Vitamin C (ascorbate, including sodium ascorbate) has a well-documented role in various physiological functions, and its relationship with adrenal gland health is supported by some scientific evidence, though not robust. The adrenal glands contain some of the highest concentrations of vitamin C in the body, and vitamin C is utilized in the synthesis of steroid hormones, including cortisol. During stress, adrenal vitamin C levels can be depleted, and animal studies have shown that vitamin C may be necessary for optimal adrenal function and hormone production.

In humans, direct clinical trials demonstrating that vitamin C supplementation significantly improves adrenal function are limited. Some studies suggest that vitamin C supplementation can moderate the rise in cortisol and other stress hormones in response to acute physical or psychological stress, but the effects are modest and not universally observed. Historically, vitamin C has been recommended by some practitioners to “support” the adrenals, especially during periods of high stress, but this is based more on extrapolation from animal data and biochemical reasoning than on large, high-quality clinical trials.

Overall, while there is a plausible scientific rationale for vitamin C being important to adrenal biochemistry, the evidence for supplementation specifically to “support the adrenal glands” in otherwise healthy individuals is limited. Thus, the evidence is rated as moderate to low.