Adaptogens Explained: Breaking Down the Buzzword

Adaptogens differ from other supplements in one key way: while other substances push the body’s levels towards maximization, adaptogens coax them back towards baseline. They are natural substances, typically herbs or mushrooms, that help the body adapt to physical, emotional, and environmental stress by supporting homeostasis and regulating the body’s response to stressors. 

Breaking Down the Buzzword 

Wellness is a field in which buzzwords are invented, circulated, and then retired faster than most people can catch up with. Lately, the term “adaptogen” has filled the quivers of enthusiastic advertisers looking to woo customers with language so slick and sexy that buyers don't even realize they’re being hustled. Often the word is attached to ingredients you’ve never heard of, meant to reassure you of their long-standing tradition in some or another indigenous culture.  

With more and more plants and mushrooms being deemed adaptogenic herbs, it’s time to explore the subject a bit and separate the hype from the science. So, without further ado, let’s jump straight into what classifies as an adaptogen, what the benefits of adaptogens are, which adaptogens are for stress and which for energy, and why as a whole they have been receiving so much publicity lately.   

We’ll touch upon the HPA axis, comprised of the primary organs that adaptogens target. We’ll further discuss the effects of long-term stress and end with a list of a few of the adaptogens we think most deliver on their promised effects. 

Where the Term “Adaptogen” Comes From 

Despite the recent surge in interest about adaptogens, the term itself has been around for nearly a century. In the first years of post-WWII Russia, Soviet pharmacologist and toxicologist Nikolai Lazarev was working on developing stimulants, experimenting with ways of increasing the body’s output and production through ingested inputs.  

Some substances, he found, did something like the opposite of stimulants: instead of pushing the body to extremes, they helped bring it back to baseline.  

In 1947, Lazarev came up with the term “adaptogen”, broadly referring to all substances that help organisms acclimate or “adapt” to biological stressors.  

That broad scope is part of the reason why, even today, the term isn’t approved in a strict medical sense, neither in the EU nor the US. 

What Exactly Are Adaptogens? 

Adaptogens are roots, plants, mushrooms, and other natural substances that improve the body’s response to stressors. Traditionally, substances deemed adaptogens share the following characteristics. They must:  

• Be natural, typically a plant, mushroom, or part thereof 

• Be non-toxic at normal doses and long intervals, meaning no accumulation of toxins in the kidneys, liver, etc. 

• Support the body’s homeostasis, or balanced base state, meaning that they help restore baseline levels regardless of whether current levels are too high or too low 

• Assist the whole body’s systems for managing or coping with stress, no matter the form, including the physical, the emotional, and the environmental 

How Adaptogens Work in the Body 

One of the things complicating and muddying the field is that many of the substances often considered primary adaptogens also have other effects that would make them good to consume even if your aim wasn’t managing your stress response. One example is moringa, a plant so full of nutrients and antioxidants that we’d want to eat it no matter what our current state of stress is.  

In short, though, adaptogens are safe, natural substances that bring the body back into balance when stress throws it off kilter. This is markedly different from, e.g., natural stimulants like caffeine, whose mechanism is precisely the opposite, namely pushing certain values of bodily processes away from baseline, providing short-term energy at the expense of something else.  

In caffeine’s case, for instance, the perceived energy boost comes by blocking adenosine, the body’s primary neurotransmitter for sleepiness. Most people think that caffeine gives them energy when, in reality, what it does is aggressively prevent the body from feeling tired. It does not create new energy in the body and so is often described as “borrowed” energy, explaining the well-known afternoon crash after the morning’s cup wears off.  

Ironically, caffeine abuse is famously a cause of prolonged increased cortisol exposure (discussed below), meaning that you might need an adaptogen to counteract the artificial stress put on your system by overdrinking coffee. 

Humans have a real penchant for constructing vicious cycles: we will fill ourselves up with coffee to counteract the fatigue brought on by environmental stressors to the point where the caffeine becomes part of the mechanism keeping us constantly fatigued in the first place.  

Adaptogens step in, working to regulate and ground the body’s stress-defense machinery, specifically the organs in the HPA axis. 

The HPA Axis  

The HPA axis, critical for any discussion of adaptogens, is comprised of three hormonal centers in the body:  

• the Hypothalamus  

• the Pituitary gland 

• and the Adrenal cortex 

 It’s difficult to give a thorough overview of the HPA axis without getting into technically difficult language, the kind that is likely to, ironically, raise your cortisol levels. Up front and in short, the HPA axis is the set of glands responsible for producing the hormones regulating the body’s stress response.  

“Axis” is a term used to describe biological systems with a relationship of mutual feedback, meaning that what happens on one end affects the other and vice versa. Another much-discussed axis in wellness, for example, is the gut-brain axis (GBA), characterized by the complex interactions between the gastric tract and mood, with stress affecting digestion and even potentially leading to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 

When your stressors are few and far between, the HPA axis works wonders, sometimes fueling the intense fight-or-flight responses that allow people to perform extraordinary feats in emergencies. 

The Stress Response 

When the body detects stressors, the first gland to respond is the hypothalamus, the sentinel. The hypothalamus never stops collecting information, including signals from the nervous system, hormones circulating through the bloodstreams, and internal rhythms like sleep cycles and (post-prandial) blood sugar levels. Mental pressure, physical effort, lack of recovery, or even low energy availability can all register as “demand”.  

Based on the signals coming in, the hypothalamus decides whether the situation requires more than a quick response from the nervous system and, if so, it releases the signaling hormone CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone), identifying the specific stressor as worthy of escalation and communicating downstream that the body should ready additional resources.  

The pituitary gland is the first downstream receiver of that signal, interpreting its intensity and assessing what the body is already doing hormonally. If it determines that the body has the capacity to respond, and if the timing and context are appropriate, it secretes ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), which induces the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol. When everything is running as it should, eventually that cortisol travels back upstream to the hypothalamus, which registers the cortisol and assumes the body has the current situation under control, leading it to stop production of CRH. 

What Cortisol Actually Does  

Cortisol Spikes   

At first glance, cortisol spikes sound heavenly. Their effects target a huge number of systems, all directed at giving you heightened resources in times of need.  First comes an energy boost, as cortisol induces the liver to produce glucose to feed your brain and muscles. In doing so, it also limits the effectiveness of insulin, ensuring that glucose remains free in your system for consumption and conversion to energy. Further, cortisol works in tandem with adrenaline to increase blood pressure and heart rate, supplying both brain and brawn with extra oxygen.  

If you’re reading this after a long day at work, the idea of extra available energy and increased oxygen supply sound pretty heavenly. Everything has its price, though: while short-term cortisol spikes can be extremely beneficial and useful for application to immediate circumstances, long-term cortisol levels lead to a host of problems.  

Prolonged Exposure to Cortisol 

Cortisol does quite a bit more than just ready your fight or flight response to acute stressors; it affects nearly every organ in the body and plays a role in several other regulatory systems, including Circadian rhythms, or the body’s cycles of tiredness and alertness. In healthy people, cortisol spikes in the morning and production tapers off throughout the day, leading to normal sleep cycles. Chronic exposure to cortisol, however, throws that cycle off balance, leading to fatigue and potentially to the incessant negative feedback loop with caffeine, abused increasingly to combat the effects of the prolonged presence of cortisol in the system.  

Further negative effects include: 

• metabolic disorders, such as insulating resistance and type 2 diabetes 

• cardiovascular strain, including hypertension and vascular disease 

• impaired sleep regulation, and  

• mood disturbances, including PTSD 

• weight gain and inflammation 

Evidence suggests that HPA axis dysfunctions are also at the root of conditions like Alzheimer’s. For sure, though, chronic stress and thus chronically overproducing cortisol will lead directly to weight gain, as cortisol works to counteract insulin, perpetually keeping your blood sugar levels high and promoting the production of adipose tissue in your face and around your midsection.  

The Problem Isn’t Cortisol 

The problem, then, is not in cortisol itself, but in a system that demands its continual production or, framed differently, in a stress response that never properly shuts off. We won’t patronize the reader with too many suggestions about how to handle the stresses of modern life, as we assume you’ve tried the normal battery:  

• going to bed earlier  

• looking at sunlight as soon as possible after waking  

• drinking well hydrated throughout the day 

• taking a daily walk 

• eating a balanced diet  

• and resisting screen time and light in general in the half hour before bed 

No matter how careful and plan-oriented you are, some situations are beyond your control. Changes at work may be stressful, perhaps a certain family member is suffering from a disease, or perhaps an unexpected natural disaster caused a major financial or logistical setback that cannot be avoided.  

That’s where adaptogens can play a powerful part: while they differ in their specific effects, they support the body’s capacity for handling stress without forcing it in any one direction. 

Popular Adaptogenic Herbs and Mushrooms 

It is far beyond the scope of this blog to list and explore all the substances that have ever been included on a list of adaptogens, but we will cover some of the most popular ones and some that we find the most interesting, as well. 

Adaptogenic Herbs 

1. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) 

Role:  

• Stress perception  

• Recovery 

Ashwagandha is likely the most widely known adaptogen. Its effects are felt in helping the body moderate stress signals and improve its recovery, especially when stress leads to poor sleep, anxiety, and/or persistent fatigue. Rather than sedating, evidence shows that it supports a calmer baseline, especially in those suffering from chronic stress.

2. Rhodiola rosea 

Role:  

• Mental fortitude  

• Resilience under pressure 

Rhodiola is often described as “stimulating”, but its effects are better interpreted as supporting resilience in the face of mental and physical exertion. It is a go-to when sustained focus, endurance, or performance are required, particularly when fatigue sets in quickly. Rhodiola works best in acute moments of stress amid what are otherwise already busy schedules.

3. Panax ginseng 

Role:  

• Energy regulation 

• Stress tolerance 

Ginseng has a strong reputation for its role in promoting vitality and endurance. Unlike caffeine, it doesn’t brute force the body’s alertness, but rather helps make energy available for utilization. Steadier energy levels are usually reported, along with improved tolerance to stress, without the jitters commonly associated with stimulants.

4. Holy Basil (Tulsi) 

Role: 

• Emotional resilience  

• Stress balance 

Holy basil is said to bolster your emotional and psychological resilience. Used traditionally to foster a calm mood, studies show that it can help mitigate the effects of everyday stressors. It’s particularly relevant for stressors that are emotionally or socially driven. 

5. Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) 

Role: 

• Endurance  

• Long-term resilience 

Eleuthero is usually grouped along with the true ginsengs, but its effects are generally milder and more cumulative. Research on it has focused on prolonged stress and fatigue, where the goal is focused more on maintaining capacity over time than on acute application. This is meant to get you through long workweeks. 

6. Moringa (Moringa oleifera) 

Role: 

• Nutrient density 

• Oxidative stress support 

Moringa oleifera is sometimes grouped alongside adaptogens because of its exceptional nutrient profile and antioxidant content. Rather than directly regulating the stress response, it supports overall resilience by providing the body with micronutrients and plant compounds that help counter oxidative stress. Its effects are therefore more foundational, contributing to general health and recovery rather than targeting any single stress pathway. 

Adaptogenic Mushrooms 

7. Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) 

Role:  

• Recovery  

• Immune balance  

• Better sleep  

Adaptogenic mushrooms are all the rage, with reishi leading the pack. It is said to be calming, but this is a bit understated. It was used traditionally to support immune balance and the body’s recovery processes, especially during periods of chronic stress and bad sleep. Rather than energizing, its mechanisms facilitate restoration, making it particularly useful for formulations targeting the evening or recovery.

8. Cordyceps mushroom 

Role:  

• Physical stress  

• Oxygen utilization 

Cordyceps has become a mainstay in athletic and performance contexts. Rather than calming, it supports physical output and recovery by influencing how the body handles exertion, making it particularly relevant when stress comes from physical demand rather than mental strain. 

9. Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) 

Role: 

• Cognitive support 

• Nervous system resilience 

Hericium erinaceus has become one of the most discussed functional mushrooms for brain health. Research suggests it may support nerve growth factor activity, a mechanism involved in maintaining and repairing neurons. While not a classical adaptogen in the strictest sense, lion’s mane is often included in adaptogenic formulations aimed at mental performance, focus, and long-term cognitive resilience under stress. 

So... Are Adaptogens Effective? 

Research on adaptogenic herbs has grown significantly in recent decades. While results vary depending on the specific plant and dosage, several adaptogens have shown promising effects in studies on stress perception, fatigue, and resilience to physical and mental strain.  

Like all other parts of true wellness, though, adaptogens are not quick fixes: their effects tend to become noticeable gradually, supporting the body’s natural stress-regulation systems rather than overriding them. In very general terms: supplements can shift probabilities, but not guarantee outcomes. It’s the same with adaptogens: research your ingredients, understand your own needs for HPA axis support, and gauge your body’s stress adaptation as you go. If nothing else, you will have likely added a net positive to your diet.