Managing Stress with Adaptogens

Working from home. The dogs are barking, your home phone is ringing, and suddenly you remember a deadline… that you’ve missed. Whether it’s just a bad morning or the daily routine, you’re feeling stressed and have heart palpitations to prove it.

We’ve all been there: anxious to the max. According to leading psychiatric groups, our collective stress is at an all-time high. Today, eight in 10 American adults feel stressed at work, 62 percent are stressed about their family’s health, and approximately 77 percent experience stress so extreme it affects their physical and mental health.

Not surprising when you consider the pressures of modern-day life and what’s happened the past 18 months. But take heart — those feelings of restless anticipation can be managed as part of a healthy lifestyle. Beyond yoga and meditation, the emerging use of adaptogens may provide significant benefits.

Early scientific investigation suggests that these natural herbs, ingredients, and non-toxic plants may support the body’s resistance to stressors, whether they’re physical, biochemical, hormonal, thermal, internal, external, emotional, mental, or professional.

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An elite herbal medicine

Stress comes in many forms and can wreak havoc on the body. Infectious disease, chemical pollutants, physical overexertion, climate change, loud noises, and civil and social unrest, or mental and emotional disharmony all contribute. Inflammation, depression, metabolic disorders, cancer, and premature aging can set off a cascade of responses that affect our immune and cognitive function.

That’s where adaptogens may be evaluated with your healthcare provider. Eastern medicine has long used them to enhance the body’s ability to manage stress and maintain physiological balance. As the science grows, Western medicine is doing the same.

The term adaptogen was first proposed in 1940 by a scientist from Russia. He and other researchers theorized that, when faced with a stressor, our bodies go through three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. They posited that adaptogens improve resilience by hacking our stress. They reduce the early effects of the “alarm” phase, when symptoms first appear, and/or help us stay in the resistance phase longer. That way, we never reach exhaustion.

Since then, various studies and practical applications suggest that adaptogens may be a category of elite herbal medicine that helps people not only combat fatigue, but enhance mental performance, ease depression and anxiety, and stave off conditions like arthritis, digestive concerns, and insomnia. They may also play an important role in managing adrenal fatigue, a condition that links stress exposure to exhaustion by overtaxing the adrenal glands. Adaptogens produce hormones that help regulate our response to stress, as well as our metabolism, immunity, and other essential tasks.

Commonly used adaptogens

Every adaptogen has a different effect on the body, which is why it’s important to work with a healthcare professional to understand how to take them properly. There are several ways to make them part of a healthy regimen — in capsule form, added to smoothies as powders, or concocted into teas or soups. Following are some of the most popular versions, used either alone or in combination with other ingredients:

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): This adaptogen has been scientifically studied, and test results suggest it helps reduce stress, inflammation, blood sugar levels, and cortisol in healthy people with extreme levels of anxiety. And it may improve performance in athletes.
• Tulsi/holy basil (ocimum tenuiflorum): Called the “elixir of life” in Eastern medicine circles, it’s believed to restore physiological and psychological function. A recent review in 24 studies in Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine shows it may help manage psychological stress, and support immunity and neurocognition.
• Turmeric (curcuma longa): Well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties, studies have suggested that turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, may have adaptogenic properties due to its effect on the production of cortisol. As an adaptogen, it’s been shown to boost brain function and reduce depression. In addition to being a well-reviewed supplement, it’s also great for cooking in curry dishes, as well as shaved for use in teas, sauces, soups, and salads. Add black pepper to improve nutrient absorption.
• Ginseng: This herb, one of the most widely studied, is loaded with natural antioxidants. Ginseng shows promise in helping to control stress hormones, decrease cortisol levels, fend off chronic inflammation, boost memory and reaction time, and instill calm. Experts recommend using it with caution if taking blood thinners and blood sugar and pressure-reducing drugs.
• Rhodiola (rhodiola rosea): With approximately 140 bioactive compounds that help to reduce the production of cortisol and stimulate the central nervous system, it may also prevent physical and mental fatigue.

If you decide to take adaptogens to manage the stress in your own life, know that dosing and timing count. It’s important to follow instructions that come with product information and take things slow to see how you react. Work with a dietitian, naturopath, or other clinician to get the lay of the land first because using these supplements, especially alongside other medications, can be nuanced and adds complexity. Let professionals guide you in deciding the best way to go.

September 2021

Additional Resources

The No BS Guide to Adaptogens for Hormonal Balance and Stress
Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System
Adaptogen market stronger with clinical research
A preliminary review of studies on adaptogens
Botanicals/Herbs: Adaptogens
Stress Facts and Statistics