The term "adaptogen" appears frequently in wellness marketing and herbal medicine literature. This documentation traces the term's origins, examines how it is used in research, and summarizes current scientific perspectives on the concept.
Origins of the Term
The term "adaptogen" was coined by Soviet scientist Nikolai Lazarev in 1947. Lazarev used the term to describe substances that could increase "nonspecific resistance" to stress. His student, Israel Brekhman, further developed the concept in the 1960s while researching plants including Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng).
Brekhman proposed three criteria for an adaptogen:
- It must be relatively nontoxic to the recipient
- It must produce a nonspecific response—increasing resistance to multiple stressors (physical, chemical, or biological)
- It must have a normalizing influence on physiology, regardless of how the stressor affected the body
Plants Commonly Classified as Adaptogens
Plants that have been labeled adaptogens in various literature include:
- Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng)
- Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng)
- Rhodiola rosea
- Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha)
- Schisandra chinensis
- Astragalus membranaceus
- Holy basil (Tulsi)
Regulatory Status
It is important to note that "adaptogen" is not a recognized pharmacological classification in Western medicine or by major regulatory bodies:
- The U.S. FDA does not recognize adaptogens as a drug category
- The European Medicines Agency classifies some of these plants as "traditional herbal medicinal products" but does not endorse adaptogenic claims
- No adaptogenic claims are approved for food or supplement labeling in most jurisdictions
What Research Has Documented
Research on plants labeled as adaptogens has produced mixed results:
Proposed Mechanisms
Researchers have proposed several mechanisms by which these plants might affect stress responses:
- Modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
- Effects on stress-activated protein kinases
- Antioxidant activity
- Effects on heat shock proteins
However, these mechanisms have been primarily documented in vitro or in animal models, with limited confirmation in human studies.
Clinical Trial Evidence
Human clinical trials on adaptogenic plants have several common limitations:
- Small sample sizes
- Short duration
- Heterogeneous preparations (different extracts, doses, and standardization)
- Methodological quality concerns
- Potential publication bias
Some trials have reported positive effects on fatigue, stress perception, or cognitive function, but systematic reviews generally conclude that evidence is insufficient to support strong clinical recommendations.
Scientific Critiques
The adaptogen concept has faced several scientific critiques:
- Vague definition: "Nonspecific resistance to stress" is difficult to operationalize and measure
- Unfalsifiable claims: The notion that adaptogens "normalize" function in either direction is difficult to test scientifically
- Diverse substances: Plants classified as adaptogens contain different compounds with different pharmacological properties, making the category conceptually unclear
- Historical context: Much early adaptogen research was conducted in the Soviet Union and has been difficult to independently verify
Current Scientific Perspective
Contemporary scientific consensus is that:
- Some plants traditionally classified as adaptogens contain biologically active compounds with documented pharmacological effects
- The broad "adaptogen" concept lacks the specificity required for modern pharmacology
- Individual plants should be evaluated based on their specific compounds and documented effects, rather than grouped under a general adaptogenic category
- High-quality human trials are needed to support clinical claims for most of these plants
Summary
The term "adaptogen" originated in Soviet research in the mid-20th century and refers to substances claimed to increase nonspecific resistance to stress. While the concept remains popular in herbal medicine and wellness marketing, it is not a recognized pharmacological classification in Western medicine. Research on individual plants labeled as adaptogens has produced some evidence of biological activity, but the quality of clinical evidence generally does not support the broad claims made for these substances.
References & Further Reading
- Panossian A, Wikman G. Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress-Protective Activity. Pharmaceuticals. 2010.
- European Medicines Agency. Herbal Medicinal Products. EMA.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets. NIH.
- Liao LY, et al. A preliminary review of studies on adaptogens. Chin Med. 2018.