Adaptogen herbal products and their
benefits for energy and stress
September 14 2017 by
Ray Sahelian, M.D.
The term adaptogen is used to describe herbs that enhance vitality, energy, and overall health, for instance ginseng or Ashwagandha Withania. However, I am not comfortable with the use of this term since so much of the effects, benefits and side effects, of any substance depends on the dosage and the unique physiology of the person using the product.
Adaptogens and energy
Certain medicinal plants augment resistance to stress, and increase
concentration, performance and endurance during fatigue.
Certain herbs such as ginseng, rhodiola, maca, and others are promoted as adaptogens
that enhance energy. Although some herbs may increase energy for a few days or
weeks, eventually, if used in excess,
fatigue may set in.
Adaptogen is a term coined to loosely define certain herbs that help improve energy, vitality, mood, wellbeing, etc. Users of this term imply that these adaptogens are healthy to take and may prolong life, although there usually is little research to back up these claims. I prefer not to use the term adaptogen since it does not have a reliable scientific definition. Most who take ginseng notice an improvement in energy, vitality, sexual enjoyment, and mental clarity.
Brain function and mental health
Psychiatric Clinics North America 2013. Adaptogens in mental and behavioral disorders.
Panossian AG. This article focuses on the most extensively studied adaptogens:
Rhodiola rosea, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Schisandra chinensis. Clinical
studies, evidence for stress-protective and simulative effects, and molecular
mechanisms of action on metabolic and other processes regulated by the
neuroendocrine system are discussed.
J Ginseng Res. 2013. Actoprotective effect of ginseng: improving mental and physical performance. Actoprotectors are preparations that increase the mental performance and enhance body stability against physical loads without increasing oxygen consumption. Actoprotectors are regarded as a subclass of adaptogens that hold a significant capacity to increase physical performance. The focus of this article is studying adaptogen herbs of genus Panax (P. ginseng in particular) and their capabilities as actoprotectors. Some animal experiments and human studies about actoprotective properties of genus Panax attest that P. ginseng (administered as an extract) significantly increased the physical and intellectual work capacities, and the data provided suggests that ginseng is a natural source of actoprotectors. Preparations of ginseng can be regarded as potential actoprotectors which give way to further research of its influence on physical and mental work capacity, endurance and restoration after exhaustive physical loads while compared with reference actoprotectors.
Definition, what is it?
Q. The impression I get is that all adaptogens are tonics, but all
tonics are not necessarily adaptogens. For example, horny goat weed herb is a
tonic, but is not usually referred to as an adaptogen; Ginseng on the other hand
is said to be both. So what's the difference?
A. I guess each herbal expert will have their own thoughts on this issue.
In my opinion, the terms are arbitrary. I really don't like the term adaptogen
since I really don't know what is means exactly. Originally, the term
was defined by Russians as an herb having by an ability to affect the
hypothalamic-adrenal axis in such a way as to improve the body's response to
stress. Ginseng, apparently falls into this category, but many other plants from
other parts of the world, such as maca from South America, could do much the
same thing. As to the term tonic, Chinese doctors often use it in terms of an
herb that increase energy and endurance. In my opinion, Horny goat weed could be
considered either a tonic or an adaptogen, but I prefer not using either term. I
think like a Westerner, and I use words that I am comfortable with, such as
'energy' or 'mood' or 'alertness' or 'motivation' etc. Horny goat weed increases
energy and sexual motivation, and I am comfortable with using these words. It
also depends on dosage. Too little horny goat weed may not do much, and too high
a dose of horny goat weed, by causing insomnia, could lead to fatigue.
Influence on hormones, cortisol
Q. Numerous products including various “adaptogens” are
claimed to help balance cortisol levels / reduce elevated cortisol. In your
opinion are any of these claims valid?
A. I do not think this is a reliable way to make generalizations about
these natural products since most have many different effects on the body and
the term "balancing cortisol levels" does not make too much sense to me.
Q. I see countless herbal products, usually blends of
various so-called adaptogens, that claim to support adrenal health and stabilize
cortisol levels. I didn’t really see these discussed on your cortisol page and
wonder if you had any views?
A. Each product has a different blend and can have different
effects on different people, therefore it is difficult to make any
generalizations about them.