Mysterious powders… Mushroom-based coffee substitutes… Matte-finished soda cans… 

If you’re the type to wander toward the “health food” subsection of your local supermarket or spend time at cafes that also sell succulents, you’ve definitely noticed – and maybe even tried – something sold as an adaptogen.

And if you’re to believe the vague claims from the packaging of many adaptogenic products, well, you might think they can solve everything that has ever ailed, currently ails, or will ever ail you.

We love a $7 mushroom coffee as much as the next instant smoothie company, but we’re also skeptics by nature. Surely no herb or fungus can really be a panacea?

A brief history of adaptogens

The plant-derived compounds that have come to be known as “adaptogens” have been integral components of traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine for millennia. 

But the actual term “adaptogen” didn’t enter the western scientific lexicon until the 1940s, when scientists in the USSR began conducting studies on these plants in an effort to better understand their alleged abilities to help us… well, adapt to stressful circumstances.

Satisfied with at least some of its scientific findings, the Soviet government began giving herbs like Rhodiola to its Olympic athletes, cosmonauts, and soldiers. Native to Siberia, this herb became a popular remedy for all sorts of ailments within the Soviet Union: depression, fatigue, brain fog, and even erectile dysfunction. And as the Cold War continued to simmer, it eventually found its way to the United States where it was sold in supplement form by Soviet expats.

And that’s where most adaptogens and adaptogenic research has remained in the western world: within the barely regulated wild west that is the supplement space. But unlike a term like “superfood” that is purely marketing-speak, the definition of “adaptogen,” while constantly evolving, is one that’s come from laboratory settings, rather than Madison Avenue.

To the scientific community, adaptogens are broadly defined as: “...natural compounds or plant extracts that increase adaptability and survival of living organisms to stress.”

But if you’re like us, you care less about the dictionary definition of adaptogens and more about whether or not they’re the real McCoy. 

Adaptogens: do they work?

Go ahead and reread that definition again. Pretty vague, right? So it stands to reason that not all natural compounds or plant extracts are equally effective in increasing adaptability.

While there is likely anecdotal evidence for the efficacy of just about any adaptogen, not all adaptogens have been subjected to the same degree of peer-reviewed study.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is one of the most studied and adaptogens, and the one with perhaps the greatest potential therapeutic benefits on anxiety, stress, and sleep. The majority of studies pertain to ashwagandha’s effects on chronic stress and anxiety, with more research needed in order to make more specific recommendations on its ideal use.

Purported positive outcomes are likely due to ashwagandha’s cortisol-lowering effects, brought on by targeting the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands play a role in our fight or flight – or stress – response, by releasing hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol.  High levels of such hormones are associated with symptoms of stress and anxiety. 

Ashwagandha and anxiety: 

•  A double blind, placebo-controlled study found that 250 mg ashwagandha taken twice a day can cause a reduction in anxiety compared to participants on a placebo.  

•  A different double blind, placebo-controlled study has shown that 1g ashwagandha extract can be useful in improving outcomes in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder, along with SSRI medications.

Ashwagandha and stress:

•  A randomized placebo-controlled study on 64 adults reported that those given 300 mg of ashwagandha extract twice a day had significantly lower cortisol levels compared to the placebo group.

Ashwagandha and sleep:

• A double blind, placebo controlled study found that 300 mg ashwagandha taken twice a day for 10 weeks improved participants ratio of time spent sleeping to time spent falling asleep.

Taking it a step beyond stress and anxiety, other studies have also shown that ashwagandha supplementation (versus a placebo) when paired with a strength training program can improve strength outcomes.  

Other adaptogens

We just don’t have the same quantity or quality of studies around other adaptogens as we do for ashwagandha. Either there has been far less research conducted, the studies are of a lesser quality, or are primarily animal studies. 

Rhodiola

Remember when we mentioned this one as the basis for Soviet research into adaptogenic plants? Well, this adaptogen may provide resistance to stress and offer an anti-fatiguing effect at the cellular level and system levels. The mechanisms behind rhodiola’s purported effects are not well understood, but its effect on stress may have to do with its ability to blunt cortisol. It’s important to note that these findings came from animal and not human studies!

However, in a study of military cadets performing regular military night duties, five days of supplementation of rhodiola was able to significantly reduce total fatigue and improve well being as well as improved capacity for mental work significantly increased relative to placebo.

 Similar findings came out of a study on students during exam periods – rhodiola extract supplementation may improve physical performance, mental fatigue, well-being and performance on neuromotor tasks under periods of stress.

Mushrooms

Despite being the category of adaptogens most frequently touted for their adaptogenic benefits, the overall scientific consensus around mushrooms is that there is not enough evidence to make hard claims, though an individual may find an effect from consuming mushrooms.  

What that means isn’t that you should toss all your mushroom-based capsules in the trash. It just means that mushrooms are not always recommended in place of scientifically verified treatment for diseases or health conditions.

• Cordyceps mushrooms: There are just two human studies (one which only looked at men, and just 40 of them) showing improved immune response. And one small human study that indicates cordyceps may improve chronic kidney disease progression. And multiple studies have shown cordyceps mushrooms do not enhance exercise performance.

• Lion’s mane mushrooms: One human study showed that 2g of lion’s mane per day for four weeks contributed to a decrease in anxiety and depression symptoms. Another study looked at individuals with cognitive decline and dementia and found that 3g of lion’s mane supplementation improved cognition scores, but improvements were lost after supplementation stopped. And in a study on exclusively women, many self-reported improved cognitive function when supplementing 250mg of lion’s mane.  Most other LM studies have been conducted on mice.

• Chaga mushrooms: Studies in mice have shown chaga mushrooms can target breast cancer cells, but that’s not sufficient evidence to suggest consuming chaga is an effective cancer treatment. In other mice studies, researchers looked into chaga’s impact on bone marrow cells and its immune enhancing abilities during chemotherapy. 

• Reishi mushrooms: The evidence for these claims is also insufficient, but there have been studies conducted that look at immune markers during chemotherapy treatment. A reduction in inflammatory markers and an improvement in lymphocytes was observed.