What to know about diet for Addison's disease

Foods to eat

People with Addison’s disease may want to consider including more sodium, calcium, and vitamin D in their diet. However, they should speak with a healthcare professional before making any significant dietary changes.

Sodium

Addison’s disease causes the adrenal glands to produce insufficient amounts of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone.

Addison’s disease can cause a person to develop low levels of aldosterone. This can cause the amount of sodium in the blood to drop, potentially leading to hyponatremia. This is because aldosterone helps maintain the balance of certain minerals in the blood, including sodium.

For this reason, people with Addison’s disease may want to try eating a diet that is high in sodium.

However, a high sodium intake can increase a person’s risk of developing other health conditions. These include:

• high blood pressure
• heart disease
• stroke

This is why a person needs to consult a doctor before adding more sodium to their diet. A healthcare professional can make specific recommendations for individuals.

Foods that are high in sodium include:

• rice
• pasta
• meats and cured meats
• poultry
• seafood
• breads and tortillas
• savory snacks, such as chips
• cheese

Calcium and vitamin D

Corticosteroids are a common treatment for Addison’s disease. These medications can help replace cortisol in people with low levels of the hormone.

High doses of corticosteroids can increase a person’s risk of osteoporosis, a bone disease that occurs due to decreased bone mass and density. The bones then become weaker, increasing a person’s risk of fractures.

For this reason, a person with Addison’s disease may want to add foods to their diet that help support bone health, such as those containing calcium and vitamin D.

Foods that are high in dietary calcium include:

• dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
• vegetables, such as kale and broccoli
• foods that manufacturers fortify with calcium, which may include some fruit juices, cereals, and certain grains

Foods that are high in vitamin D include fish liver oils and fatty fish, such as mackerel and tuna. Some foods contain small amounts of vitamin D, including:

• beef liver
• egg yolks
• cheese

Foods to avoid

According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), high potassium levels may be a sign of Addison’s disease. If a person’s potassium levels rise too high, they may develop hyperkalemia.

For this reason, individuals with Addison’s disease may want to limit how often they eat foods high in potassium. These foods may include:

• apricots
• squash
• lentils
• kidney beans
• raisins
• soybeans
• prunes
• bananas
• orange juice
• milk

Some evidence also states that grapefruit can interact with certain corticosteroids and may affect how these medications work. Therefore, a doctor may advise some people with Addison’s disease to avoid consuming grapefruit and grapefruit juice.

Addison’s disease treatment 

Hormone replacement therapies are common treatments for Addison’s disease.

If the condition causes a person to have low levels of cortisol, they can boost levels of this hormone with corticosteroid treatments. These corticosteroids include:

• hydrocortisone
• dexamethasone
• prednisone

If a person’s Addison’s disease causes them to produce low levels of aldosterone, a doctor may prescribe fludrocortisone. This medication helps balance the sodium and fluids in the blood.

If a person’s Addison’s disease causes a person to experience a large drop in adrenal hormones, they may experience an adrenal crisis.

This is a severe condition that can be life threatening and requires immediate medical treatment.

Treatment for an adrenal crisis includes an immediate injection of intravenous (IV) corticosteroids that healthcare professionals administer through the veins.

A person will also require large amounts of IV saline with dextrose. Saline is a salt solution, and dextrose is a type of sugar.

When to speak with a doctor 

If a person has Addison’s disease, they need to speak with a healthcare professional before making changes to their diet.

This is because everyone has different nutritional needs, and some individuals may have allergies or underlying health conditions that affect what they can eat.

Additionally, a high sodium diet can increase a person’s risk of a number of health conditions. A doctor can offer specific individual advice about how much sodium to consume daily.

Summary

Addison’s disease is a condition that causes the adrenal glands to make insufficient amounts of cortisol and aldosterone.

This can cause a person to have low sodium levels in their blood. Those with Addison’s disease may then develop hyponatremia. This is why medical professionals may recommend a person with this condition eat a diet that is higher in sodium.

If a person takes corticosteroids to treat Addison’s disease, it may increase their risk of osteoporosis. Therefore, individuals may also want to eat more foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D.

However, people should always speak with a doctor before making any significant changes to their diet.