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I’m an open book when it comes to my health struggles. (You can read my story here.) These days I’m doing better than ever before and really starting to get to the root of my health problems, but a few months ago, I had a major setback: my adrenals crashed. I think this was caused by major die off from taking an aggressive probiotic, which was ultimately a good thing, because it helped to repair my gut and kill off some bad bacteria.
However, once my adrenals began to struggle, I had a lot of work ahead of me to get them functioning properly again. Now, I am feeling so much better, in part, thanks to a superfood that I have begun to incorporate into my routine and diet. You may not be getting enough of this superfood yourself, because most of us don’t.
The superfood you’re not getting enough of
Liver is one of those foods you either love or hate, and from what I hear, most of us hate it. I’m able to get my family to eat it occasionally by mixing it with ground beef (like in this meatball recipe), but it’s not something that’s routinely on the menu. As such, I find it hard to get it into our diet on a regular basis.
When my adrenals crashed, I committed to being sure I was getting enough liver… but when you don’t particularly enjoy eating liver, what’s a girl to do? Enter Vital Proteins Liver Capsules.
Treating adrenal fatigue: why you need liver
In case you aren’t familiar with what the adrenals are, here’s a quick tidbit: the adrenals are two glands, each located above a kidney. They are responsible for regulating your response to stress and also contribute to blood sugar and hormonal health.
When you suffer from adrenal fatigue, you may find yourself chronically exhausted, suffering from sexual dysfunction, and battling a constant blood sugar roller coaster. You can remedy these symptoms with dietary intervention (rich in nutrients and low in sugars and starches that over-fluctuate blood sugar levels), adequate rest (go to bed earlier and rest during the day if you can), and key supplementation.
Liver capsules provide two of those remedies: dietary intervention and key supplementation!
Adrenal fatigue is associated with nutrient depletion: vitamins D and C and B vitamins and iron, among others. Guess what nutrients liver is high in? Vitamins D and C, B vitamins, iron, and tons more like vitamin A, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorus and selenium.
Skip the coffee
While you may be tempted to use a cup o’ Joe to get you going in the morning, drinking coffee with weak adrenals will cause more harm than good in the long run, as caffeine stresses the adrenal glands. Consider getting your morning energy surge from liver capsules instead.
Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional values found in liver.
Liver is an excellent source of bioavailable vitamin A and iron, EPA and DHA (essential fatty acids), b vitamins, and other vitamins and trace minerals. Each of these nutrients is essential for immune system health, with is essential for supporting the adrenal glands, because the adrenals become overtaxed when pathogens start to overrun the immune system.
It’s the b vitamins, however, that pack the biggest punch against fatigue. I like to call b vitamins the energy vitamins because they are so effective at improving energy levels. I’ve taken b vitamin supplements before with no improvement. However, when getting b vitamins directly from a food source, your body can easily assimilate them, making the biggest impact on your energy levels.
Additionally, animals studies have shown that b vitamin deficiencies result in adrenal stress (see source 1 and 2), so making sure you replenish your levels is important when treating adrenal fatigue.
The liver capsule solution
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t care for the taste or texture of liver. I don’t either. By taking liver capsules, you get all the nutritional benefits, without having to actually eat liver.
Liver capsules are made from dehydrated liver, so you can just swallow them down with your morning supplements. No taste, no problem. I call that a win-win.
I’m picky when it comes to supplements. I watch out for fillers and allergenic ingredients. The liver capsules from Vital Proteins have no added ingredients; they are simply pure gelatin capsules filled with desiccated, ground liver. But not just any liver: the liver used in these capsules is pasture-raised, grass-fed beef liver from New Zealand. In other words: I trust it to deliver the nutrients it promises to deliver.
“Vital Proteins Beef Liver is sourced from grass-fed cows from New Zealand to ensure a natural, high quality, and sustainable source of this ancient nutritional powerhouse.” (source)
How I’m treating adrenal fatigue
I have been taking liver capsules for just over a month now, and am finding that my adrenal health continues to improve. Best of all, my energy levels are improving!
Liver is the absolute best source of vital nutrients compared to any other food. I do try to eat it a couple times a week, but to make sure I get liver into my diet daily, I depend on Vital Proteins Liver Capsules.
Like every other product I’ve used from Vital Proteins, I have been so happy with the quality of their liver capsules!
I am convinced that incorporating liver capsules into my morning supplement routine has been instrumental in repairing my adrenals and restoring my energy levels.
Meg says
Great article! I’ve struggled with adrenal fatigue in the past and I’m struggling again now. I’m really interested in trying these! I already do Vital Proteins collagen peptides in my smoothie each morning. If I’m currently breastfeeding, wouldn’t these liver capsules be fine to take?
Thanks for your time and all your awesome articles!
meg says
Great article! I’ve struggled with adrenal fatigue in the past and think I am now again too. I take Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides every morning in my smoothie and I’m really interested to try these liver capsules. Do you know if it’s ok to take these capsules while breastfeeding? I’m assuming it is but wanted to check. Thank you so much!
Lena says
Great article! I tried to use the discount code but it didn’t work – any advice?
Jaclyn says
Hi Lena. If the discount code isn’t working, there are two suggestions: clear your cookies because the discount code will not work if you have clicked recently on a blogger’s Vital Proteins affiliate link, or, you can call Vital Proteins to place the order and they can apply the discount for you. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Sarah Williams says
So, what is the difference between the vital proteins collagen peptides and beef gelatin? I have been wanting to get something that’s good for leaky gut healing as well as supporting joint health. Is one better than the other? Thanks!
Jaclyn says
Hi Sarah. Each have their benefits and drawbacks. Peptides mix easily into just about anything without changing the texture or flavor, but are slightly more processed than the gelatin. Gelatin is less processed, but it mixes best into warm liquid and will gel up as it cools, or will be a little chunky if blended with cold foods like smoothies (which we often do).
Christina says
I am having problem with my adrenal too. How many capsules do you take a day to help boost your adrenal?
Thank you,
Christina
Jaclyn says
Hi Christina. I take four every morning. 🙂
Sophia says
Best way to consume liver is the real deal. I know it’s gross but that’s why I take liver like most people take shots. Results will be faster and better than with pills. I have a small piece of liver cut up into small squares and just shoot it with lemon water chaser. I do it 1-2x daily. It’s also best to have grassfed.