Pine pollen has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine and other folk practices, where it is considered a tonic for vitality, energy, and overall health. Its use to support "adrenal fatigue"—a term that describes a group of nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, and sleep disturbances, often attributed (without clear scientific backing) to suboptimal adrenal function—stems from these traditional perspectives. Pine pollen is thought to help increase energy and balance hormones, in part due to its natural content of phytoandrogens like testosterone and DHEA, as well as various vitamins and minerals.

However, scientific studies specifically linking pine pollen to improvements in adrenal function or the treatment of "adrenal fatigue" are lacking. Most of the evidence is anecdotal or based on traditional herbal texts rather than clinical research. Furthermore, "adrenal fatigue" itself is not widely recognized as a medical diagnosis by mainstream endocrinology, which further complicates the evaluation of pine pollen’s efficacy for this condition. Some in vitro and animal studies have explored pine pollen’s hormonal effects, but these do not directly address adrenal support or fatigue in humans. Therefore, while pine pollen is traditionally used for general vitality and energy, its specific use for "adrenal fatigue" is not strongly supported by scientific evidence.