The powers of adaptogens

NATURE'S ANCIENT HELPERS

 

Nature made our bodies pretty perfect machines and masters of adaptation. However, stress, poor nutrition, diseases and other external factors can and do alter its natural balance. This is where adaptogens, a term used for certain foods that contain phytonutrients and other biological compounds, can be a great resource.
During the Cold War, Russian scientist, Nicolai Lazarev, was looking for something that would make the population more resistant, efficient and healthy. He noticed that certain plants were able to stimulate and increase people's productivity, even in constant stress environments. Later, further studies expanded their potential benefits, including improving energy, regulating hormones, stabilising blood sugar, improving memory, slowing down ageing, and strengthening the immune system.

 

Adaptogens can help the body ‘adapt’ more efficiently. They have the ability to normalise body functions and strengthen processes that have been compromised by stress.

So how do these little miracle workers do it? When our body goes through stressful situations, a series of physiological reactions start to take place. The first phase is when cortisol, the ‘stress’ hormone, gets released to prepare the body for a ‘threatening’ situation, putting it in a state of alert.  With this process, non-vital functions, such as digestion, cell repair, etc. are suppressed to focus all of the energy available into our legs and our brain - the classic state of fight or flight. When humans used to face real dangers like being chased by lions or other predators, this response was perfectly reasonable. However, nowadays, that lion comes in the shape of an unwanted telephone call, a due date of a presentation, an argument with our partner or running late for a meeting. And since these situations are normal for a  lot of us, our body ends up in a constant state of alert.

 

 

The second phase our body goes through is regularisation or adaptation. Here,  cortisol levels normalise and the organism starts restoring its equilibrium. This stage often demands big amounts of energy, leaving us feeling exhausted, irritated and with low immunity.

And here’s where our little adaptogens come in. Just like their name implies, adaptogens can really help the body ‘adapt’ and stabilise faster and more efficiently. They have the ability to normalise body functions and strengthen processes that have been compromised by stress. In other words, they activate our defence system and minimise the impact of demanding situations. Some of our favourite adaptogens are ashwagandha, ginseng, maca and of course mushrooms, which have been consumed for more than 2000 years. In fact, they are found to be one of the healthiest foods available. There are thousands of mushrooms, however, not all of them can be consumed by humans and not all of them have the same properties. Some of the best ones are reishi, tremella, chaga, lion’s mane, turkey tale and shiitake.

There are several studies that back the benefits of mushroom consumption.
A 2015 study examined the effects of shiitake mushrooms on immunity. After taking 5 - 10 grams daily for 4 weeks, patients showed overall health improvement, which was measured by blood markers and performance tests. Different research showed how chaga protected against free radicals formed during stress, meaning they support cell repair and reduce the risk of apoptosis i.e. cells dying.
When it comes to mental health, lion's mane showed great results on reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. A Japanese trial showed that only after 4 weeks of consuming this mushroom, a group of tested women reduced their anxiety levels and mild depression considerably. In another study, university students were examined during stressful periods. Lion’s mane showed improvement in their sleeping and overall wellbeing. The students reported feeling calmer and more rested after the 4 weeks trial.

One of the most interesting discussions is the use of mushrooms to prevent and treat cancer, thanks to their potential to reduce the growth of cancer cells.
A recent study on Cordyceps and Reishi showed that these mushrooms contain substances that stimulate the production of bone marrow cells, which are needed to fight cancer. The journey to researching mushrooms as cancer prevention has only just begun but initial results look promising.

Now some of you might want to know how to consume these mushrooms. Fresh, dehydrated, as a powder, pills or drops? It is completely up to you.
We think it’s easy and practical to add them as supplements to our daily routine and ingest them as combined mushroom capsules to maximise their benefits.

In general, adaptogens are safe and can be used continuously. But it is always recommended to consult a physician before taking them regularly. We recommend using them for a period of two months to get a proper chance to see how the body reacts to them. Please keep in mind that something might work for one individual but not for another.  Every organism is different.