ADAPTOGENS:
REMARKABLE HERBS
THAT HELP THE WHOLE BODY

Twelve years ago, Patricia L Gerbarg, M.D., a psychiatrist in Kingston, New York, developed Lyme disease. But as sometimes happens, her blood tests were negative, so the condition was not diagnosed for five years. By the time it was, she had severe chronic fatigue, very painful joints, muscle weakness, balance problems, memory loss, and very poor mental function. After she was diagnosed, Gerbarg took antibiotics for nine months. “They helped,” she recalls, “but I was still in a bad way—low energy, weak, and mentally fuzzy.” Then her husband, Richard Brown, M.D., a psychopharmacologist at Columbia University, learned of a Russian herb, Rhodiola rosea, which has a broad range of strengthening effects on the body. He thought might help his wife. It did. “Within 10 days,” Gerbarg recalls, “I felt better. After three months, my energy, memory, and mental function were restored. Rhodiola gave me back my life.”

Rhodiola—along with ginseng (Panax ginseng) and an herb often called Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) and a few other herbs—are “adaptogens.” The term was coined in 1947 by a Russian scientist, N.V . Lazarev, who was interested in drugs that helped the body adapt to physical and emotional stress. His student, Israel I. Brekhman popularized the term, and showed that the most powerful adaptogens are not drugs, but herbs. Lazarev and Brekhman believed that adaptogens should:

* Counteract the adverse effects of stress.
* Increase energy.
* Increase the body’s resistance to a broad range of adverse influences.
* Have a normalizing effect, improving many conditions while aggravating none.
* And cause minimal side effects.

“Adaptogens,” says Salt Lake City herb researcher and author Daniel Mowrey Ph.D. “give body a tune-up. They help the cells produce energy and use it more efficiently. But adpatogens don’t overpower the cells as drugs often do. Their effects are subtle, which accounts for the controversy these herbs arouse. But over time, adaptogenic herbs are very beneficial to health.”

In Chinese medicine, adaptogens, notably ginseng, are known as qi (life force) tonics, explains Efrem Korngold, O.M.D., L.Ac., of San Francisco, coauthor (with Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac.) of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. “Just as working out tones the muscles, tonic herbs tone the whole body.”

But in American medical history, the term, tonic, has negative connotations, Dr. Gerbarg explains. Many 19th century patent medicines sold has “rejuvenating tonics” contained mostly alcohol and/or opium. In addition, she notes, thanks to the overwhelming force of drug industry advertising, Americans have been socialized to expect that individual drugs treat just one problem. “We’re not used to the idea that one drug—or herb—can have a broad range of physical and mental health benefits.”

Since Brekhman’s death in 1994, the term, adaptogen, has been generalized to include herbs that don’t necessarily boost energy or counteract stress, but still have a number of benefits including enhanced immune function, antioxidant action, and physiological normalization. “Unfortunately,” says Maryland botanist and noted medicinal herb expert James Duke, Ph.D. “the term is poorly defined.” Dr. Gerbarg agrees: “I prefer to point out what these herbs actually do. They increase cellular energy production and levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. They also have antioxidant, and other actions.”

Despite the confusion over the definition of “adaptogen,” the term appears to be here to stay because it promises something so many people want—greater resilience in the face of stress. “Our culture has focused on ‘taming’ nature, adapting the environment to our needs,” says botanical medicine authority Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., A.H.G., a clinical herbalist in Davis, California, “but we can’t forget that we still need to be adaptable, to strengthen ourselves and cultivate flexibility—of both body and mind—so we can adjust to our rapidly changing world. Adaptogenic herbs can help.”

This discussion focuses on herbs that fit the original Russian definition. Other herbs called adaptogens are discussed in the sidebar on p. xxx.

Note on dosages: Dose recommendations are for typical extracts and formulations. When using commercial products, follow package directions. When treating a specific condition, consult an herbal professional.

GINSENG (Panax ginseng, P. quinquefolius)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: Increased energy, improved reaction time, enhanced stamina, immune support, improved memory and alertness, pain relief, cancer prevention, improved cardiovascular function, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, faster recovery from radiation exposure, improvement in menopausal complaints, improved erection quality, increased sperm count, improved quality of life.

Dose: 0.6 to 3 grams 1 to 3 times/day. In capsules, 200 to 600 mg/day.

Ginseng’s Latin name, Panax, comes from the same Greek root as our word, “panacea,” meaning all-healing. That’s not much of an exaggeration. In China and Korea, ginseng has been revered for centuries. “It strengthens the whole body,” Korngold says.

Occasionally, a study shows that ginseng does not boost strength and stamina, but a great deal of research shows that the herb significantly increases energy and improves athletic performance. At the University of Cheiti, Italian researchers tested 50 healthy male gym teachers, aged 21 to 47, on a treadmill after taking ginseng or a placebo. The herb group showed greater oxygen intake and improved stamina. Another group of Italian researchers found that ginseng improves reaction time. And a 1999 Japanese study in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics shows that the herb helps relieve the fatigue some women suffer during menopause. “For people with fatigue and general debility,” Hobbs says, “I consider ginseng indispensable.”

Ginseng also reduces the ravages of stress. Writing in the Journal of Pharmacological Science in 2004, Japanese researchers showed that the herb reduces the secretion of stress-related hormones from the adrenal glands. “I’ve used ginseng for 20 years,” says Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas, the nation’s leading medicinal herb education organization (See Resource). “I’m on a plane almost every week. Travel causes stress. But I rarely get sick. I can’t prove that ginseng is keeping me healthy, but there’s compelling evidence that it helps the body deal with the kinds of stress I face.”

Stress aggravates pain. Relieving stress reduces pain. South Korean scientists injected rat paws with red pepper (cayenne) and watched as they showed typical reactions to pain. Then they treated the animals with ginseng. Pain-related behavior decreased.

Ginseng also improves immune function. In the journal, Pharmacy Research, University of Southern California researchers report that the herb increases production of interferon, the body’s own antiviral compound. Korean researchers discovered that in addition to boosting interferon and another important immune protein, interleukin-1, ginseng also increased the ability of white blood cells to devour germs. Because it enhances immune function, ginseng improves the protective action of vaccinations. Shots don’t prevent disease by themselves. They stimulate an immune response in the body that prevents them. At the University of Milan, Italian researchers gave 227 volunteers a daily placebo or ginseng (100 mg). After a month, everyone receive flu shots. In the placebo group, there were 42 cases, but in the ginseng group, only 15 caught the flu, a highly significant difference.

Ginseng’s immune boost helps treat chronic bronchitis, very common among smokers. Italian researchers treated 75 chronic bronchitis sufferers with antibiotics for nine days, then gave some of them ginseng (200 mg/day) in addition. Nine days later, according to their report in Clinical Investigations, the ginseng group’s lungs showed significantly fewer bacteria.

Ginseng’s immune-boosting action also helps prevent cancer. For a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, researchers at the Korea Cancer Center in Seoul surveyed 4,634 Koreans about their ginseng use and then followed them for five years. Compared with those who used no ginseng, those who took it regularly had 60 percent less risk of developing cancer.

Cancer is often treated with radiation. But radiation harms healthy cells. Guess what helps—ginseng. South Korean researchers treated mice with ginseng then subjected them to radiation. The herb significantly reduced radiation-induced cell death.

A 1998 study in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine shows that ginseng reduces blood pressure, a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke. A Russian animal study suggests that the herb also normalizes hearth rhythm.

Ginseng also helps treat diabetes. In a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, University of Toronto researchers gave the herb (3 g) to diabetics before a meal. Blood sugar typically rises after eating. But 40 minutes after eating, the ginseng group’s blood sugar was actually lower.

Want to get smarter? Take ginseng. Danish researchers gave 112 middle-aged adults a battery of cognitive function tests. Then the participants took either a placebo or ginseng (400 mg/day for eight weeks), after which they were retested. The placebo group showed no change in brain power. But those who took ginseng improved significantly. British researchers at the University of Northumbria, conducted a similar study using the same dose of ginseng (400 mg/day). Again, the herb group showed improved memory and attentiveness.

An Italian study shows that ginseng boosts sperm counts. Even the herb’s reputed aphrodisiac effect has been confirmed. Ginseng increases production of nitric oxide, which plays a key role in sex-related blood flow into the genitals. Two Korean studies published in the Journal of Urology and the International Journal of Impotence Research show that ginseng (900 mg three times/day) helps restore faltering erections.

With so many health-enhancing benefits, it’s no wonder that ginseng users report improved quality of life. In a 2002 report in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, University of Connecticut researchers gave 30 volunteers a standard questionnaire that rated their health-related quality of life. Then, for eight weeks, the participants took either a placebo or ginseng (200 mg/day), after which their quality of life was reassessed. The ginseng group scored higher on mental health and social functioning. Subsequently, the Connecticut researchers reviewed nine studies of the herb and quality of life. Eight showed improvement with ginseng.

Ginseng causes no significant side effects, though caffeine-like jitters are possible. Those with high blood pressure are advised to avoid it.

“I prescribe ginseng as an adaptogen,” explains Alan Brauer, M.D., founder of Total Care Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, which combines mainstream and alternative therapies. “If a person is overworked or stressed out, ginseng helps. It strengthens the whole body.”


ELEUTHERO (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: increased energy, enhanced stamina, immune enhancement, antiviral action, cancer prevention, heart stimulation, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, normalization of heart rhythm, osteoporosis prevention, liver support, faster recovery from radiation exposure, improved memory, enhanced visual acuity and color perception, improved quality of life.

Dose: 0.6 to 3 g/day of dry root for up to one month. Or 2 to 16 ml/day of tincture one to three times a day for 60 days.

Often called “Siberian ginseng,” eleuthero is a completely different plant. Unlike ginseng, which is a low-growing groundcover, eleuthero is a shrub that grows to six feet in China and Asian Russia. Because it grows so extensively in Russian, most of the early research was Russian. “Eleuthero,” Hobbs explains, “is the herb that defined adaptogens. Brekhman was looking for a less expensive substitute for ginseng, and began looking into folk claims for eleuthero.”

Eleuthero increases energy and stamina, and helps treat chronic fatigue. Polish researchers evaluated the health and physical fitness of 50 men and women, and then gave them either the well-known immune booster, echinacea, or eleuthero tincture (25 drops three times a day). After one month, the echinacea group showed no changes in fitness. But the eleuthero group showed enhanced muscular use of oxygen, which improves fitness and stamina. Writing in the journal, Psychology and Medicine, University of Iowa researchers gave 96 people suffering chronic fatigue either a placebo or eleuthero. After two months, the severity of their fatigue was reduced significantly. Not every study of eleuthero shows improved stamina and reduced fatigue, but a review of the research by researchers at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec concludes that the herb does, indeed, improve cardiorespiratory fitness and stamina. “Several years ago,” Hobbs recalls, “I was feeling run down and stressed out. I took eleuthero for six months, and felt better. I was impressed.”

Eleuthero also improves immune function. German researchers measured the immune function of 36 people and then gave them eleuthero tincture (10 ml three times a day). After four weeks, it increased T-helper cells, a key component of the immune system. Eleuthero also increases production of interleukin- and -6, important immune proteins.

In a study published in the journal, Antiviral Research, German scientists have documented eleuthero’s “strong antiviral” action. Russian researchers gave 40 children with colds either conventional treatment or an herbal preparation that included eleuthero. The herb group recovered faster.

Eleuthero’s effects on cancer have not been well studied. But a Russian animal study shows that the herb extends survival. Another Russian study shows that eleuthero boosts the immune systems of people with cancer. These results hint that, like ginseng, eleuthero may help treat human cancers.

The herb certainly helps prevent and treat heart disease. A Polish study published in the journal, Phytotherapy Research, shows that eleuthero reduces LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides (blood fats), both risk factors for heart disease. It also helps prevent the internal blood clots that trigger heart attacks (and most strokes). Eleuthero lowers blood sugar, meaning it helps prevent diabetes, another risk factor for heart disease. Finally, the herb helps normalize heart rhythm, according to a Russian study.

Eleuthero enhances liver function, according to a Korean animal study. Bulgarian scientists have shown that it speeds recovery from radiation exposure. And according to a Russian study at Vladivostok State Medical University, it treats osteoporosis as well as soy protein.

Eleuthero even improves short-term memory and visual acuity, according to Russian research. It increases the sensitivity of the retina, which improves color perception and the ability to see clearly in low light.

Add up all these effects, and like ginseng, eleuthero improves quality of life. In a study by Italian researchers at the University of Bologna published in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 20 elderly people completed a health status survey, and then took either a placebo or eluthero. Four weeks later, the herb group scored higher on mental health and social functioning.

“My patients haven’t developed any side effects from eleuthero,” says Edward Wallace, N.D., D.C. a practitioner of homeopathy and Chinese medicine in West Branch, Iowa. However, some side effects are possible: drowsiness, anxiety, irritability, headache, insomnia, and depressed mood. Pregnant and nursing women should not take it, nor should those running a fever or with high blood pressure.

“Eleuthero is one of the top herbs I prescribe for chronic stress and stress-related conditions,” Hobbs explains. “Patients tell me it helps.”

RHODIOLA (Rhodiola rosea)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: Increased energy, improved stamina, enhanced alertness and concentration, improved memory, reduced harm from stress, lower blood pressure, normalization of heart rhythm, normalization of blood flow through the brain, reduced DNA damage, improved cancer treatment, less toxicity from cancer chemotherapy, liver protection, enhanced adaptation to life at high altitude.

Dose: 5 to 10 drops of tincture 2 to 3 times a day, 15 to 30 minutes before eating, for 10 to 20 days. Or 200-450 mg/day of extract.

Found from Iceland, across Britain, Scandinavia, and northern Russia, and in the mountains of Europe, rhodiola is a perennial succulent that resembles the jade plant. It has a thick medicinal root similar to ginger. Cut it and the root exudes a rose-like fragrance, hence its Latin specific name, rosea, and one of its common names, rose root.

The Vikings used rhodiola to enhance their strength and stamina. For centuries, folk herbalists have recommended it to increase productivity and endurance, and to treat fatigue, depression, and other ailments. But like eleuthero, this herb is a fairly recent addition to scientific herbalism. Russian researchers began studying it in the 1960s, but most of that research was financed by the military and kept secret until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1994. Since then, rhodiola research has been published in Western medical journals, and the herb has gradually become available in the U.S.

Rhodiola increases energy, stamina, and concentration. Belgian researchers gave 24 people either a placebo or rhodiola (200 mg). The herb group experienced a significant increase in stamina. Rhodiola also has a strong anti-fatigue effect. Armenian researchers tested the memory and reasoning ability of 56 young, healthy doctors facing the stress of all-night hospital duty, and then gave them either a placebo or rhodiola (170 mg). After their night shift, the doctors were retested. According to a report in Phytomedicine, the herb group registered significantly better mental performance, indicating less fatigue. Corroborating evidence comes from several Russian studies showing that rhodiola helps students perform better under academic pressure, “Rhodiola is the best adaptogen for mind and memory problems,” Hobbs says. “I prescribe for people who complain of fuzzy memory. They’ve reported good results.”

Rhodiola also reduces stress. According to a comprehensive review in HerbalGram, the journal of the American Botanical Council, it reduces the release of stress-related hormones, and boosts levels of the body’s own feel-good compounds, endorphins.

Rhodiola strengthens the heart and cardiovascular system. Russian studies show that it lowers blood pressure, slows heart rate, normalizes heart rhythm, prevents stress-induced heart damage, enhances the heart’s efficiency in using oxygen, and reduces levels of C-reactive protein, a recently identified risk factor for heart attack. It also improves blood flow through the brain.

Rhodiola is a “powerful antioxidant,” Dr. Gerbarg says. Antioxidants help prevent the cell damage at the root of cancer. Studies show that the herb reduces cell mutations associated with cancer and enhances the body’s ability to repair cancer-related DNA mutations. Animal studies show that when added to cancer chemotherapy drugs, the herb increases their effectiveness. Russian researchers have found that rhodiola improves the immune function of people with bladder cancer and reduces recurrences. Finally, the herb virtually eliminates the toxicity of one widely used chemotherapy drug, adriamcyin (Doxorubicin).

Dr. Gerbarg, coauthor (with Richard P. Brown, M.D.) of The Rhodiola Revolution (2004), has used rhodiola to treat more than 150 people suffering from severe depression. “Pharmaceutical antidepressants helped them function, but they still weren’t happy. In many cases adding rhodiola to their drugs increased their energy and allowed them to experience more enjoyment in life.”

Rhodiola also protects the liver, helping the organ recover from exposure to various poisons, according to Russian and Korean studies.

The herb normalizes thyroid function and women’s sex hormones. Dr. Gerbarg’s coauthor, Richard Brown, M.D., has used it to help infertile women get pregnant. There is also some evidence that rhodiola may help treat erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

Finally, in a Chinese study of 24 men who lived at 15,000 feet above sea level for a year, rhodiola treated altitude effects as well as a standard medication.

Since her Lyme diagnosis, Dr. Gerbarg has taken rhodiola daily (400 to 450 mg) for eight years, and has experience no side effects. However, because it has stimulant action, jitters and anxiety are possible. Some commercial products combine the herb with caffeine. Dr. Gerbarg cautions against using them. They may be over-stimulating.

“Very compelling data support rhodiola as an adaptogen,” Blumenthal says. “It has a wide variety of applications. I expect it to become a popular herb.”

Sidebar:
OTHER ADAPTOGENS

ASHWAGANDHA (Withania somnifera)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: Improves stamina, combats stress, enhances immune function, antioxidant, cancer prevention, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, mood elevating action.

Dose: 1 to 6 grams/day (2 to 12 teaspoons) in capsules or tea. In tincture or liquid extract, 2 to 4 ml 3 times/day.

Ashwagandha is known as “Indian ginseng” because its effects are similar to the Chinese herb. “It strengthens the whole body,” says Paul Hoffman, M.D. a Boulder Creek, California pediatrician who practices India’s Ayurvedic medicine. “It treats fatigue, weakness, debility, and problems of old age.”

Several Indian animal studies show that ashwagandha improves stamina and reduces the damage caused by various stressors. It stimulates the immune system, boosts antibody and red blood cell levels, and spurs white blood cells to devour germs. Ashwagandha is also a powerful antioxidant. Indian animal studies show that it has intriguing cancer-preventive action, and boosts the effectiveness of radiation treatments. Antioxidants also help prevent heart disease. In a study published in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology in 2000, researchers gave ashwagandha daily to diabetics with high cholesterol. A month later, their cholesterol and blood sugar levels were significantly lower. Finally, the herb has some antidepressant action.

Side effects are rare in recommended amounts. But large doses may cause stomach distress, diarrhea, and vomiting. Pregnant and nursing women should not use it.

I’ve used ashwagandha,” Mowrey says. “It’s a potent adaptogen.”

REISHI MUSHROOM (Ganoderma lucidum)

Part used: Mushroom (powdered)

Adaptogenic benefits: Improves immune function, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, prevents or treats several cancers, reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Dose: 1.5 to 9 grams of dried mushroom/day. In tincture,1 ml/day.

Called the “mushroom of immortality,” Chinese medicine considers this fungus a qi tonic, and longevity promoter. “It treats fatigue, respiratory complaints, cancer, heart disease, and liver ailments.” Korngold explains.
There is no published research to show that reishi increases stamina and minimizes fatigue and stress, but Hobbs still considers it an adaptogen. “I use it to treat so many things. It’s a favorite of mine.”

Considerable research shows that reishi enhances immune function. A Korean study shows that the mushroom has antibacterial action, and two Korean studies published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology show it has antiviral action. Reishi is also a potent antioxidant, according to a 2004 Chinese report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Antioxidants have anti-cancer action. Laboratory and animal studies in Japan and at the Methodist Research Institute in Indianapolis show that the mushroom suppresses the growth of several cancers: breast, prostate, colon, nose, throat, and leukemia. Antioxidants also help prevent heart disease. A Chinese study shows that the mushroom prevents the internal blood clots that trigger heart attack. The herb also reduces cholesterol and blood pressure. A Beijing University study shows that it reduces blood sugar.

Reishi may cause dizziness, stomach upset, skin irritation, diarrhea or constipation, and interfere with blood clotting. Pregnant and nursing women should not take it. Use reishi in consultation with a Chinese medicine practitioner.

SCHISANDRA (Schisandra chinensis)

Part used: dried berries.

Adaptogenic benefits: Cognitive improvement, liver protection.

Dose: 1.5 to 6 grams of dried berries/day. Or 500 mg to 2 grams/day of extract.

In Chinese medicine, schisandra is considered a balancing herb, Hobbs explains, because it contains all five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy. Asian animal studies show that it improves memory. The herb also protects the liver from a variety of toxic agents, and is used to treat respiratory and digestive ailments.

Schisandra causes no significant side effects.


Resource:
American Botanical Council (ABC). Publishes HerbalGram, the authoritative magazine of medicinal herbs. Sells an enormous number of excellent books on herbs, including The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs. Its Web site contains a wealth of herbal information. P.O. Box 144345, Austin, TX 78714; (512) 926-4900. www.herbalgram.org.


ADAPTOGENS:
REMARKABLE HERBS
THAT HELP THE WHOLE BODY

Twelve years ago, Patricia L Gerbarg, M.D., a psychiatrist in Kingston, New York, developed Lyme disease. But as sometimes happens, her blood tests were negative, so the condition was not diagnosed for five years. By the time it was, she had severe chronic fatigue, very painful joints, muscle weakness, balance problems, memory loss, and very poor mental function. After she was diagnosed, Gerbarg took antibiotics for nine months. “They helped,” she recalls, “but I was still in a bad way—low energy, weak, and mentally fuzzy.” Then her husband, Richard Brown, M.D., a psychopharmacologist at Columbia University, learned of a Russian herb, Rhodiola rosea, which has a broad range of strengthening effects on the body. He thought might help his wife. It did. “Within 10 days,” Gerbarg recalls, “I felt better. After three months, my energy, memory, and mental function were restored. Rhodiola gave me back my life.”

Rhodiola—along with ginseng (Panax ginseng) and an herb often called Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) and a few other herbs—are “adaptogens.” The term was coined in 1947 by a Russian scientist, N.V . Lazarev, who was interested in drugs that helped the body adapt to physical and emotional stress. His student, Israel I. Brekhman popularized the term, and showed that the most powerful adaptogens are not drugs, but herbs. Lazarev and Brekhman believed that adaptogens should:

* Counteract the adverse effects of stress.
* Increase energy.
* Increase the body’s resistance to a broad range of adverse influences.
* Have a normalizing effect, improving many conditions while aggravating none.
* And cause minimal side effects.

“Adaptogens,” says Salt Lake City herb researcher and author Daniel Mowrey Ph.D. “give body a tune-up. They help the cells produce energy and use it more efficiently. But adpatogens don’t overpower the cells as drugs often do. Their effects are subtle, which accounts for the controversy these herbs arouse. But over time, adaptogenic herbs are very beneficial to health.”

In Chinese medicine, adaptogens, notably ginseng, are known as qi (life force) tonics, explains Efrem Korngold, O.M.D., L.Ac., of San Francisco, coauthor (with Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac.) of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. “Just as working out tones the muscles, tonic herbs tone the whole body.”

But in American medical history, the term, tonic, has negative connotations, Dr. Gerbarg explains. Many 19th century patent medicines sold has “rejuvenating tonics” contained mostly alcohol and/or opium. In addition, she notes, thanks to the overwhelming force of drug industry advertising, Americans have been socialized to expect that individual drugs treat just one problem. “We’re not used to the idea that one drug—or herb—can have a broad range of physical and mental health benefits.”

Since Brekhman’s death in 1994, the term, adaptogen, has been generalized to include herbs that don’t necessarily boost energy or counteract stress, but still have a number of benefits including enhanced immune function, antioxidant action, and physiological normalization. “Unfortunately,” says Maryland botanist and noted medicinal herb expert James Duke, Ph.D. “the term is poorly defined.” Dr. Gerbarg agrees: “I prefer to point out what these herbs actually do. They increase cellular energy production and levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. They also have antioxidant, and other actions.”

Despite the confusion over the definition of “adaptogen,” the term appears to be here to stay because it promises something so many people want—greater resilience in the face of stress. “Our culture has focused on ‘taming’ nature, adapting the environment to our needs,” says botanical medicine authority Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., A.H.G., a clinical herbalist in Davis, California, “but we can’t forget that we still need to be adaptable, to strengthen ourselves and cultivate flexibility—of both body and mind—so we can adjust to our rapidly changing world. Adaptogenic herbs can help.”

This discussion focuses on herbs that fit the original Russian definition. Other herbs called adaptogens are discussed in the sidebar on p. xxx.

Note on dosages: Dose recommendations are for typical extracts and formulations. When using commercial products, follow package directions. When treating a specific condition, consult an herbal professional.

GINSENG (Panax ginseng, P. quinquefolius)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: Increased energy, improved reaction time, enhanced stamina, immune support, improved memory and alertness, pain relief, cancer prevention, improved cardiovascular function, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, faster recovery from radiation exposure, improvement in menopausal complaints, improved erection quality, increased sperm count, improved quality of life.

Dose: 0.6 to 3 grams 1 to 3 times/day. In capsules, 200 to 600 mg/day.

Ginseng’s Latin name, Panax, comes from the same Greek root as our word, “panacea,” meaning all-healing. That’s not much of an exaggeration. In China and Korea, ginseng has been revered for centuries. “It strengthens the whole body,” Korngold says.

Occasionally, a study shows that ginseng does not boost strength and stamina, but a great deal of research shows that the herb significantly increases energy and improves athletic performance. At the University of Cheiti, Italian researchers tested 50 healthy male gym teachers, aged 21 to 47, on a treadmill after taking ginseng or a placebo. The herb group showed greater oxygen intake and improved stamina. Another group of Italian researchers found that ginseng improves reaction time. And a 1999 Japanese study in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics shows that the herb helps relieve the fatigue some women suffer during menopause. “For people with fatigue and general debility,” Hobbs says, “I consider ginseng indispensable.”

Ginseng also reduces the ravages of stress. Writing in the Journal of Pharmacological Science in 2004, Japanese researchers showed that the herb reduces the secretion of stress-related hormones from the adrenal glands. “I’ve used ginseng for 20 years,” says Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas, the nation’s leading medicinal herb education organization (See Resource). “I’m on a plane almost every week. Travel causes stress. But I rarely get sick. I can’t prove that ginseng is keeping me healthy, but there’s compelling evidence that it helps the body deal with the kinds of stress I face.”

Stress aggravates pain. Relieving stress reduces pain. South Korean scientists injected rat paws with red pepper (cayenne) and watched as they showed typical reactions to pain. Then they treated the animals with ginseng. Pain-related behavior decreased.

Ginseng also improves immune function. In the journal, Pharmacy Research, University of Southern California researchers report that the herb increases production of interferon, the body’s own antiviral compound. Korean researchers discovered that in addition to boosting interferon and another important immune protein, interleukin-1, ginseng also increased the ability of white blood cells to devour germs. Because it enhances immune function, ginseng improves the protective action of vaccinations. Shots don’t prevent disease by themselves. They stimulate an immune response in the body that prevents them. At the University of Milan, Italian researchers gave 227 volunteers a daily placebo or ginseng (100 mg). After a month, everyone receive flu shots. In the placebo group, there were 42 cases, but in the ginseng group, only 15 caught the flu, a highly significant difference.

Ginseng’s immune boost helps treat chronic bronchitis, very common among smokers. Italian researchers treated 75 chronic bronchitis sufferers with antibiotics for nine days, then gave some of them ginseng (200 mg/day) in addition. Nine days later, according to their report in Clinical Investigations, the ginseng group’s lungs showed significantly fewer bacteria.

Ginseng’s immune-boosting action also helps prevent cancer. For a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, researchers at the Korea Cancer Center in Seoul surveyed 4,634 Koreans about their ginseng use and then followed them for five years. Compared with those who used no ginseng, those who took it regularly had 60 percent less risk of developing cancer.

Cancer is often treated with radiation. But radiation harms healthy cells. Guess what helps—ginseng. South Korean researchers treated mice with ginseng then subjected them to radiation. The herb significantly reduced radiation-induced cell death.

A 1998 study in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine shows that ginseng reduces blood pressure, a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke. A Russian animal study suggests that the herb also normalizes hearth rhythm.

Ginseng also helps treat diabetes. In a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, University of Toronto researchers gave the herb (3 g) to diabetics before a meal. Blood sugar typically rises after eating. But 40 minutes after eating, the ginseng group’s blood sugar was actually lower.

Want to get smarter? Take ginseng. Danish researchers gave 112 middle-aged adults a battery of cognitive function tests. Then the participants took either a placebo or ginseng (400 mg/day for eight weeks), after which they were retested. The placebo group showed no change in brain power. But those who took ginseng improved significantly. British researchers at the University of Northumbria, conducted a similar study using the same dose of ginseng (400 mg/day). Again, the herb group showed improved memory and attentiveness.

An Italian study shows that ginseng boosts sperm counts. Even the herb’s reputed aphrodisiac effect has been confirmed. Ginseng increases production of nitric oxide, which plays a key role in sex-related blood flow into the genitals. Two Korean studies published in the Journal of Urology and the International Journal of Impotence Research show that ginseng (900 mg three times/day) helps restore faltering erections.

With so many health-enhancing benefits, it’s no wonder that ginseng users report improved quality of life. In a 2002 report in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, University of Connecticut researchers gave 30 volunteers a standard questionnaire that rated their health-related quality of life. Then, for eight weeks, the participants took either a placebo or ginseng (200 mg/day), after which their quality of life was reassessed. The ginseng group scored higher on mental health and social functioning. Subsequently, the Connecticut researchers reviewed nine studies of the herb and quality of life. Eight showed improvement with ginseng.

Ginseng causes no significant side effects, though caffeine-like jitters are possible. Those with high blood pressure are advised to avoid it.

“I prescribe ginseng as an adaptogen,” explains Alan Brauer, M.D., founder of Total Care Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, which combines mainstream and alternative therapies. “If a person is overworked or stressed out, ginseng helps. It strengthens the whole body.”


ELEUTHERO (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: increased energy, enhanced stamina, immune enhancement, antiviral action, cancer prevention, heart stimulation, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, normalization of heart rhythm, osteoporosis prevention, liver support, faster recovery from radiation exposure, improved memory, enhanced visual acuity and color perception, improved quality of life.

Dose: 0.6 to 3 g/day of dry root for up to one month. Or 2 to 16 ml/day of tincture one to three times a day for 60 days.

Often called “Siberian ginseng,” eleuthero is a completely different plant. Unlike ginseng, which is a low-growing groundcover, eleuthero is a shrub that grows to six feet in China and Asian Russia. Because it grows so extensively in Russian, most of the early research was Russian. “Eleuthero,” Hobbs explains, “is the herb that defined adaptogens. Brekhman was looking for a less expensive substitute for ginseng, and began looking into folk claims for eleuthero.”

Eleuthero increases energy and stamina, and helps treat chronic fatigue. Polish researchers evaluated the health and physical fitness of 50 men and women, and then gave them either the well-known immune booster, echinacea, or eleuthero tincture (25 drops three times a day). After one month, the echinacea group showed no changes in fitness. But the eleuthero group showed enhanced muscular use of oxygen, which improves fitness and stamina. Writing in the journal, Psychology and Medicine, University of Iowa researchers gave 96 people suffering chronic fatigue either a placebo or eleuthero. After two months, the severity of their fatigue was reduced significantly. Not every study of eleuthero shows improved stamina and reduced fatigue, but a review of the research by researchers at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec concludes that the herb does, indeed, improve cardiorespiratory fitness and stamina. “Several years ago,” Hobbs recalls, “I was feeling run down and stressed out. I took eleuthero for six months, and felt better. I was impressed.”

Eleuthero also improves immune function. German researchers measured the immune function of 36 people and then gave them eleuthero tincture (10 ml three times a day). After four weeks, it increased T-helper cells, a key component of the immune system. Eleuthero also increases production of interleukin- and -6, important immune proteins.

In a study published in the journal, Antiviral Research, German scientists have documented eleuthero’s “strong antiviral” action. Russian researchers gave 40 children with colds either conventional treatment or an herbal preparation that included eleuthero. The herb group recovered faster.

Eleuthero’s effects on cancer have not been well studied. But a Russian animal study shows that the herb extends survival. Another Russian study shows that eleuthero boosts the immune systems of people with cancer. These results hint that, like ginseng, eleuthero may help treat human cancers.

The herb certainly helps prevent and treat heart disease. A Polish study published in the journal, Phytotherapy Research, shows that eleuthero reduces LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides (blood fats), both risk factors for heart disease. It also helps prevent the internal blood clots that trigger heart attacks (and most strokes). Eleuthero lowers blood sugar, meaning it helps prevent diabetes, another risk factor for heart disease. Finally, the herb helps normalize heart rhythm, according to a Russian study.

Eleuthero enhances liver function, according to a Korean animal study. Bulgarian scientists have shown that it speeds recovery from radiation exposure. And according to a Russian study at Vladivostok State Medical University, it treats osteoporosis as well as soy protein.

Eleuthero even improves short-term memory and visual acuity, according to Russian research. It increases the sensitivity of the retina, which improves color perception and the ability to see clearly in low light.

Add up all these effects, and like ginseng, eleuthero improves quality of life. In a study by Italian researchers at the University of Bologna published in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 20 elderly people completed a health status survey, and then took either a placebo or eluthero. Four weeks later, the herb group scored higher on mental health and social functioning.

“My patients haven’t developed any side effects from eleuthero,” says Edward Wallace, N.D., D.C. a practitioner of homeopathy and Chinese medicine in West Branch, Iowa. However, some side effects are possible: drowsiness, anxiety, irritability, headache, insomnia, and depressed mood. Pregnant and nursing women should not take it, nor should those running a fever or with high blood pressure.

“Eleuthero is one of the top herbs I prescribe for chronic stress and stress-related conditions,” Hobbs explains. “Patients tell me it helps.”

RHODIOLA (Rhodiola rosea)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: Increased energy, improved stamina, enhanced alertness and concentration, improved memory, reduced harm from stress, lower blood pressure, normalization of heart rhythm, normalization of blood flow through the brain, reduced DNA damage, improved cancer treatment, less toxicity from cancer chemotherapy, liver protection, enhanced adaptation to life at high altitude.

Dose: 5 to 10 drops of tincture 2 to 3 times a day, 15 to 30 minutes before eating, for 10 to 20 days. Or 200-450 mg/day of extract.

Found from Iceland, across Britain, Scandinavia, and northern Russia, and in the mountains of Europe, rhodiola is a perennial succulent that resembles the jade plant. It has a thick medicinal root similar to ginger. Cut it and the root exudes a rose-like fragrance, hence its Latin specific name, rosea, and one of its common names, rose root.

The Vikings used rhodiola to enhance their strength and stamina. For centuries, folk herbalists have recommended it to increase productivity and endurance, and to treat fatigue, depression, and other ailments. But like eleuthero, this herb is a fairly recent addition to scientific herbalism. Russian researchers began studying it in the 1960s, but most of that research was financed by the military and kept secret until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1994. Since then, rhodiola research has been published in Western medical journals, and the herb has gradually become available in the U.S.

Rhodiola increases energy, stamina, and concentration. Belgian researchers gave 24 people either a placebo or rhodiola (200 mg). The herb group experienced a significant increase in stamina. Rhodiola also has a strong anti-fatigue effect. Armenian researchers tested the memory and reasoning ability of 56 young, healthy doctors facing the stress of all-night hospital duty, and then gave them either a placebo or rhodiola (170 mg). After their night shift, the doctors were retested. According to a report in Phytomedicine, the herb group registered significantly better mental performance, indicating less fatigue. Corroborating evidence comes from several Russian studies showing that rhodiola helps students perform better under academic pressure, “Rhodiola is the best adaptogen for mind and memory problems,” Hobbs says. “I prescribe for people who complain of fuzzy memory. They’ve reported good results.”

Rhodiola also reduces stress. According to a comprehensive review in HerbalGram, the journal of the American Botanical Council, it reduces the release of stress-related hormones, and boosts levels of the body’s own feel-good compounds, endorphins.

Rhodiola strengthens the heart and cardiovascular system. Russian studies show that it lowers blood pressure, slows heart rate, normalizes heart rhythm, prevents stress-induced heart damage, enhances the heart’s efficiency in using oxygen, and reduces levels of C-reactive protein, a recently identified risk factor for heart attack. It also improves blood flow through the brain.

Rhodiola is a “powerful antioxidant,” Dr. Gerbarg says. Antioxidants help prevent the cell damage at the root of cancer. Studies show that the herb reduces cell mutations associated with cancer and enhances the body’s ability to repair cancer-related DNA mutations. Animal studies show that when added to cancer chemotherapy drugs, the herb increases their effectiveness. Russian researchers have found that rhodiola improves the immune function of people with bladder cancer and reduces recurrences. Finally, the herb virtually eliminates the toxicity of one widely used chemotherapy drug, adriamcyin (Doxorubicin).

Dr. Gerbarg, coauthor (with Richard P. Brown, M.D.) of The Rhodiola Revolution (2004), has used rhodiola to treat more than 150 people suffering from severe depression. “Pharmaceutical antidepressants helped them function, but they still weren’t happy. In many cases adding rhodiola to their drugs increased their energy and allowed them to experience more enjoyment in life.”

Rhodiola also protects the liver, helping the organ recover from exposure to various poisons, according to Russian and Korean studies.

The herb normalizes thyroid function and women’s sex hormones. Dr. Gerbarg’s coauthor, Richard Brown, M.D., has used it to help infertile women get pregnant. There is also some evidence that rhodiola may help treat erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

Finally, in a Chinese study of 24 men who lived at 15,000 feet above sea level for a year, rhodiola treated altitude effects as well as a standard medication.

Since her Lyme diagnosis, Dr. Gerbarg has taken rhodiola daily (400 to 450 mg) for eight years, and has experience no side effects. However, because it has stimulant action, jitters and anxiety are possible. Some commercial products combine the herb with caffeine. Dr. Gerbarg cautions against using them. They may be over-stimulating.

“Very compelling data support rhodiola as an adaptogen,” Blumenthal says. “It has a wide variety of applications. I expect it to become a popular herb.”

Sidebar:
OTHER ADAPTOGENS

ASHWAGANDHA (Withania somnifera)

Part used: Root.

Adaptogenic benefits: Improves stamina, combats stress, enhances immune function, antioxidant, cancer prevention, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, mood elevating action.

Dose: 1 to 6 grams/day (2 to 12 teaspoons) in capsules or tea. In tincture or liquid extract, 2 to 4 ml 3 times/day.

Ashwagandha is known as “Indian ginseng” because its effects are similar to the Chinese herb. “It strengthens the whole body,” says Paul Hoffman, M.D. a Boulder Creek, California pediatrician who practices India’s Ayurvedic medicine. “It treats fatigue, weakness, debility, and problems of old age.”

Several Indian animal studies show that ashwagandha improves stamina and reduces the damage caused by various stressors. It stimulates the immune system, boosts antibody and red blood cell levels, and spurs white blood cells to devour germs. Ashwagandha is also a powerful antioxidant. Indian animal studies show that it has intriguing cancer-preventive action, and boosts the effectiveness of radiation treatments. Antioxidants also help prevent heart disease. In a study published in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology in 2000, researchers gave ashwagandha daily to diabetics with high cholesterol. A month later, their cholesterol and blood sugar levels were significantly lower. Finally, the herb has some antidepressant action.

Side effects are rare in recommended amounts. But large doses may cause stomach distress, diarrhea, and vomiting. Pregnant and nursing women should not use it.

I’ve used ashwagandha,” Mowrey says. “It’s a potent adaptogen.”

REISHI MUSHROOM (Ganoderma lucidum)

Part used: Mushroom (powdered)

Adaptogenic benefits: Improves immune function, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, prevents or treats several cancers, reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Dose: 1.5 to 9 grams of dried mushroom/day. In tincture,1 ml/day.

Called the “mushroom of immortality,” Chinese medicine considers this fungus a qi tonic, and longevity promoter. “It treats fatigue, respiratory complaints, cancer, heart disease, and liver ailments.” Korngold explains.
There is no published research to show that reishi increases stamina and minimizes fatigue and stress, but Hobbs still considers it an adaptogen. “I use it to treat so many things. It’s a favorite of mine.”

Considerable research shows that reishi enhances immune function. A Korean study shows that the mushroom has antibacterial action, and two Korean studies published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology show it has antiviral action. Reishi is also a potent antioxidant, according to a 2004 Chinese report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Antioxidants have anti-cancer action. Laboratory and animal studies in Japan and at the Methodist Research Institute in Indianapolis show that the mushroom suppresses the growth of several cancers: breast, prostate, colon, nose, throat, and leukemia. Antioxidants also help prevent heart disease. A Chinese study shows that the mushroom prevents the internal blood clots that trigger heart attack. The herb also reduces cholesterol and blood pressure. A Beijing University study shows that it reduces blood sugar.

Reishi may cause dizziness, stomach upset, skin irritation, diarrhea or constipation, and interfere with blood clotting. Pregnant and nursing women should not take it. Use reishi in consultation with a Chinese medicine practitioner.

SCHISANDRA (Schisandra chinensis)

Part used: dried berries.

Adaptogenic benefits: Cognitive improvement, liver protection.

Dose: 1.5 to 6 grams of dried berries/day. Or 500 mg to 2 grams/day of extract.

In Chinese medicine, schisandra is considered a balancing herb, Hobbs explains, because it contains all five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy. Asian animal studies show that it improves memory. The herb also protects the liver from a variety of toxic agents, and is used to treat respiratory and digestive ailments.

Schisandra causes no significant side effects.


Resource:
American Botanical Council (ABC). Publishes HerbalGram, the authoritative magazine of medicinal herbs. Sells an enormous number of excellent books on herbs, including The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs. Its Web site contains a wealth of herbal information. P.O. Box 144345, Austin, TX 78714; (512) 926-4900. www.herbalgram.org.