Related Terms

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Background

• Natural herb products that supplement the body's ability to deal with stressors such as anxiety, fatigue, or trauma are called adaptogens. Although herbs identified as adaptogens may have their origin in various medicinal traditions, the concept of using an herb as an adaptogen has its origin in Western herbalism.
• Adaptogens are not one small type or predetermined mixture of herbs, but a variety of plants that may be used alone or in combination with one another. It is thought that these whole herbs, when used alone or in combination, promote the balancing of the endocrine (hormone) system and boost the immune system. In this way, the herbs are thought to promote homeostasis, or a state of balance and stability, in the body.
• Most adaptogens have been used for thousands of years in various traditions of Asian medical practices, such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The herbs that are used in contemporary Western herbalism are known to perform a variety of functions within these Asian healing systems. These functions include rasayanas (herbs or preparations that encourage health and longevity) in Ayurveda and qi tonics (herbs or preparations that correct imbalances of energy) in traditional Chinese medicine. Rasayanas and qi tonics are not the names of herbs or a specific herbal formula. Instead, they are categories of the type of action that the herb performs in the body.
• In the 1940s, Dr. Nikolai Lazarev defined adaptogens in a way that made sense to Western systems of herbalism and medicine. Lazarev coined the term "adaptogen" to mean an agent that raises the body's ability to resist stress by countering undesired stressors, whether physical, chemical, emotional, or biological.
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Technique

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Theory/Evidence

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Safety

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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