The Science Behind Adaptogen Benefits

If you haven’t heard about adaptogens yet, you probably will soon. These ancient substances, rooted in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine, are now trending worldwide. You’ll find them in more products, and social media is full of ‘adaptogen recipes.’ The big question is: do they actually work?

Adaptogens are plants believed to help manage physical and mental stress, and some may even aid in maintaining homeostasis in the body. Used for centuries in China and India, these plants are typically taken as supplements but can also be consumed in meals or as tea.

Stress has always been a part of human life. Early humans faced different kinds of stress, like suddenly encountering a wild animal while searching for food. This would trigger the “fight or flight” response, which would eventually subside once the threat was gone. Today, we face ongoing stress without much relief. Adaptogens are thought to help the body handle this prolonged stress by maintaining a stable internal environment.

They are said to interact with systems such as the sympathoadrenal system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to adjust hormone production. Although research is still ongoing, many studies suggest that adaptogens do offer benefits.

One notable study from 2010 by researchers Alexander Panossian and Georg Wikman looked into how adaptogens affect the central nervous system. They found that these substances had a stress-protective effect and helped regulate homeostasis. Historically, the Soviets even researched using Schisandra Chinensis as a stimulant for their troops during World War II.

In 2015, a study in India investigated the impact of ashwagandha on the sexual health of women aged 21 to 50. Over eight weeks, the women who took ashwagandha reported less sexual dysfunction with no adverse effects. Another study involving the same researchers found that young men who took ashwagandha during resistance training saw significant increases in muscle mass and strength compared to those who took a placebo.

So, what does all this mean for us today? It turns out that adaptogens, while newly trendy, have been around for ages and seem to offer real benefits. However, more research is needed to fully understand and prove the effectiveness of some of the lesser-known types.