What is an Adaptogen?

Although the term "adaptogen" wasn’t coined until the 1940s, many adaptogenic herbs have an extremely rich and colorful history, with the first recorded use dating back thousands of years. The earliest known usage of adaptogens warranted expeditions to faraway lands ordered by Chinese Emperors. It is thought that Rhodiola was first found in its native region of Siberia. Reishi, Rhodiola, and Ginseng were all used by Chinese royal families from 2500-2700 BCE.

With our Elixirs, you are quite literally taking the same ingredients that were once reserved for Chinese royalty, used by Olympic athletes to win gold medals, and consumed by the Vikings before their infamous conquests. Here's a fun look at the history of our Adaptogenic ingredients.


What Is An Adaptogen?

The term “adaptogen” was coined in the 1940s by Dr. Nicolai V. Lazarev, a Soviet scientist, medical doctor, and pharmacologist, who was studying the body’s resistance to stress. The term is rooted in the Latin adaptare, which means to fit or adjust, and applies to substances that fit or adjust to their environment in order to elevate the body’s stress resistance. 

While Dr. Lazarev began his research working with chemical substances, his colleague Israel I. Brekhman soon steered them toward the study of natural substances. Together, they began the western medical discovery of what TCM and Ayurvedic practitioners had already known for millennia: that certain plants contain pharmacologically active compounds that give them the ability to resist stressful environments via adaptation — and some of those qualities are passed on to the individual who ingests the plants, enabling him or her to better resist the stresses of modern life.

According to adaptogen expert Dr. David Winston, an adaptogen must meet three specific criteria:

• The substance is relatively non-toxic to the recipient.

• It influences many organs or body systems (non-specific). Then acts by increasing resistance of the organism to a broad spectrum of adverse biological, chemical, and physical factors.

• It helps modulate system function and maintain homeostasis.

How Do Adaptogens Work?

When adaptogenic herbs are consumed, the adaptogenic compounds within it directly target the adrenal system and work to lower the levels of stress hormones, fending off adrenal fatigue. Because stress hormones have the ability to wreak significant havoc on both physical and psychological health, adaptogens can come to the rescue because they have the ability to thwart such conditions as weight gain, bone loss, diabetes, heart disease, and digestive issues. 

Since Western medical science began giving credence to the value of adaptogens, it has attempted to explain them using its own research methods. These have repeatedly fallen short because, unlike Ayurveda, it only takes into account the physical condition, rather than the mind-body basis by which adaptogenic herbal medicine works. Likewise, when attempting to study a natural substance, Western research methodology fails to study that substance in its complete form, preferring instead to isolate components in it and try to make them work in a vacuum — such as when pharmaceutical companies studied these herbs in the 1940s and 1950s, spending millions of dollars to conduct random drug screenings on their various components in hopes of adding them in their isolated forms to drugs. Most of these studies resulted in utter failure due to the prevailing reductionist thinking of medical research and practice.

Adaptogens in Western Science

Western medical research studies have been relatively short-term, compared to the thousands of years of fastidious research ancient physicians have conducted and recorded. Natural healthcare practitioners often criticize western researchers because they do not give credit where it is due — to the thousands of years of Ayurvedic research, trials, and success predicated on the completeness of nature. By recognizing the value of traditional ancient healing, modern allopathic doctors might be humbled to understand the limitations of their own methods and that particular aspects of the human body do not function in a vacuum. Studying people and plants isolation cannot to accurately reflect the human condition in its dynamism and complexity. 


Some Of Our Favorite Adaptogens

With so many to choose from, we decided to narrow it down to our favorite four, which you will see making appearances throughout our menu.

Tulsi or Holy Basil — There are so many holy basil benefits that the herb has come to be the most prized of all adaptogens in herbal medicine. For centuries, healthcare practitioners have relied upon tulsi for its antioxidant, neuroprotective, stress-reducing, and radioprotective effects.

Ashwagandha — In Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha is highly regarded for its ability to prolong life, stimulate the mind, enhance libido, and impart restorative qualities. Its root is most commonly ingested as part of a medicinal formula, though it is sometimes applied to the skin as a poultice to treat wounds and other skin afflictions. 

Turmeric — To those more invested in the culinary world than that of herbal medicines, it may come as a surprise that the turmeric is more than a colorful spice. Celebrated for its adaptogenic qualities, studies say it is a strong ally when it comes to managing oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. Even though it can be found in the spice section of nearly every grocery store, turmeric is also regularly enjoyed as tea.

Amla — As one of the most commonly used adaptogenic herbs for rejuvenation, Amla is traditionally esteemed for its ability to restore appetite, soothe nausea, stop vomiting and hemorrhaging, as well as support healthy liver. It is also thought to build immunity toward disease, fight the signs of aging, and rid the blood of toxins. Generally, it is taken as a tonic or used in conjunction with beleric and chebulic myrobalan fruits to make triphala, a famous Ayurvedic concoction that is traditionally used to support bowel health and the circulatory system.

Where Can You Find These Adaptogens On The Menu?
Have a look at our drinks section on the menu, we use adaptogens in our Smoothies and Moon Milks. You can also opt to add a spoonful to any Hot Drink, Smoothie Bowl or to our Biome Broth.