You might have heard the word adaptogen, particularly in reference to plant extracts or other nutritional supplements. But exactly what are adaptogens? 

If you think of adaptogens for stress, then you’re on the right track. In fact, when thinking about explaining what adaptogens do, the first word that should come to mind is “stress.” The word adaptogen comes from the word “adapt,” because the primary function of an adaptogen is to help your body adapt to stress.

Why you should care about the effects of stress on your body

First, what is stress and what happens in your body when you experience stress? Basically, you experience stress when the demands in your life exceed your ability to meet those demands. Although you feel stress emotionally with anxiousness, irritability, sleeplessness, and the like, your body responds in other ways, too. Chronic stress can impact your immune system, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system. Thus, finding coping mechanisms is an essential part of staying healthy.

In addition to life experiences that cause emotional stressors, physiological stressors, such as sleep deprivation, prolonged exposure to cold, calorie restriction, and excessive exercise, can have similar effects on your body. Any event that results in an immediate response from the adrenal glands is considered a stressor. The immediate response is a release of epinephrine (also called adrenaline) and norepinephrine from the adrenal glands. This is followed within a few minutes by reactions in your brain’s hypothalamus and pituitary that then signal the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol.

Cortisol follows a circadian (24-hour) rhythm, with normally higher levels in the morning to help get you going and lower levels in the evening when it’s time to settle down and go to bed. Stress, even for a short time, can significantly disrupt that rhythm. For example, during a five-day study, military cadets were exposed to heavy physical exercise, along with food and sleep deprivation.1 Their cortisol levels went up all day, eliminating their normal circadian rhythm. Even after several days of rest, the rhythm had not been completely restored.

What are adaptogens?

So, now that you know why you should care about dealing with stress, what are some techniques to deal with it?

Although there are many techniques, this article will focus on adaptogens. But what are adaptogens? 

The term adaptogen refers to something that initiates nonspecific resistance to stress and improves the body’s ability to recover from stress. According to the researcher who coined the term, an adaptogen fits these four criteria: 

  1. It is harmless to the host.
  2. It has a general, rather nonspecific effect.
  3. It increases the resistance of the recipient to a variety of physical, chemical, or biological stressors. 
  4. It acts as a general stabilizer/normalizer – helping to maintain homeostasis. 

Types of adaptogens

Although there are several types of adaptogens, plants are typically the first things that come to mind when we think of an adaptogen. In addition to plant-based adaptogens, some vitamins, amino acid derivatives, and foods can act as adaptogens when they fit the definition. 

Certain activities can even have adaptogenic effects. For example, mindfulness meditation can help a person adapt to stress. In a study of mindfulness meditation’s effects, 108 nursing students were assigned to five 30-minute sessions of mindfulness meditation or merely sitting quietly (control group).2 The group engaging in mindfulness meditation experienced an adaptogenic benefit with decreased cortisol levels and perceptions of stress.

Vitamin and amino acid adaptogens

While adaptogen supplements are typically botanicals, there are a few vitamins and other nutrients that have adaptogenic effects. For example, vitamin C supports adrenal function and helps normalize elevated cortisol levels.* B vitamins, including thiamine (B1), pyridoxine (B6), pantothenic acid (B5), and B12 as methylcobalamin, have also been shown to benefit humans under stress by balancing their cortisol level.*3,4 In fact, perhaps the most significant benefit of methylcobalamin with regard to stress is its beneficial effect on cortisol. Methylcobalamin helps restore an imbalanced circadian rhythm. Although it doesn’t impact total cortisol levels, evidence suggests methylcobalamin shifts the cortisol secretion peak, helping restore the normal cortisol circadian rhythm.5 

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid found naturally in cell membranes, especially in the brain and nerves. PS can also be taken as a nutritional supplement. Several studies show PS buffers stress-induced secretion of cortisol.* In a small, two-week, double-blind study, 11 men undergoing intense weight training, which resulted in an exaggerated cortisol response, were given either 800 mg PS or placebo daily and then crossed over to the opposite treatment. When taking PS, the participants had lower cortisol spikes in addition to less muscle soreness and improved mood.6

Botanical and mushroom adaptogens

By far the most significant group of adaptogens are botanical and mushroom extracts. In fact, some individuals consider only plants and mushrooms to be true adaptogens. A comprehensive list of adaptogens and benefits could take up several book volumes, so here we will just list a few of the most clinically important ones.

Ginseng. Ginseng encompasses several species and is probably the most well-known adaptogen. Among its species, Panax ginseng (also referred to as Korean, Asian, Chinese, or Japanese ginseng) is the grandmother of them all – considered to be one of the most powerful adaptogenic herbs. This form of ginseng is featured in Thorne’s newest energizing adaptogenic plant- and mushroom-based formula Ginseng Plus.*

Panax ginseng appears to directly balance adrenal function, as well as having a beneficial impact on the brain and its ability to direct the adrenal glands (via the hypothalamic-pituitary axis or HPA).*6 A close cousin, Panax quinquefolium, has similar effects. In some cases, their effects are contradictory – stimulating at times, calming at others. But this actually supports the true definition of an adaptogen – to normalize or bring into balance – and also supports the Thorne product named Stress Balance – a long-time favorite Thorne adaptogenic formula.

Eleutherococcus senticosus (eleuthero for short), another ingredient in Stress Balance, was once referred to as Siberian ginseng and thought to be a cousin to Panax. It was recently determined to not actually be a member of the ginseng family. But eleuthero does have significant adaptogenic properties. Both animal and human studies (the latter primarily in Russia) show eleuthero improves the response to physical stressors.*7

Ashwagandha. Withania somnifera, better known as ashwagandha, is the preeminent adaptogen in Ayurvedic medicine and might be the most well-studied of the adaptogens. Several patented ashwagandha extracts have been well tested.

In one study using KSM-66®, a full-spectrum ashwagandha extract, 64 participants with long-term stress received 300 mg ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for two months.8 At the end of the study, those in the ashwagandha group experienced significant improvements on stress assessment scales, along with significant decreases in cortisol compared to the placebo group. KSM-66 is the form of ashwagandha used in Thorne’s Stress Balance.

The ashwagandha in Thorne’s Daily Greens Plus – NooGandha® – is a patented extract formulated to accentuate mental focus and cognitive benefits.* A double-blind study found its benefits are in part due to adaptogenic effects. Daily amounts of both 225 mg and 400 mg of NooGandha balanced cortisol levels and reduced anxious feelings, perceived stress, and food cravings.9

Rhodiola. Unlike several of the adrenal adaptogens (adaptogenic herbs for adrenal hormone balance) already discussed, Rhodiola rosea is more of a central nervous system adaptogen, helping to balance brain neurotransmitters, primarily dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.* Several placebo-controlled studies show decreased stress-related fatigue and improved mental focus in students and physicians taking Rhodiola compared to placebo.10-12 

Mushrooms. Several mushrooms have adaptogenic properties, including Gandoderma lucidum (reishi), which has been shown to build resistance in athletes exposed to stressful situations.13 Other adaptogenic mushrooms include chaga, lion’s mane, Coriolis versicolor (turkey tail), and Cordyceps species.*

In addition to Korean red ginseng, Thorne’s Ginseng Plus contains lion’s mane. And our comprehensive greens formula, Daily Greens Plus, contains an array of adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms, including ashwagandha, eleuthero, Rhodiola, reishi, lion’s mane, and chaga. You can read more about the adaptogens in Daily Greens Plus here.

Are adaptogens safe?

Yes, adaptogens are safe – by their very definition. Remember, the four criteria that define an adaptogen: (1) it is harmless to the host; (2) it has a general, nonspecific effect; (3) it increases the resistance of the recipient to a variety of physical, chemical, or biological stressors; and (4) it acts as a general stabilizer/normalizer – helping to maintain homeostasis. 

Although sometimes people think of taking an adaptogen for energy, be reminded that adaptogens bring things back into balance. So if a person is experiencing stress-related fatigue, then taking an adaptogen might give them a relative sense of increased energy, even though it doesn’t produce energy, because it brings things back into homeostasis.

When taken in recommended amounts, nutrient and botanical adaptogens are safe, although it is possible to use some in an unsafe way – like ginseng, for example. There is a condition called ginseng abuse syndrome that can occur when large doses of ginseng are consumed over a long period of time. This can be over-stimulating and result in high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and sleeplessness. This, however, does not represent using ginseng as an adaptogen but rather abusing it as a stimulant. So, to reiterate, adaptogens are safe.

Need more tips for helping deal with stress? Thorne has published dozens of blogs on numerous stress-related topics here on Take 5 Daily.

If you’re interested to see how your circadian cortisol rhythm stacks up, you can take Thorne’s Stress Test, an easy, at-home health test kit that measures cortisol fluctuations in your saliva, along with DHEA (another hormone secreted by the adrenal glands), to provide insights about your adrenal health and stress response.

References

  1. Opstad K. Circadian rhythm of hormones is extinguished during prolonged physical stress, sleep and energy deficiency in young men. Eur J Endocrinol 1994;131:56-66.
  2. Alhawatmeh HN, Rababa M, Alfaqih M, et al. The benefits of mindfulness meditation on trait mindfulness, perceived stress, cortisol, and C-reactive protein in nursing students: a randomized controlled trial. Adv Med Educ Pract 2022;13:47-58. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S348062.
  3. Shelygina NM, Spivak RIa, Zaretskii MM, et al. Influence of vitamins C, B1, and B6 on the diurnal periodicity of the glucocorticoid function of the adrenal cortex in patients with atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis. Vopr Pitan 1975;2:25-29. [Article in Russian] 
  4. Onuki M, Suzawa A. Effect of pantethine on the function of the adrenal cortex. 2. Clinical experience using pantethine in cases under steroid hormone treatment. Horumon To Rinsho 1970;18:937-940.
  5. Tomoda A, Miike T, Matsukura M. Circadian rhythm abnormalities… and methyl B12… . Brain Dev 1995;17(6):428-431. doi: 10.1016/0387-7604(95)00083-6. 
  6. Fahey TD, Pearl MS. The hormonal and perceptive effects of phosphatidylserine administration during two weeks of resistive exercise-induced overtraining. Biol Sport 1998;15:135-144.
  7. Gaffney BT, Hugel HM, Rich PA. The effects of Eleutherococcus senticosus and Panax ginseng on steroidal hormone indices of stress and lymphocyte subset numbers in endurance athletes. Life Sci 2001;70:431-442.
  8. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress… in adults. Indian J Psychol Med 2012;34(3):255-62. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.106022.
  9. Remenapp A, Coyle K, Orange T, et al. Efficacy of Withania somnifera supplementation on adult's cognition and mood. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2021;13(2):100510. doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2021.08.003
  10. Olsson EM, von Scheele B, Panossian AG. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study of the standardised extract SHR-5 of the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of subjects with stress-related fatigue. Planta Med 2009;75:105-112.
  11. Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, et al. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue – a double blind crossover study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine 2000;7:365-371.
  12. Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Mandrikov VB, et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of the stimulating and adaptogenic effect of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract on the fatigue of students caused by stress during an examination period with a repeated low-dose regimen. Phytomedicine 2000;7:85-89.
  13. Zhang Y, Lin Z, Hu Y, Wang F. Effect of Ganoderma lucidum capsules on T lymphocyte subsets in football players on "living high-training low." Br J Sports Med 2008;42(10):819-822.