{"id":26119,"date":"2021-09-14T16:46:42","date_gmt":"2021-09-14T16:46:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=26119"},"modified":"2022-06-17T20:51:48","modified_gmt":"2022-06-17T20:51:48","slug":"what-are-adaptogens-herbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-are-adaptogens-herbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Adaptogens 101: The Best Adaptogens for Stress, Energy, Mood, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adaptogens are having a moment and they\u2019re here to stay. The powerful plants are standouts for helping with everything from stress, energy, brain fog, and more. Often, you hear adaptogens mentioned as a way to balance the body and adapt to life\u2019s stressors. And they do! But while they share some things in common, the term \u201cadaptogen\u201d encompasses a wide range of plants and fungi, each with unique effects. For example, while some adaptogens are fantastic at supporting immunity others excel at lifting mood and banishing brain fog. So, they\u2019re not one-size-fits-all.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

The good news: Most people can benefit from adaptogens, which are quite safe\u2014you just need to figure out what ones will benefit you the most. Here, we break down exactly what an adaptogen is and some top picks from doctors and herbalists for immunity, hormone balance<\/a>, mood, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

What are adaptogens?<\/h2>\n\n\n

The term adaptogen refers to certain herbs and mushrooms that have a unique balancing effect on the body. They help you react to and recover from physical, mental, and environmental stressors and restore homeostasis by adapting their functions to your body\u2019s specific needs. For example, the same adaptogen may have a calming effect on one person or a subtly energizing effect on another. Adaptogens are also considered non-specific, meaning their effect is widespread and influences many bodily systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cWhen people go through stress, they can feel it in so many different places in the body\u2014some might get migraines, some might get an anxious stomach<\/a>, some might get joint pain,\u201d says Sara-Chana Silverstein, RH (AHG), IBCLC, master herbalist and author of Moodtopia<\/em><\/a>. \u201cAdaptogens seem to go where they\u2019re needed in the body based on how stress affects you<\/em>, whereas non-adaptogenic herbs and drugs tend to fulfill a specific role or target a specific area every time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The proposed benefits of adaptogens may be subtle, but research suggests<\/a> they do, in fact, exist. According to Silverstein, they\u2019re a great option for people who need a little support for low moods, fatigue, poor focus, or frequent infections, but whose symptoms aren\u2019t necessarily severe enough to require an actual prescription medication. And while the science isn\u2019t always clear on the exact mechanisms of action through which they work, it\u2019s widely believed that adaptogens help regulate the production of cortisol\u2014one of the body\u2019s main stress hormones. (More on that mechanism in the next section.)<\/p>\n\n\n

Even though adaptogens are experiencing a surge in popularity, they\u2019re not new\u2014many have been staples of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for hundreds if not thousands of years, even though they weren\u2019t always referred to as adaptogens. The term \u201cadaptogen\u201d dates back to the 1940s or so when researchers in Siberia<\/a> were looking for ways to keep soldiers and workers more productive and resilient in extreme climates, according to Lise Alschuler, ND<\/a>, naturopathic physician and professor of clinical medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine. This prompted research into plant medicines, which eventually led to the classification of local plants like Siberian ginseng and Rhodiola rosea<\/a> as adaptogens. From there, other plants have been categorized as adaptogens as well, based on their similar properties.<\/p>\n\n\n

How do adaptogenic herbs work?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Every adaptogen is different, so each will have slightly different ways in which they achieve their full range of unique benefits. However, there does seem to be some overlap between most adaptogens\u2014and that\u2019s their effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or HPA axis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

When you experience stress (whether that\u2019s a looming deadline, someone cutting you off in traffic, or any type of perceived or real danger), the body responds in the same basic way\u2014the HPA axis fires up and prompts the release of hormones, including cortisol<\/a>, that prepare your body to take on the stressor.<\/p>\n\n\n

Over time, if stress levels are chronically elevated and the HPA axis is constantly activated, cortisol becomes chronically elevated, too, \u201cand with that, the cells throughout our body become resistant to cortisol,\u201d Alschuler explained on a recent episode of the Body of Wonder podcast<\/a>. \u201cUnder this constant barrage of cortisol, we start to experience more inflammation<\/a>. We start to, over decades, actually degrade the quality of our tissues. We can develop digestive issues, joint disorders, even cognitive issues and mood disorders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

So where do adaptogens come in exactly? Adaptogens can essentially hit the reset button and help our bodies turn off or rebalance the HPA axis system<\/a>, thus helping curb the downstream effects of an out-of-control stress response\u2014whatever that might look like for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Additionally, some research shows<\/a> that certain adaptogens help improve our ability to make ATP (a molecule that provides energy to cells) and have a protective effect against oxidative stress, which can be beneficial in terms of improved physical and mental energy and healthy aging.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Common adaptogens<\/h2>\n\n\n

Wondering what herbs and medicinal mushrooms you\u2019ve heard of fit into the category of adaptogens? Below is a list of some of the most common and widely available adaptogens on the market. Many can be found in supplement blends, stand-alone capsules or tinctures, teas or powders, or packaged beverages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n