Gaia Herbs Adrenal Well being Each day Help – with Ashwagandha, Holy Basil & Schisandra – Natural Complement to Assist Keep Wholesome Vitality and Stress Ranges – 60 Liquid Phyto-Capsules (60 Rely)

Sensing subtle positive changes over 1 month – UPDATED 9/8/15 still taking it
I purchased this supplement after reading over 100 Amazon reviews of the product, 90% of which were very positive. I was looking for a supplement to combat fatigue, and got something that helped me with much more.
The following review is a chronological account of a month long trial of this supplement with some extended updates. I hope it will help you to decide whether this product is for you.
SPECIAL NOTE: Any mention of my health issues added to this review was done in hopes of assisting others who may be interested in taking this supplement. I generally don’t like to share personal information such as medical conditions in a review, but I feel that for those suffering from similar conditions, it may be helpful. However, this is just my experience with this product and I in no way advocate using it to treat any of your ills without first consulting your doctor.
What led me to this supplement, a little background…
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 15 years ago by Dr. David Dryland; a rheumatologist who is also a nationally known specialist in fibromyalgia. (He and has a few books on Amazon: The Fibromyalgia Cure and The Fibromyalgia Solution: A Breakthrough Approach to Heal Your Body and Take Back Your Life.) While I’ve taken various medications in the past to manage FMS, they all seem to have side effects – including the ones prescribed by Dr. Dryland.
Currently I manage my fibro with no prescribed medication. I believe in a holistic approach to health, using both western and naturopathic means in combination as needed for various things.
I take ibuprofen, eat healthy foods, get rest as needed and exercise. I lift weights and do 20-30 minutes of moderate to intense cardio 3-4 times a week, and take several supplements including: Optimum Nutrition Opti-Women, Women’s Multivitamin, 120 Capsules, CoQ10, Fish Oil, Biotin, Red Rice Yeast, and Jarrow Formulations Jarrow L-glutamine 1000mg, 100 Tablets.
Recent fatigue combined with hair loss has led to extensive blood tests by an endocrinologist to look at my hormone levels and thyroid function; both of which showed no abnormalities. Imaging tests showed the thyroid to be `lumpy’ but normal. A CT scan showed a cyst on my adrenal gland, which was determined to be benign.
Symptomatically I have also experienced brain fog (unclear thoughts, `word salad’ – picking the wrong word to express myself verbally, memory loss), irritability, insomnia, hair loss and hot flashes.
Reading an article on adrenal fatigue, I decided to look for a book on it on Amazon, I found this supplement.
I asked my primary doctor about `adrenal fatigue’ and he wasn’t convinced it was a real thing. Despite this, he said that trying Gaia Herbs Adrenal Health shouldn’t be harmful, so I decided to give it a go.
NOTE: Please ask your doctor prior to trying this supplement or any supplement as they can be harmful to some.
More info on this supplement can be found at GaiaHerbs dot com in their products section.
MY 1st WEEK:
I took the recommended dosage – 2 capsules, twice a day after meals. I noted no stomach upset with Adrenal Health, but did note a persistent headache and stuffy head all week. I had also gotten a flu shot so perhaps it was all my immune system finding a balance again?
On a positive note, I have felt more positive, and calmer overall. I still get stressed, but the feeling seems to subside a bit more quickly than usual.
I’m still achy and tired, but that too seems a touch less pronounced. (One thing about fibro is that your body is in a constant state of ‘fight or flight’, which means a high level of adrenaline is being released all the time. This makes your muscles and tendons ache, and no amount of relaxing thoughts, will calm it down if you’re in a flare – which can last for months.)
I have been able to concentrate and complete tasks more easily too. My focus is better, with short term memory returning. (I’ve been enjoying Scrabble on my iPad again, after months of being unable to do so without frustration.)
I’ve slept pretty well, having a few dreams, which is rare for me. No groggy feeling in the morning, and other than the headache (which could be from allergies, a cold coming on, my flu shot, or these pills…), I feel pretty good.
As a bonus my appetite for sugary sweets and carbs has dropped off significantly. My appetite in general is less, and the usual evening (9pm-11pm) snacking is gone. I’m starting to drop body fat that’s been stubbornly hanging onto my midsection for months, and have dropped two pounds in a week without changing anything other than taking this supplement.
I’m not ready to scream ‘buy these’ at the top of my lungs to anyone with FMS, CFS or similar ills, but right now, I’m feeling like these subtle, positive changes are a direct result of the only new thing in my routine: Gaia Herbs Adrenal Health.
I will update this review as I continue to take these capsules as directed.
9/17/13: UPDATE – Headache returned when I took the second daily dose too close to the first. Spacing them out at least 6 hours seems to work well for me.
My 2nd WEEK:
I continue to take this supplement at directed (4 a day). No magical cure, but I do feel calmer and less scatter brained. My sense of humor is coming back, and much needed as life’s ups and downs continue to toss me about.
I’ve noticed no substantial side effects and am sleeping very well, without a grogginess upon waking. I’m dreaming and actually feel rested (albeit still achy) each morning.
My appetite for sugary drinks and carbs has dropped off, and I lost another pound this week without any effort. I do eat well and exercise regularly, so it’s nice to have that doing its job again! Energy levels are not high, but I do feel more alert in the afternoon and able to complete my ‘to do’ list without feeling like I need a nap.
I will continue to take Adrenal Health in hopes that this trend will continue.
3rd WEEK:
I had a tough time remembering to take this supplement twice a day this week. Also, despite having had a flu shot, I got sick.
I feel whipped and achy, but I’m continuing to sleep well and feel like the Adrenal Health when taken at the full dose, does help me to roll with the punches of life a bit more than without it.
4th WEEK:
One month’s worth of Adrenal Health supplement later, and I still like it.
Here’s why…
1. I’m sleeping better – dreaming again, and seem calmer overall.
2. It’s a stressful time in my life, and yet I feel like I’m keeping things in perspective better than I was before taking Adrenal Health.
3. I’ve stopped putting on body fat (a nice perk…) and my appetite for sugar and carbs has subsided.
4. I feel as though my mental clarity is better. Less brain fog.
5. I have experienced fewer hot flashes and night sweats.
6. I feel less weary all the time. No grand energy boosts, but a sustained energy and clarity that I’ve been missing for a long time, seems to have returned while taking this product.
I still take it as suggested on the bottle; twice a day (2 capsules). I notice no side effects other than I tend to perspire more during workouts.
I highly recommend it to anyone with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. (I recommend asking your doctor prior to trying any new vitamin or supplement.) It’s not a magic pill, but it may help in the management of conditions related to overactive ‘fight or flight’ response in the body.
UPDATE: 10/24/13
I figured out that these supplements are really helping to stop my night sweats and hot flashes. I’m thrilled! This stuff has had so many positive effects and I feel like I may be restoring a balance to my system that had been lost.
UPDATE: 11/12/13
Still taking it, and finding that I need to be sure to take the first dose right after breakfast (6:30am) and then a second dose (2 pills each time) between noon and 2pm to get the optimum effects.
I tried dropping down to 2 pills a day, taking them after my lunch, but find this just isn’t enough for me.
UPDATE: 2/2/14
I’m sold on the effectiveness of these capsules for me. Taking them consistently, 4 a day (2 in the morning and 2 at noon) I feel calmer with no night sweats or hot flashes. Energy levels throughout the day fluctuate much less frequently as long as I also maintain a good diet. I recommend them as a ‘give them a try’ to anyone who feels tired, down and or is having issues with hormones.
UPDATE: 4/27/14
I ran out and forgot to reorder. After two weeks I felt my weight starting to creep up, I was more tired and night sweats had returned. I’ve not put this item on my Amazon Subscribe and Save list. I will have it shipped to me every month this way, and if I find I need it less often, it’s easy to adjust in my Account settings. For me, this is one supplement I definitely don’t want to be without!
UPDATE: 9/8/15
I’m still taking this supplement and now in combination with Gaia Herbs Tumeric for inflammation and using a combipatch (DR RX) for reduction of menopausal symptoms – extreme hot flashes and night sweats during the past six months were not controlled in any other way. I feel that this supplement is a great help to me in terms of maintaining my mood and energy. My blood work is all normal and I’m rarely sick with a cold or flu. (I do get a flu shot each year as recommended by my doctor due to my auto-immune disorder.) I am having some increased joint pain and swelling, which my doctor may be rheumatoid arthritis – being tested next month.
Despite these challenges I still believe this is a great product and a key component to my overall well being. I recommend it to anyone, but do understand that this has been MY experience with this supplement and as with any drugs or supplements, your experience may be different.

This Could Help You Get Your Life Back
If you think you might be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue, this could help you get your life back. For those who might be searching for a remedy to their suffering, I’ll provide the long version of my experience with this frustrating disorder. For everyone else, there’s a brief synopsis directly following.
Synopsis:
This product might be of tremendous help, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms associated with Adrenal Fatigue: sleep disturbance, generally in the form of sleepiness during the day (especially mid-afternoon) and sleeplessness at night; blood sugar dysregulation; carbohydrate cravings; moodiness; brain fog; weight gain and/or muscle loss; excessive fluid retention; or, hormonal issues like acne or menstrual discomfort. I noticed some improvement in my sleep and energy levels within weeks of taking this supplement and major improvement within about three months.
The Long Version:
My story with Adrenal Fatigue began with undeniable dysfunction in my sleep patterns and energy levels. Each day at about 3PM, I felt as though I’d been hit by a bus. I mean hard-to-hold-your-head-up sleepiness would come down like a hammer out of nowhere. It was crazy. Sometime around 5 or 6PM, I’d liven back up. Then, onset of normal, nighttime sleepiness would begin at 8 or 9. Then… jussst as I’d go to lay my head down at around 11PM, zing! Eyes. Wide. Open. This would usually last until 3 or 4AM when I’d *finally* nod off and sleep until 8 or 9. Talk about torture! I usually felt pretty terrible after this fiasco and morning grogginess wouldn’t lift until about 11AM. Lather, rinse, repeat. This went on for weeks.
I also noticed during this time that *if* I could muster the energy to incorporate physical activity into my day, it would usually be followed by ravenous carbohydrate cravings. I was like some crazed cookie monster, except in my case the drug of choice was usually homemade, gluten-free granola or raisins as these were really the only carb sources on hand. Okay, so clearly something was up; thus began my journey to healing Adrenal Fatigue.
After hours and hours of poring over information on the internet, it seemed my constellation of symptoms fit squarely within the description of Adrenal Fatigue. My adrenal glands were secreting a dysregulated pattern of the stress hormone cortisol. Recommendations for treatment included:
1) Eliminating caffeine (absolutely essential!);
2) Eliminating exercise other than walking (also essential!);
3) Eating a protein-rich breakfast within 30 minutes of waking;
4) If at all possible, napping whenever sleepy;
5) Practicing proper sleep hygiene;
6) Taking Vitamin C;
7) Generously using sea salt throughout the day;
8) Taking adaptogenic herbs, like Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, and Siberian Ginseng.
The latter point (#8) was what really jumpstarted my healing process; while I went about the process of implementing the other changes. Specifically, it’s what got me sleeping again. I found this product probably about one month after the initial onset of my symptoms. I took it according to directions along with the Holy Basil product also by Gaia Herbs. Within a couple of weeks, I noticed mild to moderate improvement in wakefulness during the day and in sleep at night, as well as in my general sense of wellbeing. I had been frustrated to tears trying to find a solution to what was happening to me and so this initial improvement, while small, was so encouraging! Within the first couple of months, I was able to sleep through the night on a consistent basis and get through most afternoons with far less struggle. By the three or four month mark, I truly started to feel human again. Something like halfway through this period, I stopped taking the Holy Basil regularly to see if the Adrenal Health was enough; and indeed it was. Though the Holy Basil does provide a noticeable boost to my sense of wellbeing.
While I made my own initial diagnosis via Dr. Google, three months into the process I did see a physician who positively confirmed Adrenal Fatigue. My symptoms fit the disorder so clearly that rather than order a 24-hour salivary cortisol test, he was able to make a clinical diagnosis in-office through a couple of confirmatory tests. This consisted of using a penlight to detect a sluggish pupillary response and scratching the skin of the abdomen to see whether the consequent welt remained longer than, if I recall, three minutes. My doctor’s treatment protocol matched the above eight points almost exactly. He did prescribe a 5 gram (not milligram!) dosage of Vitamin C, which was far greater than the amount I has been consuming and which seemed to accelerate the healing noticeably.
Though my doctor approved this supplement for continued use as part of my regimen, I have out of curiosity tried a couple of others. From my research, I’d guesstimate that there tends to be about 80% overlap of ingredients in Adrenal Fatigue supplements; so it’s not surprising that all the ones I’ve tried been helpful. However, the Gaia Herbs Adrenal Health as well as the Emerald Labs’ Coenzymated Adrenal Health have made me feel the best. I’ve also had success in recommending this product to others.
So, what led to my Adrenal Fatigue? 1) a perfectionistic personality; 2) several years of working 60-80 hours in a high stress job; 3) a period of extensive travel with lots of changing timezones; 4) gluten, dairy, and egg intolerance (a huge source of physical stress on the body); and 5) the straw that broke the camel’s back, a period of intense exercise that included Pilates, High Intensity Interval Training, boxing, and Tae Bo classes combined with a low carbohydrate diet. Major. Lessons. Learned. Adrenal Fatigue really is a blessing and a curse. It stops you dead in your tracks and is so scary and complex that you’re forced to examine yourself and your life and FIND BALANCE, whatever that means for you. If you’re in the bottom of the valley right now, you’re probably not feeling too optimistic. But once your start climbing the ascent to the next peak, you might find yourself in a better place than ever before.
The bottom line is that if you are experiencing Adrenal Fatigue symptoms (outlined above), you may benefit tremendously from this product. Best wishes to you in finding health and happiness!