For the past several years, adaptogens have been gaining in popularity. Their age-old health benefits are being touted as the best way to fight our modern illnesses. Believers claim they lower stress, fight free-radicals, boost immunity, increase circulation, and offer a host of other health benefits. But do they work as well as developers claim, or at all, even? And if they do work, what is the best way to take them?
What are adaptogens?
So, what are adaptogens anyway?
The down-and-dirty answer to this is “Any of various natural substances used in herbal medicine to normalize and regulate the systems of the body” (www.dictionary.com). What holistic and integrative doctors typically mean are herbs, fungi, and superfoods that counterbalance the negative effects of stress, lack of sleep, and a bad diet, or, you know, motherhood.
What’s the history?
But where do they come from and does it even matter?
Adaptogenic herbs have a long history. The idea that plants can heal dates to around 3000 BCE. Ancient Chinese and Indian cultures contain some of the oldest proofs of adaptogenic herb use: think chewing anise seed to sooth upset GI tracts (www.wylde-one.com).
With the western medical revolution, herbal remedies lost popularity and were mostly forgotten by mainstream physicians and the public. But the appeal of gentle, natural healing and health maintenance was never totally erased.
Adaptogens started mounting their comeback during the WWII era.
According to The American Botanical Council, the term “adaptogen” was first used by Russian scientist Nikolay Lazarev in 1957 to describe substances which could increase the ability to resist stress. He noticed that subjects could reach a higher level of equilibrium.
This means that you have a longer window of time to be in a “stressful” situation without noticing the effects of the stress on your body.
So.
Do they work?
Yes. No. Sort of – it depends on what you want them to do.
Adaptogens DO seem to have the ability to “increase stress resistance.” So, if you want to train harder, you could take an adaptogen that allows you to have a higher intensity or longer workout before your muscles start to fail.
The same goes for mental clarity. The right type of adaptogen can make you feel more alert and calmer despite an outside stressor (www.Healthline.com).
The list of what adaptogens can improve, support, and even heal is long. Essentially, if there is a condition to have, there is an herb for it.
But they don’t do everything.
Your body will eventually fail. You will probably still get a cold during cold and flu season. It just might be less severe and shorter. You will still feel tired after waking six times a night with a newborn. You just might make it longer in the day without wanting to put your head under a rock.
So, if you think adaptogens are something you want to try, what should you take?
Again, it depends on your needs.
According to Healthline, there are three herbs that they consider to be the safest and most effective: Siberian Ginseng, Arctic Root, and Schisandra.
These herbs are a great place to start. Others can be phased in and out based on condition and response.
Many practitioners feel the best way to take adaptogens is through food (just like all your vitamins), but if you can’t track down Arctic Root at your local grocery store, high-quality, pure supplements (there is no standard, so ensuring quality can be difficult) have also been shown effective.
The takeaway.
Adaptogens probably will make you feel better and help you stay healthier. But they aren’t a cure-all, and they do have limitations.
If you decide to incorporate them into your diet, start slowly. Make sure you can tolerate each variety before you add in new ones.