Some of our best coping strategies for stress are lifestyle-related, such as meditation, prayer, deep breathing/breathwork, moderate exercise and sleep. All these strategies can activate our parasympathetic nervous system to bring down stress levels. But when stress is chronic, sometimes supplements can help, too. Adaptogens are one type of supplement support for chronic stress.
What’s an Adaptogen?
Simply put, an adaptogen is an herbal compound that helps us “adapt” to stressors in our lives. Used over time, adaptogens can help our bodies endure stressful events which improves our general well-being.
Adaptogens are nonspecific, meaning that they don’t target one area or body system, but instead, can increase or decrease our bodies’ overall response to stress. Adaptogens regulate our neuroendocrine system, that is the mind-body connection, for better mental and physical endurance.
Brief History of Adaptogens
Plant adaptogens have been used for thousands of years in many different cultures, such as India, China, Korea and Japan. Many of these plants are referred to as “elite” or “kingly” because of their powerful influence on our bodies. Adaptogens were used by these ancient cultures to help humans survive and thrive through physical and mental stress. For example, in Siberia, adaptogens were used by hunters prior to starting out on long, hard journeys, and in China, adaptogens were given to warriors before going into battle.
In the 1940s, Soviet researchers were the first to scientifically study and test these ancient medical herbs. Dr. Nicholai Lazarev named them “adaptogens” for their abilities to help a wide variety of people adapt to physical or mental challenges. During this timeframe, adaptogens were also tested on professional athletes to improve physical endurance. In the 1970’s, the first synthetic adaptogens were developed.
How Good and Bad Stress Impacts the Body
To understand how adaptogens work, we need to understand how physical and psychological stress impacts our bodies.
Everyone experiences stress and our bodies are uniquely designed to handle stressful situations. Because each of our physical bodies and psychology are unique, everyone’s response to stress is also unique. What may be incredibly stressful for one person may not even register as stress for someone else. In addition, the stress response may appear as a psychological stressor in one person, as a physical stressor in another or as both in a third. No matter how the body “perceives” stress, it always tries to return to homeostasis — the state of equilibrium.
We all may understand what “bad” stress is, but there is also “good” stress — things we are excited to do, such as planning a wedding or performing in a challenging race. The body only reacts to “stress,” it doesn’t see a difference between what we determine is good or bad. Stress doesn’t only occur from major events as daily stressors such as fighting traffic and deadlines impact our bodies, too. Even food – too much or too little – can be perceived as stress by the body.
When the body perceives any type of stress, it starts the chain of several responses to address that stressor. For example, blood flow to our extremities and our digestive systems may slow down to divert more blood flow to the brain to help us make quick decisions.
One key response to stress involves our adrenal glands, located above each kidney. The adrenal glands produce hormones, specifically cortisol. Cortisol’s main role is to increase blood sugar levels for a quick rise in energy to help us deal with the stressor. After the stress is over, cortisol levels decrease as does our blood glucose levels.
Cortisol becomes an issue when stress becomes chronic, that is, it lasts for months or years. In this situation, cortisol remains high as it responds to chronic stress, but the adrenal glands may ignore its signal. When this happens, cortisol continues to be produced in greater and greater amounts, but the cells become resistant to its presence.
Two commons situations where cortisol may remain chronically high are menopause and aging. While menopause is a natural phenomenon, it is still a stressor on the body as the ovaries slow down and then no longer produce hormones and the adrenal glands take over production. If a woman has experienced chronic stress prior or during the menopause transition, the adrenals may not be functioning properly to taking over the production of hormones. The call for cortisol always takes precedence over hormone signaling.
Adaptogens do not deal with cortisol levels directly, but promote overall health by improving body systems, such as the immune system, to deal with stressors. Adaptogens also look similar in structure to hormones that are released by adrenal glands, so they are better accepted by cell receptors. By strengthening and enhancing the body systems, cortisol production may naturally decline. Therefore, adaptogens are ideal to use for chronic stress and to calm the entire body.
Benefits of Adaptogens
Some benefits of adaptogens are:
- Enhances the immune system
- Increases circulation
- Decreases oxidative damage
- Decreases fatigue
- Decreases depression
- Increases stamina.
Research shows that these benefits may take many forms, such as improved memory and concentration, increased muscle strength, decreased blood glucose levels and increased resistance to disease.
It’s important to note that not every adaptogen will deliver all these benefits, so it’s important to recognize what stress-related symptoms you have and what the underlying factors might be, such as sleep deprivation, systemic inflammation, dysregulated blood sugar, malnutrition and/or digestive dysfunction, as well as psychological stressors such as adverse childhood events, also known as ACEs.
Donald Yance, in his book Adaptogens in Medical Herbalism, puts it this way “…the herbal medicine will perform differently in response to the state of health or disease it encounters within the body.”
Not a Miracle Supplement
We need to apply caution to adaptogens. Just because adaptogens are herbal, it doesn’t mean they are always safe to use. Many plants contain inherent toxicities, and some are extremely powerful, especially when combined with pharmaceuticals. For example, eleuthero should not be taken if one has hypertension. At higher doses, some adaptogens may cause side effects, such as headaches, insomnia, cardiac arrhythmia and irritability.
In addition, some adaptogens can be taken long-term but require breaks. Pregnant women should also be very cautious before using adaptogens. Always consult with your health practitioner before adding anything new to your healthcare routine.
Adaptogens work their very best when used alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle.
If you’re considering adaptogens to help with psychological stress, it is important to recognize if you have tendencies towards anxiety or depression. Some adaptogens are known to increase the stress response while others will tamp down the stress response.
Types of Adaptogens
The list of plant adaptogens is long, but here are a few well-known and researched.
Ashwagandha
This herb is known to promote physical and mental health, help resist disease, increase longevity and revitalize the body. It is classed as a Rasayana plant which encourages general well-being by increasing cellular resistance. Traditionally, it is used for asthma, bronchitis, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, psoriasis and other conditions. It works directly on the neuroendocrine system by supporting the adrenal glands.
Ginseng (panax)
Ginseng, also called “King of Herbs,” has been known to be used in Asia for more than 5,000 years! It grows like asparagus in that it takes 4 years to mature, so the herb is experiencing growing challenges from environmental changes and over-harvesting. In the west, ginseng has been studied for its ability to help cope with stress with positive results. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), ginseng is used to help balance the kidneys, liver, lung, spleen and heart. It is believed to benefit aging. In higher doses, ginseng may cause nervousness.
Shatavari
This adaptogen is also known as the “Queen of Herbs” and is considered an important herb for female health. It is also classed as Rasayana. Shatavari is used in Ayurvedic to treat nervous disorders, inflammation, liver and infectious diseases.
Astragulus
Astragulus is used in TCM to promote energy and the immune system. Specifically, it is given for colds and flus, poor digestion, blood glucose control and to increase appetite.
Elderberry
This herb is frequently seen at farmers markets. It acts as an immunomodulant and has antiviral effects, which are ideal for colds and flus. Elderberry was used by Native Americans to address infections, skin diseases and respiratory issues.
Eleuthero
Also known as Siberian Ginseng and “King Adaptogen,” Eleuthero has been used in TCM for more than 2,000 years for respiratory tract infections and flus. It was also used in Siberia to prevent infections and increase performance. In 1964 after extensive research, Russia’s Ministry of Health officially named Eleuthero as an adaptogen. It directly influences the neuroendocrine system and adrenal glands.
Holy Basil (Tulsi)
Holy basil is considered a sacred plant in Ayurvedic medicine as it is believed to help promote a long life. It may increase immunity and decrease depressed and anxious feelings. Holy basil pairs well with ashwagandha or rhodiola
Licorice Root
Last, but not least, licorice root is one of my favorite adaptogens! As someone who never liked the taste of black licorice candy, licorice root has more of a sweet taste and is a great addition to other adaptogens that taste bitter.
Licorice root is used to calm irritated mucus membranes in the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts. Because it’s an immunomodulator, it can be very beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis. Licorice root is another adaptogen that should be used with care as it should not be used if pregnant or hypertensive nor combined with steroids, diuretics and cardiac pharmaceuticals.
There are so many adaptogens that if one doesn’t work for you, it’s worthwhile to try another.
Forms of Adaptogens and How to Take
Adaptogens can be used alone or together and take the form of capsules, powders and liquids, such as tinctures and teas.
Most adaptogens should be used for a period of months for benefits to take effect, not a one-time or short-term solution. Most research studies that had favorable results were conducted for 1 to 4 months.
As with any supplement, quality matters. Since adaptogens are plants, you’ll want to look for those grown organically to avoid ingesting pesticides and herbicides. For more information on supplement quality and safety, read this article.
Are Adaptogens Right for Me?
Lifestyle strategies are the best place to start to relieve chronic stress along with good nutrition. But if you’ve tried all these strategies and you still feel stressed out, an adaptogen may be right for you.
Resources:
Principles of Anatomy & Physiology by Gerard Tortora and Bryan Derrickson
Adaptogens in Medical Herbalism by Donald Yance
Herbal Vade Mecum by Gazmend Skenderi
Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chavallier
Clinical Herbalism: Plant Wisdom from East and West by Rachel Lord
Panossian AG, Efferth T, Shikov AN, et al. Evolution of the adaptogenic concept from traditional use to medical systems: Pharmacology of stress- and aging-related diseases. Med Res Rev. 2021;41(1):630-703. doi:10.1002/med.21743
Todorova V, Ivanov K, Delattre C, Nalbantova V, Karcheva-Bahchevanska D, Ivanova S. Plant Adaptogens-History and Future Perspectives. Nutrients. 2021;13(8):2861. Published 2021 Aug 20. doi:10.3390/nu13082861
