“Have you tried an adaptogen like saffron?” My psychiatrist asked me during our three-month check-in after I explained that I was experiencing some beautiful mood swings, jittery nerves, and work paralysis due to high blood pressure. My normal “reset and recalibrate” methods didn’t work like they usually do.
Although I haven’t specifically looked for adaptogens yet, as with a decade’s worth of health and wellness reporting, I’m more than willing to try anything at once. Per my doctor’s recommendation, I began incorporating adaptogens—specifically, Ritual Stress Relief Bioseries—into my routine. While I can’t say it completely eliminates my stress (I’m a perfectionist, an older daughter, a people pleaser, and a Pisces—stress is practically woven into my DNA), I can Let’s just say I felt lighter, lighter and more ready to take it. When my bad mood is my biggest obstacle, Adaptogen helps me clear the way out of it.
Vogue Favorite Adaptogen Supplements:
Traditional stress relief supplement
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Athletic Green AGZ Night Rest & Relax Powder
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Thorne Rhodiola Supplement
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Stress response supplements of Gaia Bhutto
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Alice’s Mushroom Brain Chocolate
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Four Sigmatic Original Mushroom Coffee
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People grow WonderDay Mushroom Gummies
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If it seems like adaptogens are everywhere, you’re not imagining it. According to Grandview Research, the US adaptogens market will grow steadily through 2030 thanks, in part, to increasing consumer awareness and demand for natural solutions to combat everyday stress. Adaptogens do just that (and as the name suggests) – they help the body adapt to stress. Chronic stress can disrupt the balance of what’s called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis—our brain’s “power grid.” The working theory is that adaptogens might help reduce something called allostatic load, which is “basically the wear and tear that builds up in the body when stress systems are activated too often or for too long. Sleep, fatigue, attention, or recovery,” says Taylor Fazio, a registered nutrition and health consultant for Lanbee, New York.
However, adaptogens regulate pathways beyond cortisol levels. “Cortisol gets a lot of attention because it’s easy to talk about and easy to measure,” Fazio says. “But adaptogens appear to interact with a broader network that includes the sympathetic nervous system, inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress pathways, immune function, and in some cases neurotransmitter systems such as GABA.” Note though that not all herbs and mushrooms are adaptogens. “There are specific scientific criteria that an adaptogen must meet in order to be recognized as an adaptogen,” says Erica Casavicchia, MS, a New York-based integrative nutritionist and founder of Caswell Health. “Adaptogens should not impair how the body functions normally, they should maintain homeostasis in the body and help restore balance to the body, and they should enhance the body’s ability to handle a wide range of stressors.” Some popular examples are ashwagandha, rhodiola, ginseng, saffron, reishi mushroom, etc.
While they can be an incredible tool, it’s important to keep expectations realistic. “Adaptogens do not reprogram the nervous system but rather act as supportive tools in the context of broader lifestyle and medical care,” says Fazio. “Currently, there is a gap between the potential and the strength of evidence around adaptogens.”
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