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Adaptogens are natural compounds, usually derived from plants. They enhance the human body's ability to adapt to physical, mental, and emotional stress. As a result, they restore the body's balance without causing significant negative effects.

At the molecular level, they act in a multifaceted manner on various systems, including the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. They help maintain energy and functional balance in the face of internal or external stressful situations.

Adaptogens are considered "small positive stressors that train the body to better withstand future stress." This is a result very similar to the beneficial effect of regular physical exercise. Furthermore, they activate signaling pathways related to cellular resilience. They also have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective potential. 

Adaptogens "adjust" organs and tissues to achieve a state of balance between all systems. These substances induce a state of nonspecific resistance that allows the body to counteract stress or promote physiological adaptation to it. 

9 health conditions and the adaptogens that counteract them

• Anxiety and cognitive disorders*: Panax ginseng, Schisandra chinensis, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhaponticum carthamoides 
• Arthritis: Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhodiola rosea, Withania somnifera 
• Cancer: Panax ginseng, Rhodiola rosea, Schisandra chinensis 
• Depression: Hypericum perforatum, Crocus sativus, Rhodiola rosea, Withania somnifera 
• Chronic stress and mental fatigue^: Rhodiola rosea, Schisandra chinensis, Withania somnifera
• Prolonged fatigue or post-viral syndrome: Rhodiola rosea, Withania somnifera 
• Viral infections, such as COVID-19: Andrographis paniculata, Panax spp., Eleutherococcus senticosus, Glycyrrhiza spp., Rhodiola rosea, Schisandra chinensis, Withania somnifera
• Insomnia: Rhodiola rosea, Schisandra chinensis, Withania somnifera 
• Neuroinflammation (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's): Rhodiola rosea, Schisandra chinensis, Withania somnifera, Eleutherococcus senticosus 

*Cognitive disturbances (examples): difficulty memorizing, loss of concentration, reduction in mental processing speed, and attention problems.

^Mental or cognitive fatigue: A state of exhaustion when the brain has been working for a long time without adequate rest. This is not the same as being physically tired. Examples include slow thinking, irritability, difficulty making decisions, difficulty concentrating, loss of motivation, and difficulty memorizing.

13 effects or actions of adaptogens on the human body

1. They modulate the function of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. They increase the availability or sensitivity of these neurotransmitters, contributing to improved mood. 
2. Improve the sleep quality by activating melatonin receptors and reducing cortisol. 
3. They influence inflammatory processes related to arthritis by regulating molecules that cause inflammation and reducing oxidative stress. 
4. They modify the activity of certain hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, dopamine, norepinephrine, testosterone, estradiol and melatonin. 
5. They help normalize the stress response without overstimulating the production of cortisol or other stress hormones.
6. They protect the neuroendocrine system, helping to prevent 'systemic exhaustion' associated with aging. 
7. They activate cellular protection pathways, acting as a 'mild stress vaccine' that strengthens cellular resilience. 
8. They reduce the chronic inflammation, protecting tissues from degenerative damage related to chronic diseases. 
9. They stimulate the "birth" of new neurons, as well as brain plasticity. This stimulation is key to maintaining memory, concentration, and mood in old age. 
10. They help regulate cellular energy metabolism. This improves vitality, exercise tolerance, and the ability to recover from physical or mental exertion. 
11. They help the body age more balanced and with less deterioration, reducing the impact of oxidative stress, inflammation, chronic fatigue, and loss of neuroendocrine function.
12. They regulate the neurotrophic factor, essential for the survival of neurons, the growth of new neuronal connections, and the 'birth' of new neurons. 
13. They help reduce allostatic load, which is the accumulated physiological cost the body pays for continually trying to adapt to stress. Allostatic load measures the wear and tear on the body's regulatory systems (neuroendocrine, immune, metabolic, etc.). When stress is chronic, these systems become overloaded, lose flexibility in responding to the environment, and increase the risk of chronic diseases. 

In short, adaptogens are not simply "herbal supplements." They represent a complex class of substances that strengthen the body's resilience to stress through systemic actions, without causing serious side effects. 

Main references

Gerontakos, S., Wardle, J. & Casteleijn, D. (2019). Understanding Adaptogens: The Action that Evades Us. Australian Journal of Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine, 31(2): 60-63.

Panossian, A. & Brendler, T. (2020). The Role of Adaptogens in Prophylaxis and Treatment of Viral Respiratory Infections. Pharmaceuticals, 13(9): 236; doi:10.3390/ph13090236 

Panossian, A., Lemerond, T. & Efferth, T. (2025). Adaptogens in Long-Lasting Brain Fatigue: An Insight from Systems Biology and Network Pharmacology. Pharmaceuticals, 18(2): 261. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ph18020261 

Sánchez, IA, Kreider, RB, Cuchimba, JA, Pineda, MC, Argüello, YP, Kocí, J., Petro, JL & Bonilla, DA (2023). Adaptogens on Depression-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Integrative Review and Rationale of Synergism with Physical Activity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(7): 5298. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075298 

Todorova, V., Ivanov, K., Delattre, C., Nalbantova, V., Karcheva-Bahchevanska, D. & Ivanova, S. (2021). Plant Adaptogens – History and Future Perspectives. Nutrients, 13(8): 2861. https://doi.org/10.3390/ nu13082861 

Wróbel-Biedrawa, D. & Podolak, I. (2024). Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects of Adaptogens: A Mini-Review. Molecules, 29(4): 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29040866 

Carmen M. Pérez Velázquez