More and more Americans are seeking out natural alternatives to traditional medicine and health treatments. As a result, many Americans are beginning to utilize Adaptogenic Herbs, more commonly known as adaptogens. Adaptogens are natural herbal pharmaceuticals derived from plant extracts that work to counteract the effects of stress in the body. Stress can have a profound effect on the way our body’s function and can cause real physical changes to various aspects of your overall health including your neurological, endocrine, and immune systems. Thanks to the stimulant properties of adaptogens, many of these negative effects can be counteracted and negated since they have a positive effect on our brains and hormones. So how do these unique herbs work and what specific benefits can you gain from taking them?
Adaptogens were first discovered and studied during World War II. Military doctors and scientists were working to find a way to help healthy pilots work at enhanced levels and improve their performance under stressful circumstances. Primarily the goal of their research at the time was to find a “superhero” pill or supplement that would enable pilots to fly faster, better, and for longer periods of time with less sleep. During these studies, they stumbled upon adaptogens. In a study published by the Soviet Union’s military, a stimulant called Schisandra Chinensis found in berries and seeds eaten by the Nanai hunters of Southeast Siberia, reduced thirst, hunger, and exhaustion for those who consume them. As an added benefit it even improved their ability to see at night, further enhancing their ability to hunt. This was the very beginning of what would turn into a fascinating and large body of studies and an exiting alternative to traditional pharmaceutical medicine.
So what are the benefits of adaptogens and how do they work? Adaptogens can provide a long list of benefits to your overall health and well-being. Noted benefits of consuming adaptogens include decreasing stress, arthritis relief, improved sleep, neuroendocrine health, and cancer. Additional reported benefits include improved physical endurance, mental health, focus, blood sugar control, reduced fatigue, lower cholesterol, and hormonal balance. According to Dr. Brenda Powell, co-medical director of the Center For Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute, “adaptogens help your body handle stress, they’re meant to bring us back to the middle.” Powell explains that adaptogens work in a similar way to how exercise works to build muscle and improve cardiovascular health. “When we exercise, it’s a stress on our body. But as we continue to train and exercise, our body becomes better at dealing with the stress of it, so we no longer get as tired or as high a heart rate, similarly when you take adaptogens you’re training your body to handle the effects of stress.”
Additional benefits of adaptogens go beyond reducing stress. In a study published by the Swedish Herbal Institute’s Research and Development department, “Out of 177 patients suffering from vascular hypotension, a course of therapy with Rhodiola rosea (a common adaptogen) extract stabilized, completed or partially normalized 92% of the hypotensive patients” in the study. According to a separate study conducted by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai on the effects of American Ginseng (another adaptogen known scientifically as Panax quinquefolius), “Several human studies show that American ginseng lowered blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.” Additionally the researchers discovered that “participants with type 2 diabetes who took American ginseng before or together with a high sugar drink experienced less of an increase in blood glucose levels.” Bacopa or Bacopa monniera, another adaptogen, has shown evidence in improving memory decline, inflammation, pain, pyrexia, epilepsy and as a sedative for almost three centuries. In an independent study published by the Georgia State Honors College, “Neuropsychological measures for the efficiency of attention, freedom from distractibility, and working memory improved significantly with the use of Bacopa as was measured by digit span backward test.” So which adaptogens are good to take?
There are a number of popular adaptogens with different benefits. According to UCLA Health Journal, For stress and anxiety, Ashwagandha and Tulsi (holy basil) are reported to be the most effective. Adaptogens, Rhodiola rosea and Ginseng are known to reduce fatigue, depression, and chronic inflammation. When looking for a natural way to boost immunity, experts recommend Reishi which is a type of mushroom adaptogen that has shown promising evidence for fighting cancerous tumors and promoting healthy antibodies in throughout the immune system. Despite the many advantages of taking adaptogens, these herbs are not recommended as a complete substitute to traditional medicine since more testing and research is needed to prove their effectiveness in treating and preventing the various conditions their advocates claim they resolve.
Some experts in the medical/nutrition field remain skeptical of how effective these “magical” herbs really are in treating chronic diseases and conditions. According to Dr. Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, and UCLA Health Senior Dietitian, “Supplements, such as adaptogens, in general are not highly regulated the way medications and drugs are, a bottle can say it contains ashwagandha or ginseng, but it’s not regulated by the FDA and may not have the right potency.” Other critics of adaptogens also point out that many supplement manufacturers add a number of additional ingredients to the various adaptogens they sell, many of which can have unknown effects on the body. In some situations, adaptogens have also been known to cause negative side effects when combined with certain medications such as blood thinners and anti-depression medication. For this reason, health experts such as Dr. Hunnes recommend consulting with your doctor and doing your own research to find out if adaptogens are a good fit for you and your regular health routine.
Works Cited:
What are adaptogens and should you be taking them?. UCLA Health. (n.d.). https://www.uclahealth.org/news/what-are-adaptogens-and-should-you-be-taking-them
Adaptogen. Adaptogen – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/adaptogen
Forbes Magazine. (2023, October 31). Your guide to adaptogens. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/what-are-adaptogens/
Scholey, A., Ossoukhova, A., Owen, L., Ibarra, A., Pipingas, A., He, K., Roller, M., & Stough, C. (2010, October). Effects of American ginseng (panax quinquefolius) on neurocognitive function: An acute, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Psychopharmacology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952762/
American ginseng. Mount Sinai Health System. (n.d.). https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/american-ginseng
Ajala, T. (2017). The effects of adaptogens on the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic stress. DISCOVERY: Georgia State Honors College Undergraduate Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.31922/disc4.2
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