Does Intake Of Ashwaganda Help In Treating Adrenal Fatigue?

Posted on Sat, 9 Jul 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 9 Jul 2016 Answered on

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I had an appointment with my doctor yesterday and i feel the appointment was rushed. I had been on Cortef for 3 years to deal with Adrenal Fatigue. I felt better on Cortef, but not cured. He had me taper off to see if my adrenals have recovered, they have not. I sleep between 3 and 6 pm everyday and then 11 pm to 7 am.
I asked him if i should try Ashwagandha before starting Cortef again. He said sure, i asked if there were any concerns with me being on Prozac, Clonazepam and Ativan and he had no concerns.
Of course the internet says otherwise. It says that Ashwagandha has sedative properties and should not be taken with Clonazam or Ativan.
My TSH is also 0.07 when it should be 0.20-4.0. Online it says that Ashwagandha increases thyroid, so if my thyroid is high already, its not a good idea. I have been hypothyroid for 13 years and take dessicated thyroid twice a day. I could cut out my second dose to compensate.
I dont take Clonazepam or Ativan very often. I can stop those easily in favor of Ashwaganda.
Prozac, I am not able to get off though. I have not found any reference to taking Prozac with Ashwaganda.
Im thinking that trying Ashwaganda might be better than using Cortef, a steroid, long term.

Answered by Dr. Mirjeta Guni (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hello.

Detailed Answer:
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I read carefully your query and understood your concern.
As far as i understood your diagnosis are;
- Hashimoto thyroiditis
-Adrenal insufficiency
Both of them have autoimmune origin. Ashwaganda is not recommended in autoimmune disorders because it raises the antibodies that cause these diseases deteriorating them.
Both of these are chronic, it means that levothyroxine or desiccated thyroid and hydrocortisone (cortef) should be taken long life.
At the moment you should lower the dose of desiccated thyroid and try to find a proper dose of cortef.
If the symptoms are improven but not corrected with 1 tb cortef it means that you need much more.
The dose depends on blood pressure, electrolites and general well being.
Regarding the depression treatment you have to discuss it with your psychiatric treating doctor after the thyroid and adrenal function are under control.
Hope the information will help.

Kind regards,
Dr.Mirjeta

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar