![[Valid RSS]](img/valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")
The term adaptogen is used by herbalists to refer to a natural herb product that is proposed to increase the body’s resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. In the past, they have been called rejuvenating herbs, qi tonics, rasayanas, or restoratives. All adaptogens contain antioxidants, but antioxidants are not necessarily adaptogens and that is not proposed to be their primary mode of action.
The concept of adaptogens dates back thousands of years to ancient India and China, but modern study did not begin until the late 1940s. In 1947, Nikolai Lazarev defined an adaptogen as an agent that allows the body to counter adverse physical, chemical, or biological stressors by raising nonspecific resistance toward such stress, thus allowing the organism to “adapt” to the stressful circumstances.
In 1968, Israel I. Brekhman , PhD, and I. V. Dardymov formally gave adaptogens a functional definition, as follows:
- An adaptogen is nontoxic to the recipient.
- An adaptogen produces a nonspecific response in the body—an increase in the power of resistance against multiple stressors including physical, chemical, or biological agents.
- An adaptogen has a normalizing influence on physiology, irrespective of the direction of change from physiological norms caused by the stressor.
Under this definition, adaptogens would be nontoxic in normal doses, produce a general defensive response against stress, and have a normalizing influence on the body.
It is claimed that adaptogenic herbs are distinct from other substances in their ability to balance endocrine hormones and the immune system, and they help the body to maintain optimal homeostasis. Adaptogens are proposed to have a normalizing effect on the body and to be capable of either toning down the activity of hyperfunctioning systems or strengthening the activity of hypofunctioning systems. However, they are also proposed to be functional at the level of allostasis, which is a more dynamic reaction to long term stress, lacking the fixed reference points of homeostasis.
The commonly used adaptogens that can be found in VIV are:
Rhodiola Rosea:
Grows in cold regions of the world such as the Arctic, the mountains of Central Asia, the Rocky Mountains, and mountainous parts of Europe, such as the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathian Mountains, British Isles, Scandinavia and Iceland.
Uses:
Used for centuries to cope with the cold Siberian climate and stressful life
Suggested For:
- Strength
- Endurance
- Mental Performance
- Reduce Fatigue
- Decrease Recovery Time
In Russia, Rhodiola rosea, also known as golden root’, has been used for centuries to cope with the cold Siberian climate and stressful life. It has also been used for centuries in Scandinavia, both by the Vikings and the Sámi. Note that Rhodiola is sometimes inappropriately referred to as “Arctic Root®”, which is a trademark product name held by the Swedish Herbal Institute for an extract SHR-5 which contains unique Rhodiola rosea extracts tested in human clinical trials.
Rhodiola rosea is very effective for improving mood and alleviating depression. Research shows that it improves both physical and mental performance, reduces fatigue, and prevents high altitude sickness. Rhodiola rosea’s effects are attributed to its ability to optimise serotonin and dopamine levels and to its influence on opioid peptides such as beta-endorphins. In one study, the Rhodiola rosea group decreased proofreading errors by 88% while the control group increased proofreading errors by 84%.
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a fungi that includes about 300 species. The Cordyceps sinensis is the most famous of these, having long been considered a precious ingredient in Chinese traditional medicines.
Uses:
Source of biochemicals with interesting biological and pharmacological properties
Suggested For:
- Immunosuppressive drug
- Anamorph and Ciclosporin
All Cordyceps species are entomopathogenic, fungi parasitic mainly on insects and other arthropods. The mycelium invades and eventually replaces the host tissue.
Elongated fruiting body may be cylindrical, branched, or of complex shape. The stroma bears many small, flask-shaped perithecia that contain the asci.
The genus has a worldwide distribution. Particularly abundant and diverse in humid temperate and tropical forests.
Some Cordyceps species are sources of biochemicals with interesting biological and pharmacological properties, like cordycepin; the anamorph and ciclosporin — a drug helpful in human organ transplants, as an Immunosuppressive drug.
The excessive collecting of Cordyceps sinensis for sale in traditional medicine poses a threat for the environment of the Tibetan plateau where it grows. The high price of wild C. sinensis has led unscrupulous harvesters to insert twigs or even lead wires into the stromata, thereby increasing the weight and price paid. Cultivated C. sinensis mycelium is a more sustainable alternative to wild-harvested C. sinensis, and may offer improved consistency. Artificial culture of C. sinensis is typically by growth of the pure mycelium in liquid culture–stromata are not produced apart from the insect host.
Eleutherococcus
Growing up to 2m at a slow rate. It grows in mixed and coniferous mountain forests, forming low undergrowth. Its native habitat is East Asia, China, Japan and Russia.
Uses:
Scientific studies indicate this adaptogen to be the strongest, and most potent.
Suggested For:
- Strengthen immune system
- Increased endurance
- Memory improvement
- Chemoprotective
- DNA Repair
- Anti-inflammatory
- Normalize body function
- Radiological protection
- Anti-inflammatory
In human studies Eleuthero has been successfully used to treat bone marrow suppression caused by chemotherapy or radiation, angina, hypercholesterolemia, and neurasthenia with headache, insomnia, and poor appetite. Its anticholesteremic, has mild anti-inflammatory properties,is an antioxidant, and has Shown to reduces symptoms including fatigue, stress, neurasthenia and sore muscles. Greatly improves the hypofunctioning of the endocrine system, and helps resist adrenal exhaustion, useful when the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is depleted.
Eleutherococcus is a new addition to Western natural medicine, but has quickly gained a reputation. Currently, most of the medicinal research use of Eleutherococcus is in Russian or Korean. Eleutherococcus contains eleutherosides, triterpenoid saponins which are lipophilic and can fit into hormone receptorsEleuthero is neutral energetically and so is appropriate for daily use. Taken regularly, it enhances immune function, reduces cortisol levels and inflammatory response, and it promotes improved cognitive and physical performance
Schisandra
Native to East Asia, and also lso known as Magnolia Vine; Schisandra is a genus of shrub commonly grown in gardens. It is a hardy deciduous climber which thrives in virtually any soil.
Uses:
Has a protective effect on the liver and an immunomodulting effect.
Suggested For:
- anti-oxidant
- resist infections
- increase skin health
- combat insomnia
The dried fruit is used medicinally. The berries of S. chinensis are given the name wu wei zi in Chinese, which translates as “five flavor fruit, possessing all five basic flavors in Chinese herbal medicine: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter. In traditional Chinese medicine it is used to resist infections, increase skin health, and combat insomnia, coughing, and thirst.
Modern research suggests that schisandra and other lignans have a protective effect on the liver and an immunomodulting effect. Two human trials (one double-blind and the other preliminary) have shown that schisandra may help people with chronic viral hepatitis. Schisandra lignans appear to protect the liver by activating the enzymes that produce glutathione.
Over 19 species of the genus are said to be used in Chinese medicine, mostly as sedatives and tonics.
** Sources
|
|
This is NOT an official Kiiera site. This site is owned by a Kiiera Independent Affiliate. For Kiiera opportunity information please submit name and email above. For Kiiera VIV product purchases and information please click here for VIV.