Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Reishi mushrooms – do these sound familiar to you? These are adaptogens – plant-based powerhouses with alleged stress-relieving and immune-boosting properties. It is also said that they can sharpen memory, boost your sex drive, help stabilize blood sugar, and fight cancer. But are these claims legitimate? Find out today.
M: I’m Professor Megan
S: and I’m Professor Susan, and we’re
Both: Your Nutrition Profs!
M: We are registered dietitians and college professors who have taught more than 10,000 students about health and nutrition. We have answered a LOT of questions about nutrition over the years –
S: Some questions we get asked every year and some are rarely asked but very interesting.
M: We’re here to share our answers to these common (and uncommon) nutrition questions with you.
S: So bring your curiosity and let’s get started.
Both: Welcome to our class!
S: Welcome everyone! I can’t believe that we are well into February already. I mean, don’t you think the year is just flying by?
M: Yes!
S: It’s crazy. I hope you are all doing well and that you had a great Valentine’s Day! Mine was pretty good.
M: Mine too.
S: Excellent! So what are we discussing today Megan?
M: Today we’re answering a question from a listener in Texas named Julia. She asked “What are adaptogens? And should I add adaptogens to my diet?”
S: You know, that is such a good question – thanks Julia! You know, this term “adaptogen” is being used a lot right now especially in the supplement market. But I did read that the term was first proposed in the 1940s in connection to a specific plant called Schisandra chinesis.
M: That’s right! The seeds and berries of the Schisandra chinesis plant have been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to reduce thirst, hunger, exhaustion, and even improve night vision. During World War II there was a significant interest in increasing stamina and reducing stress in soldiers, especially for pilots and submarine crews.
S: I imagine that both of those jobs would be pretty stressful.
M: Agreed! Especially at that time.
S: Yeah.
M: So scientists in the Soviet Union conducted some of the first clinical studies on the Schisandra plant to see if it could help alleviate some of that stress. It was in the early 1940s, when Lazarev, one of these Soviet researchers coined the term “adaptogen”.
S: But what are adaptogens exactly? Officially they can either be synthetic compounds or natural plants. Today, on this episode we’re just going to talk about the natural plants.
M: Yes. Adaptogens are herbs, roots and other plant substances reported to help our bodies manage stress and restore balance or homeostasis–
S: Sciency word!
M: Exactly! –to our body systems, like the immune system, particularly after experiencing physically and/or psychologically stressful situations.
S: Or, said more simply, adaptogens are non-toxic plant substances that help the body resist physical, chemical, or biological stress.
M: Well said. The term adaptogen is quite literal. These substances are thought to increase our “adaptability”. Our ability to manage stress.
S: And they supposedly do this by activating adaptive signaling pathways of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.
M: So let’s give an example. We know that stress affects the central nervous system, by triggering the “fight or flight” response. This response causes the endocrine system to release stress hormones like adrenaline (also called epinephrine) and cortisol which can cause heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate to increase. All of these adaptations allow us to fight or run.
S: But these stress hormones, especially in large amounts, can also negatively impact the immune system’s ability to defend the body. Stress can cause the body’s defenses to be lowered which can allow us to succumb to acute or chronic illness.
M: And this doesn’t just occur in response to negative stressors, even positive or eustressors can cause this. So for example research shows an increased number of respiratory infections occurring in some marathon runners in those few days following their race. After this type of strenuous exercise, scientists see decreases in some immune system markers which correlates with the rise in infection.
S: That's a really good example! So these adaptogens claim that they increase our resistance to stress or/and decrease our sensitivity to some of these stressors.
M: As we mentioned, plant adaptogens have been used for centuries in parts of Asia and India as part of traditional medicine systems to treat just so many ailments. There is written evidence of Panax or Asian ginseng use more than 4000 years ago to reduce symptoms of stress and inflammation and even to delay aging.
S: Around 2700 BCE, Reishi, also called the “mushroom of immortality” was reserved for use only by the Chinese royalty and emperors. They thought it enhanced their vitality and made them live longer. And the peasants were not allowed to have long or vital lives, so only—
M: Oh my gosh…
S: –only the emperors got this reishi.
M: And then from the 8th to the 11th centuries, sometimes called the Viking Age, Scandinavian vikings used the plant Rhodiola to enhance their physical strength and endurance during their conquests.
S: Following the end of World War II, Soviet scientists continued to do their super secret research on several of these medicinal plants or adaptogens looking at their effects on things like heart palpitations, insomnia, diabetes and several other conditions. More than 1000 research studies on adaptogens were conducted in Russia through 1982.
M: They were even incorporated into official medical practice in the USSR. One adaptogenic herb, Rhodiola, the same one that the Vikings used, has been used there as an official medicine since 1974 for weakness, exhaustion, loss of concentration, and even depression and anxiety.
S: That’s really interesting.
M: Mmm-hmm.
S: Adaptogens were also used by their cosmonauts on the MIR space station–
M: That’s really interesting!
S: It is! It was used by sailors aboard ships and submarines, it was used by pilots, and even by Soviet athletes. And apparently the elite elderly leaders of the Communist party of the USSR took adaptogens via what they called “Kremlin magic pills” – I love that name – and they were also called “elixir of youth.”
M: Wow! Well today they are growing in popularity here in the U.S. which is not necessarily a surprise. The COVID-19 pandemic definitely increased stress and reports of poor physical and mental health in just about everybody.
S: Right, right. I mean, so many people, because of this, have turned to adaptogens. Global adaptogen sales increased by 10% in 2020 and 14% in 2021. And over the next 10 years, the adaptogens market is expected to double, from just over $10 billion to over $20 billion.
M: Most adaptogens you can get today are repackaged herbal remedies from these ancient healing traditions.
S: And if you believe the hype, adaptogens will cure almost anything, from cancer to long Covid. One author called them “the magical spice of the wellness world”.
M: Nice. So let’s talk about plants that are considered adaptogens.
S: Ok, let’s do that. First, not all herbs or plants work as adaptogens. To be considered one, an herb or plant substance must meet three requirements. First it has to be nontoxic at normal doses. Sp this means it must do no harm to normal body functions so there should not be negative side effects. Second, the plant or plant substance must be non-specific. So this means it helps the entire body cope with a wide variety of physiological or psychological stress
M: Yeah and these stressors could range from environmental pollution to memory loss to a bad break up with your significant other. So really a WIDE range of stressors.
S: Yeah, isn’t that nuts. And number 3, these plants or plant substances must have a normalizing influence. So this means that it will return the body to stability or homeostasis. So it would increase what needs to go up in one person, but decrease what needs to go down in another person.
M: Wow…
S: It kind of does sound like magic.
M: It does, it really does. So adaptogens are not considered pharmaceutical drugs here in the U.S. They are primarily sold as supplements and so can be found in capsules, powders, liquids, even gummies. In Asia and Eastern Europe, they’re often consumed as teas or tinctures.
S: And as with all supplements, there are possible issues. So one issue is adulteration which is a fancy way of saying contamination, another issue could be that the supplement doesn’t have really any meaningful ingredients, and of course, there is limited regulation.
M: Yeah go back and check out our 2 part episode on supplements from last summer for more information about just general dietary supplements.
S: Please do, if you haven’t listened to it!
M: Yeah.
S: And also there is no legal definition of “adaptogen” so manufacturers of supplements can use this term any way they want.
M: And it really is popular, a quick google search for the term adaptogen yields almost 15 million hits.
S: Oh wow! I mean, I’m not surprised but whoa…
M: It is a lot.
S: That is a lot!
M: And some of the first results have titles like “12 adaptogens for stress and hormone balance” and “top 9 adaptogenic herbs for stress and more”.
S: I love the internet, there’s always a number in the title, so it’s click bait! On the internet, I also saw them called “mild stress vaccines”.
M: That might be a stretch….
S: Yeah, you think?
M: But one difference for adaptogens versus many of the other dietary supplements on the market is that they actually have been clinically studied for more than 75 years in humans, animals, and cells. And there IS some actual evidence that adaptogens may improve mood, reduce fatigue and anxiety, boost the immune system, and help regulate emotional reactions to stress.
S: And although the links may be a little bit tenuous, adaptogens have also been associated with improved cognitive function, cardiovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, and even prevention of the common cold.
M: But it’s difficult to draw clear recommendations on adaptogen use. These studies have used multiple types of study designs, methodologies, and participant characteristics like age and ethnicity and geographic location which makes it really difficult to compare results.
S: Right, I mean if they found benefit in women aged 40 to 60 for example that doesn’t necessarily mean they would find the same benefit in men aged 20 to 40.
M: Exactly. Also these studies used different types, dose, and preparation methods of adaptogens, like teas vs gummies.
S: So that would make a big difference too.
M: Absolutely!
S: I mean, OMG, is it complicated?!
M: Of course it is. And some of these studies had small sample sizes like 8 to 10 people and some questionable methodology. So it makes it very difficult to establish any widespread guidelines for use.
S: Right. And many different plants are considered adaptogens, but we don’t have time to focus on all of them.
M: Oh definitely not!
S: So we’re just going to look at some of the ones that are more commonly used in the United States.
M: Good idea. Commonly consumed adaptogens here include American ginseng, Panax or Asian ginseng, ashwagandha, Tulsi also called holy basil, Rhodiola, Eleuthero (which used to be called Siberian ginseng but is not actually part of the ginseng family), Schisandra chinensis, which we already mentioned, the reishi mushroom, and cordyceps, which is another type of fungus.
S: Let’s focus on just a few of these and do a little deeper dive.
M: Yes and let’s start with ashwagandha because honestly it’s the most fun to say–
S: I love saying ashwagandha!
M: And, you know, honestly it’s the one I hear about the mos.
S: I think I do too.
M: Yeah, so ashwagandha comes from a small evergreen shrub that grows in India, Africa, and parts of the Middle East. It’s also known as Indian winter cherry or Indian ginseng (although again it's actually not part of the ginseng family).
S: So everything’s just called ginseng!
M: Yeah, people are like ginseng’s good, let’s spread it around.
S: Let’s call it ginseng.
M: So ashwagandha use can be traced back to 6000 BCE.
S: Wow!
M: It’s an important herb in Ayurveda, which is a traditional medicine system in India.
S: It's purported to calm the brain by reducing stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
M: However, there is limited evidence of these benefits as most studies have had again small sample sizes, which limit their generalizability, and have used a wide variety of ashwagandha preparations. So more research is needed, although there are quite a bit of positive findings in studies of rats and mice… again, generalizability becomes an issue.
S: Right, would it work the same way in humans?
M: Exactly.
S: They also claim that ashwagandha reduces asthma symptoms, it may improve athletic performance, cognitive function, and even reduce symptoms associated with menopause… But there’s even less scientific evidence to support these claims.
M: So tell me, how do you know if a rat or mouse is stressed?
S: You know, I looked that up and kind of remember from research in grad school, but I never worked with rats. Did you?
M: No, no.
S: There have actually been books written about it. You have to know what “normal” behavior is for the animal, then you have to look for behaviors outside of this to determine if the rats or mice are stressed.
M: That makes sense.
S: Yeha it does, but sometimes, in a lot of studies they also draw blood and measure their hormone levels. That’s a little more….
M: Scientific?
S: Yeah.
M: Science is amazing!
S: It is cool! Most people take ashwagandha as a capsule or powder. And it can be taken any time of the day but some people may choose to take it at night for its purported sleep benefits.
M: There is some evidence that it might cause an increase in thyroid hormone levels so use caution if you have hyperthyroid or take thyroid meds.
S: Yeah and we’ll talk a bit more about potential risks and side effects of some of these adaptogens in just a little bit.
M: Another popular adaptogen is the reishi mushroom, also known as Lingzhi, or as we mentioned earlier the “mushroom of immortality”...
S: That is such a great name!
M: Reishi has been used medicinally for thousands of years.
S: This mushroom contains phytochemicals called beta-glucans which are a type of polysaccharide or long chain carbohydrate. Beta-glucans may have some anti-tumor and antioxidant properties. It may also induce these natural killer cells in your immune system and then these can go kill off or eliminate cancer cells.
M: Besides boosting immunity it’s purported to help lower cholesterol, improve blood sugar, and increase strength and stamina, even improve your memory, although there really isn’t good scientific evidence to support these uses.
S: I’m kind of sensing a theme…
M: Yeah.
S: Reishi is interesting because you can consume the mushroom itself but supposedly it’s pretty bitter so you probably want to cook it first. You can also just add the dried mushrooms to meals like stir fry. Supplements are also available in capsule or powder form and those are probably more commonly taken
M: Yeah, you can also add the dried powder to tea or smoothies, I’ve actually seen that on the market. But consuming the actual mushroom provides higher doses than the extract or powder that’s used in supplements.
S: Have you ever eaten a reishi mushroom Megan? I don’t think I have.
M: No and some of the reported side effects include nausea and/or insomnia which doesn’t really make me want to try them.
S: For sure…If you want to consume an adaptogen to reduce fatigue and relieve stress, anxiety, and mild depression look no further than Rhodiola. The Rhodiola rosea plant grows at high altitudes in Europe and Asia and is also known as arctic root, golden root, or King’s crown.
M: And as we mentioned earlier, it’s been used as part of traditional medical systems for again thousands of years and has been recognized medically in Russia for the past 50 years.
S: It’s one of the most studied adaptogens, although the human studies are limited. It’s recognized as beneficial in many European and Asian countries. In fact, in 2011, the European Medicine Agency which is like our FDA approved the use of Rhodiola for temporary relief of fatigue, exhaustion, and weakness.
M: The European Food Safety Authority approves the following health claim for Rhodiola supplements “contributes to optimal mental and cognitive activity.”
S: So you’d see that in Europe on a food label, I mean a supplement label.
M: I guess, yeah.
S: So extracts of the root and rhizome of the plant are dried and dissolved in alcohol to prepare supplement tinctures. These are liquid drops you add to something like tea or warm water. But the ideal dose – currently unknown.
M: And it acts a bit like a stimulant and may aid in the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and acetylcholine as well as keep them circulating in the system which may enhance mood. They may also increase endorphins which provide the anti-depressant benefit, and may even improve exercise performance.
S: There are some side effects though but they seem to be minimal and similar to what you might experience with taking other stimulants like caffeine, things like nausea, nervousness, sleep disturbances…
M: And for overall well-being there’s Schisandra chinensis.
S: Our friend from earlier!
M: Yes!
S: Schisandra chinensis was one of the first adaptogens to be studied in modern times. It’s a fruit berry vine that produces purple-red berries although it’s not typically consumed as food.
M: These plants contain several biologically active compounds that may be anti-inflammatory. Some human studies have linked compounds in Schisandra to reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons’ disease and alleviation of menopause-related symptoms.
S: Additional purported benefits include improved coordination, endurance, immune function, and liver protection. But most of the studies that support these claims were conducted in animal populations.
M: Another adaptogen, Tulsi which is also known as holy basil, Thai basil, or brush-leaf tea. This is a leafy green plant native to Southeast Asia. There’s evidence of the entire plant being used to treat a variety of conditions. The flowers have been used to treat bronchitis, the leaves and seeds for malaria, alcohol extract for ulcers, and even in ointment form for eczema.
S: Human studies have found that Tulsi has antidepressant and antianxiety benefits. Tulsi tea has even been called “liquid yoga” because it supposedly facilitates clear thinking, relaxation and a general sense of well-being.
M: Sign me up for that!
S: Me too.
M: That sounds good. I really want to try that.
S: Tulsi has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 3,000 years. This sacred plant can be found in most Hindu households or planted near Hindu shrines. It’s worshiped as a goddess that provides benefits to those who plant it, tend it, and consume it. That’s why it can also be called the “Queen of Herbs”, the “Mother Medicine of Nature”, or “The Incomparable One”.
M: Wow!
S: Mmm-hmm.
M: Proponents say that it can reduce fever and flu symptoms, sore throat, and help with allergies. It enhances overall immunity and protects healthy cells from radiation and chemo toxicity. But again, these studies are primarily in vitro (or cellular) as well as animal based studies.
S: Both the leaf and flower can be used to make teas and tinctures. In supplements it’s found in pills, capsules, or as essential oils distilled from the plant’s leaves and flowers.
M: That's a brief overview of a few of the more popular adaptogens today. We’ve also included several pics of these plants in our show notes at YourNutritionProfs.com.
S: Right, please do… We’ve discussed science backed benefits as well as several claims that are not yet fully supported by research conducted with humans. But what are the possible risks associated with taking adaptogens?
M: Good question. For most of these, reported side effects are minimal. Larger doses may be associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal side effects, like upset stomach, diarrhea, vomiting, things like that.
S: More severe risk factors, like liver problems have been reported but are fortunately rare. However, when they do occur, they can be severe and can lead to liver failure.
M: And you should consult your primary care provider before taking any adaptogens (or really just any supplements in general) if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, if you have an autoimmune disorder or if you’re taking prescription meds for other conditions.
S: That’s always good advice. It’s also recommended that you stop taking adaptogens for a few weeks prior to undergoing any type of anesthesia.
M: So as we mentioned, adaptogens are primarily sold as supplements and remember, dietary supplements are largely unregulated and so there are actually some risks associated with taking general supplements.
S: Right and whether adaptogenic or not, supplements should never take the place of standard care for any condition, especially if your symptoms are ongoing.
M: So what’s the bottom line on adaptogens? Should you take them? Will they cure your diseases or conditions? Will they improve how you feel? And is the improvement real – or is it the placebo effect? More research is needed.
S: Definitely, but the placebo effect can be very powerful! But seriously, if you do a search for adaptogens online they can seem like a magical cure for almost anything, from the common cold to long COVID!
M: While positive scientific effects have been found for several adaptogens the dosages, preparations, and form (whether capsule, or tincture, etc) in these studies vary as do the type of study participants, so it’s very difficult to settle on how much, how often, and for how long one should consume them.
S: And many of the studies that saw positive responses to adaptogens were done in rats and mice. The well controlled studies in humans show pretty underwhelming results.
M: Also, most benefit seems to come from consuming the whole plant, not supplements that isolate one or two molecules. Just like with foods there are synergistic effects that occur in whole plants that we haven’t identified yet.
S: So true. So should you add adaptogens to your daily intake? Well that’s up to you. But keep in mind that they are not magic cures and much of the research does not support the claims.
M: This was such an interesting episode to research!
S: It was!
M: Thanks Julia for such an interesting question! We hope you learned a bit about adaptogens. We certainly did.
S: Yes we absolutely did. So that’s it for today. Join us next time when we’ll answer the question: What is hemochromatosis?
Both: Class dismissed
S: We hope you enjoyed this episode. You can find the show notes and a list of sources on our website, yournutritionprofs.com.
M: Your homework is to follow us at your nutrition profs on Instagram and to listen to our next episode. You can listen on Amazon Prime, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere podcasts are found. We’d appreciate it if you’d “like” us, write a review, subscribe, and invite your family and friends to join us too.
S: If you have a nutrition or health question you’d like answered, let us know! We may even do a show about it! Send an email to [email protected] or click on the “Contact Us” page on our website.
M: Thanks to Brian Pittman for creating our artwork. You can find him on instagram @BrianPittman77
Both: See you next time!