He was the second son of Duke Johann Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg and his wife, and Countess Anna of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst.
When he was 8 years old, his older brother, John Frederick, died, making him heir to his father's estate.
In 1676, he married Eleonore Charlotte of Saxony-Lauenburg, granddaughter of Francis II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg.
Christian Adolf obtained the estate Franzhagen from the marriage, and from here he started the brief Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Franzhagen line.
The couple had three sons: He died on 2 January 1702 in Hamburg, and his line would end with the death of his grandson Christian Adolf II.