The adrenal glands produce, secrete, and maintain hormone levels, including their precursors, and are stimulated by the released of biochemicals from mental or physical signaling or stress. Prolonged mental stress can lead to "adrenal exhaustion" and dysfunction resulting in a myriad of symptoms. Prayer or meditation as well as exercise can promote the release of biochemicals that positively impact physiology and reduce adrenal stress. Glandular therapy and other nutritional considerations to support adrenal health include a full array of vitamins, minerals and other co-factors that promote health at the cellular level. Adrenal support that is non-responsive to meditation, exercise, and nutrition mandates clinical assessment.

Many animal and human studies irrefutably confirm the absorption of large macromolecules through the gut following oral administration, including whole proteins, enzymes, and various hormones, strongly supporting the use of glandular consumption as a nutrient-specific organ-targeted nutritional therapeutic measure.

In 1971, Dr. John Ballou and I performed what I believe is the definitive research on tissue affinity. We were looking for a method of radioactively exposing specific organs and tissues rather than total body exposure, so we separated rabbit adrenals into the cortex and medulla fractions. They were homogenized and tagged with plutonium and then each separate fraction was injected into rabbits and a histologically prepared radiosensitive plate was evaluated of the recipient’s adrenal gland. What we discovered was truly amazing...the recipients of the tagged adrenal cortex had a very distinct radiation glow encircling the adrenal gland obviously in the cortex proper with only minute radioactivity noted in the medulla, while the recipients of the tagged medulla exhibited radiation activity/exposure to the medulla and almost nothing in the cortex. Like tissue appears to migrate toward like tissue or as I have determined, tissue affinity!

Glandular Therapy has been around for many years. Some proponents refer to the “science” behind it as protomorphogen (PMG) therapy, which was fully developed by Dr. Royal Lee in the mid 1900’s. Dr. West reports in his newsletter Health Alert (Nov 2000, 17:11), that "Protomorphogens are the tiniest specks of life made specifically by your body for each kind of tissue and are necessary for the control factors involved in disease."

Regardless of which theory is valid, glandular consumption may be appropriate for another reason…each organ or tissue comprises a different array of biochemical constituents and the only way to consume or obtain, with certainty, the exact array of these constituents is to consume the exact tissue. For those interested in consuming all of the cellular constituents that are organ or tissue specific, then glandular consumption may be a way of consuming and/or nutritionally supporting specific tissues.

Since certain organs contain bio-chemicals, precursors, and organ specific hormones as well as other tissue components, persons with known sensitivities to any organ specific bio-chemical, hormone or the tissue itself should exercise caution. I strongly recommend that the use of glandular therapy be under the supervision of a qualified health-care professional because there may be other very important health issues to consider along with blood laboratory assessment.
© 2009 W.G. Morrow, PhD, DC