
Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System (2010) - alexjray
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3991026/
======
cpncrunch
This is from the "Swedish Herbal Institute". Two higher quality systematic
reviews paint a slightly different picture:

[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S094471131...](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711310002680)

[https://bmccomplementalternmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10...](https://bmccomplementalternmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6882-12-70)

TBH I think that it's wishful thinking at the moment to believe that any
supplement will help to deal with stress. (I've suffered from extreme burnout,
and have been researching burnout and chronic fatigue syndrome for the past 18
years).

------
yasp
I've experimented a bit recently with a few adaptogens, namely maca root and
ashwagandha. Not technically an adaptogen but something I've also recently
experimented with is theanine. I admittedly didn't realize until just now that
the term was one used by scientists.

Maca, which I've seen described as tasting like the remnants of a cigarette
ashtray (my guess is that this is accurate), seems to give me additional
stamina in workouts, as well as sexual benefits. Theanine seems to be
beneficial for anxiety although the effect is mild. Ashwagandha I've not yet
found how to use effectively. It's supposed to be useful for anxiety as well,
but when I've taken it at night as a replacement for Xanax I've not found it
helpful. The paper linked by the OP suggests that adaptogens have a
stimulative effect so perhaps that's what I'm experiencing.

With all that said, has anyone come across a good herbal substitute to
benzodiazepines for anxiety? I'm taking Xanax more often than I would like and
do not want to go back on SSRIs.

~~~
ianai
Kava kava root. It’s the only thing I’ve found that helps. I can feel it
turning how my mind processes social situations completely 180.

~~~
yasp
I'd be interested in trying kava were there not so many people addicted to it
and trying to quit. (The same is of course true for benzos, hence why I'm
looking for an alternative.)

~~~
dieParadis
Kava kava is wicked harsh on the Liver! Be careful!

------
moat
I’ve experimented with adaptogens for about a decade now, and they have become
my favorite supplement type in terms or positive noticeable benefits to my
life.

I’m mobile now or I’d look up studies to post, but I’d recommend checking out
pubmed on some of the more common adaptogens. I specifically am a fan of
ashwagandha (the KSM-66 standardized extract), Rhodiola (again, standardized)
and finally Holy Basil. But there are quite a bit more that fall into the
category, some being more for mental benefits and others more physical. For
example the mushroom Cordyceps is generally thought of as an adaptogen that
has exercise endurance boosting effects, while ashwagandha is usually thought
of more for stress management and brain boosting effects.

I’m usually not a fan of “all-in-one” type products, but I’ve been taking this
adaptogen complex for months with noticeable effects.
[https://www.amazon.com/ADAPTOTRAX-Superior-Adaptogen-
Supplem...](https://www.amazon.com/ADAPTOTRAX-Superior-Adaptogen-Supplements-
Blend/dp/B01MRZMRWQ)

Edit (on desktop now). Just a dusting of some cool studies:

Cordyceps militaris Improves Tolerance to High-Intensity Exercise... \-
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27408987](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27408987)

Ashwaganhda decreases cortisol and anxiety \-
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/)

Ashwagandha increases muscle strength and recovery \-
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4658772/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4658772/)

Rhodiola has lots of great stuff about it, but this "systematic review" claims
that _none_ of the results really meet scientific standards, so it all might
be bogus:
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3541197/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3541197/)

~~~
1_over_n
Siberian Ginseng is pretty interesting too

------
themgt
I can definitely recommend rhodiola rosea, the main topic of this paper. The
effects are pretty noticeable as sort of a general non-inebriating calmness &
shift towards more positive emotions. It doesn't seem to have any negative
side effects or addictive potential.

~~~
nwah1
And to add another useless anecdote, I always feel slightly odd in a bad way
whenever I take rhodiola.

------
alexjray
FWIW, I highly recommend the book

"Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief" by David Winston,
Steven Maimes.

~~~
dieParadis
Thanks for the suggestion! I found a copy here:
[http://www.powells.com/searchresults?keyword=Adaptogens%3a+H...](http://www.powells.com/searchresults?keyword=Adaptogens%3a+Herbs+for+Strength%2c+Stamina+and+Stress+Relief)
Look forward to reading it.

