are responsible for producing key stress hormones like cortisol, and adrenaline. In a healthy stress response, these hormones rise when needed and then return to baseline once the stress has passed. But when stress becomes constant – whether that's due to your job, relationship issues, or just a busy life – then your adrenal glands can become depleted.
According to Dr Andrew Neville, who specialises in adrenal recovery, when this happens your HPA axis can become dysregulated. This means there has been a breakdown in communication between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. Your stress response then becomes stuck in overdrive, and you could experience symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
What are the warning signs?
Adrenal fatigue can be tricky to recognise because its symptoms often overlap with feeling generally burned out or thyroid problems (a growing, and extremely common health issue) . However, there are some red flags that your adrenal glands might be running on empty:
- Persistent fatigue and low energy, even after a full night’s sleep
- Difficulty waking up in the morning, and a telltale post-lunch energy crash mid-afternoon
- Cravings for salty or sugary foods, as your body tries to compensate for low cortisol and blood sugar fluctuations
- Brain fog and poor concentration, due to disrupted cortisol and your neurotransmitters being out of balance
- Low mood or anxiety, prolonged stress can drain mood-regulating hormones like serotonin
- Low blood pressure or dizziness when standing
- Poor stress tolerance, if even minor issues feel overwhelming it could be adrenal fatigue
The best supplements for adrenal support:
According to Dr Neville and Dr Wilson, the key to recovering from adrenal fatigue is rebalancing your HPA axis and supporting your body so it can cope better with stress. And a simple way to kickstart the process is by topping up the right nutrients. Here are some of the most beneficial supplements these adrenal fatigue experts recommend:
- Vitamin C: Your adrenal glands use large amounts of vitamin C to produce cortisol and manage stress, but chronic stress quickly depletes these stores. Supplementation can help regulate how much cortisol you're making AND support adrenal recovery. The Vitamin C Plus Patch provides a consistent, slow-release of vitamin C and antioxidants through your skin – ideal if you find high-dose vitamin C tablets upset your tummy.
- B Vitamins (especially B5 & B6): A must for hormone production, energy metabolism, and a healthy nervous system, B vitamins are often low if you've got adrenal fatigue. The B12 Plus Patch delivers all your essential B vits in one handy patch, helping you to improve your B vitamin status AND naturally boost your energy levels – without the jittery side effects caffeine can trigger. Make sure you wear this patch in the morning though, or it could disrupt your sleep!
- Magnesium: One of the most important minerals for calming your nervous system and improving sleep quality. Low magnesium is linked with anxiety and higher cortisol output. Our clever Magna Calm Patch combines bioavailable magnesium threonate with soothing adaptogens like ashwagandha andL-Theanine to help your body relax and recover from chronic stress.
- Adaptogens: Ashwagandha has been proven to stabilise cortisol levels and improve how your body copes with stress. You’ll find this wonder herb included in both the Magna Calm and Tri-Mag Complex patches, where it works synergistically with magnesium and L-theanine to ease anxiety, support restorative sleep, and improve how you tolerate stress both mentally and physically.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Chronic stress and inflammation often crop up together, so easing inflammation can be a simple way to take some pressure off your nervous system. Our Omega-3 Plus Patch contains both EPA and DHA, which both help to support your brain and heart health and modulate how you respond to stress.
Using patches rather than pills to top up the nutrients recommended by Dr Neville and Dr Wilson can be especially helpful, as they deliver goodies straight into the bloodstream via the skin – bypassing the gut, which is often affected by stress. The slow-release mechanism our patches use also provides a steady supply of nutrients for the 8 hours you wear them, helping to support your body and keep adrenal fatigue symptoms in check, whatever the day throws at you.
Want some other pointers on how to de-stress and build some self care into your daily routine? Read: 6 Simple Self Care Hacks