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The
Importance of Adaptogens
Modern Western medicine has developed multiple approaches to coping
with stress, including pharmaceutical drugs, exercise, and relaxation
techniques
like meditation.
While these methods can provide some benefits, results are mixed and often
unsatisfactory. In Russia, after years of investigation, scientists have
developed a unique and effective herbal approach to stress reduction
and the prevention
of stress related symptoms – Adaptogens. Adaptogens are defined as
any agent that increases the nonspecific resistance of an organism to stress
and
other environmental influences. Research on adaptogens includes more than
5,000 clinical studies, spanning over four decades, and involving over
a half-million
people. They have been used by Russian Olympic athletes, cosmonauts, and
the military.179
In conjunction with creating and living a healthy life, adaptogens can
be taken on a daily basis to prevent disease and to act as an important
enhancer
of
vitality, balance, and stress management. By enhancing responsiveness to
stress and reinforcing equilibrium, adaptogens promote the greatest potential
for
wellness and longevity. Adaptogens assist the body by their ability to
normalize homeostasis, optimize metabolism, revitalize exhausted organ
systems, and
improve resistance to a variety of adverse factors without side effects.
Adaptogens
enhance cellular energy processes, restore mitochondrial function and repair,
and build "adaptive energy reserve." Mitochondrial dysfunction
has been identified as one of the principle causes of age-related bioenergetic
decline and a multitude of diseases.181
Utilizing a combination of these unique plants for broad-spectrum health promotion
offers a new approach to complementary medicine and to the elevation of well-being.
A complete adaptogenic formula may include an amalgamation of several supportive
herbs. It is essential, however, that the formulas employed be created from
the most potent plants, using the most effective methods. Qualitative standards
of cultivation and preparation are therefore essential.
Qualitative Standards
Russia has established original standards for high quality in herbal
medicine. These standards have since been adopted internationally.
In Russia, thousands of clinical herbal studies have been performed,
and herbal remedies are strictly regulated by the Ministry of Health
(Department of Pharmacology), which is equivalent to the FDA. These
standards are ensured at every step, from the selection of raw materials
to the unique processing method. Each product is assayed for active
compounds and undergoes stringent quality procedures by the manufacturing
facility as well as testing conducted by the State Analytical Laboratory.
Many adaptogenic herbal products on the market are promoted by claims based
on Soviet scientific research. Such claims, however, can only be applied to
adaptogens of actual Russian origin or to formulas crafted in Russia, according
to genuine Russian standards and methods. Other currently available commercial
sources of adaptogens actually have limited or no biologically active substances.
These include the heavily promoted Eleutherococcus (formally known as Siberian
Ginseng), as well as Schisandra and the recently popular herb Rhodiola. The
reasons for such poor quality are due to the cultivation of incorrect or inferior
species (compared to Russian adaptogenic plants, which contain the largest
amounts of bioactive compounds and are superior in potency); untimely harvesting;
overdrying of raw materials; and low-grade manufacturing technology. The botanical
names may be the same as those in the research, but the quality is not. Because
of this, the scientific evidence and practical experience of adaptogens by
cosmonauts, Olympic athletes and the military are only applicable to the Russian
adaptogens.
For example, what is widely available and sold in the US as "Siberian
Ginseng" is not from Siberia, and not even from Russia, but from China.
In China, Russian Eleutherococcus is known as Ciwuja. It is clear that Eleutherococcus
from the two regions is from the same botanical family, but the Russian herb
is acknowledged to be the most potent. Scientists have found that the chemical
composition of the Eleuthero from the Russian origin contains larger amounts
of the bioactive compounds and especially of the key substance – Eleutheroside
B, which plays a significant role in the anti-stress and anabolic actions of
Eleuthero.1-3
History and Origin of Adaptogens
The effectiveness of adaptogenic plants was researched and confirmed
by Dr. Israel Brekhman and his mentor, Prof. Nicholai Lazarev, a
well-known pioneer in the field of preventive medicine. Lazarev was
especially intrigued by a specific group of herbs that ancient medical
traditions referred to as "elite" or "king."5
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these herbs were used effectively
to increase physical and mental capacity, reduce fatigue, improve
resistance to disease, and promote life extension.6 In the 1950s,
Russian scientists studied these plants extensively and the term
adaptogen was since officially coined by Dr. Lazarev in 1962.5
Stress and the Need for Adaptation
Stress is often defined as any perceived physical or psychological
change that disrupts an organism's metabolic balance. According to
The American Institute
of Stress, 75% to 90% of all visits to health care professionals are in some
way related to the adverse effects of stress!4 Stress has negative effects
on the immune system by inhibiting Natural Killer (NK) cell, T-cell, and antibody
responsiveness. A high degree of stress also significantly predicts a poorer
response to interventions aimed at improving NK cell activity. Adaptogens may
be more important than immune-enhancing agents at assisting in immune response,
particularly during times of stress.182 Wound healing is also compromised by
stress. Susceptibility to cold and flu viruses is consistently found to be
much greater in stressed populations, and stress is associated with longer
recovery from infectious diseases.178 Stress effects everyone – somehow,
somewhere, sometime.
Dr. Hans Selye, PhD, a Canadian professor and a leading pioneer in stress research,
has been internationally acknowledged as "the father of stress research." One
of Selye's most important contributions was his concept of the General
Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which he coined in 1936. The GAS involves a progression
of three stages in the stress response beginning with the alarm reaction, then
the resistance stage, and finally adrenal maladaptation or hypoadaptosis. The
third stage is characterized by adrenal dysfunction and is considered the stage
of exhaustion when the "energy of adaptation" is used up and the
resistance of the organism becomes exhausted.181,182
Prolonged stress erodes patterns of constitutional weakness, which results
in both predictable and unpredictable systemic effects that eventually lead
to disease. The general purpose of adaptogens is the reduction of stress reactions
in the alarm phase, thereby delaying or avoiding the exhaustion stage. As the
work of the eminent Russian physician and pharmacologist Dr. Israel Brekhman
has clearly emphasized for the past forty years, most people are in a state
somewhere between health and disease. We therefore need adaptogens to help
us restore and sustain lifelong health.5 Russian scientists describe the adaptogenic
effect as a strengthening of the physiological adaptation. They base this effect
on the body's attempt to preserve depleting energy resources and accelerate
the biosynthesis of proteins and nucleic acids. An important aspect of adaptogens
is their influence on the immunological responses of the body.
Traditional health care practitioners would agree that most modern clinical
conditions are marked by various degrees of debility. Almost every ailment
from which people suffer could be attributed to a lack of reserve and/or a
lack of vitality. Conditions such as low-grade infections, persistent respiratory
and GI complaints, joint stiffness, headaches, allergies, skin conditions,
stress problems (including depression and anxiety), cancer, heart disease,
and even general fatigue all possess one common thread: the failure to cope
with, adequately defend, or maintain homeostasis (equilibrium).
Classification and Actions of Adaptogens
Adaptogens work through a non-specific mechanism of enhancement. Their primary,
broad-spectrum benefits begin with their ability to balance and normalize
all body systems and increase vital energy in response to stress.
Scientific studies have proven that adaptogens have the following effects:
- Make the stress response
less damaging
- Help maintain homeostasis in the face of stress
by regulating the body's adaptive reactions
- Reduce most signs of
the alarm stage of the stress response and delay or promote avoidance
of the exhaustion stage
- Help the body utilize fuel more efficiently,
with fewer toxic or waste byproducts (like lactic acid), which
can contribute to fatigue
and reduced energy output
- Use energy efficiently, making greater reserves
more readily available when needed for performing more difficult
tasks7
It is important to note that to be classified as an adaptogen,
a medical substance must fulfill certain criteria. The
following criteria define primary and secondary
adaptogens. Primary Adaptogens
Primary adaptogens possess the following criteria: they must
- have solid scientific research
validating their use as adaptogens;
- enhance "general resistance" of
the entire body;
- act in a non-specific way, having a "normalizing
effect" against
all forms of stress;
- have an ability to maintain or restore homeostasis;
and
- be safe and have no side effects, even with prolonged consumption.
Primary adaptogens have the following
beneficial effects:
- They enhance physical and mental performance
and accelerate recovery after prolonged exhaustive activities.
- They
support endocrine function - in particular, adrenal function
- thus counteracting the adverse effects of stress.
- They stimulate
glucocorticoid function of the adrenal glands and increase
oxidative-reduction processes.
- They enable the body's cells
to have efficient access to "adaptive" energy.
- They
help cells to eliminate toxic by-products of the metabolic
process by providing ATP for cellular waste removal and by
activating free
radical enzymes.
- They are anti-toxic and radiation-protective.
- They support
all body systems during cancer-related therapies such as chemotherapy,
radiation, and surgery.
- They provide immune system enhancement
and increase the body's resistance against infectious conditions
including colds and the
flu.
- They provide an anabolic (building-up) and an anti-catabolic
effect (reduces the loss of lean muscle mass).
- They assist the
body to utilize oxygen more efficiently.
- They enhance the proper
regulation of bio-rhythms.7,8,48,49,50,53,54,56,57
The sub-categories of primary adaptogens include the following:
a)Primary adaptogens with general effects (Phase I)
b)Primary adaptogens with a more specific anabolic / anti-catobolic effect
(Phase II)
Secondary adaptogens
- meet most of the qualifications
of primary adaptogens;
- demonstrate some normalizing activity,
especially on the immune, nervous, and hormonal systems;
- have yet
to be studied extensively for their adaptogenic qualities; and
- may
offer a full range of non-specific protective effects to all organ
systems when taken regularly, thus complimenting and lending
attributes beyond the benefits of primary adaptogens alone.9
Compounding Adaptogenic Formulas
Ancient systems and concepts learned from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
and Ayurvedic Medicine utilize a group of herbs that work harmoniously with
each other. The study, compiled over many generations of people from such
countries as China, Korea, India, and Japan, came to the conclusion that
using certain herbs in combination can achieve much greater effects on health
and well-being than one can find with using individual herbs alone. This
was a starting point for the authors and inspired research independently
in many areas, leading to the discovery of a new generation of adaptogenic
formulas. This new and insightful model imparts the collaborative efforts
of such skillful ideals, coupled with the applied knowledge of progressive
research from the perspective of a Russian sport scientist and the practical
hands-on experience of a clinical herbalist.
Combining several primary adaptogens with secondary and companion adaptogens
such as hawthorn, elderberry, rosehips, and grape seed and skin, as well as
harmonizing agents such as licorice and ginger, creates a synergistic herbal
formula that offers a wide range of benefits beyond the actions of any single
herbal adaptogen. With the overwhelming impact of various stresses, it is impossible
to have all needs fulfilled in a single herbal formula. However, two comprehensive
formulations could fulfill these needs.
For example, Formula I, a revitalizing formula that improves stress resistance,
tonifies and balances the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys and spleen systems is
a powerful antioxidant and deep immune system restorative compound that increases
energy without being excitatory or stimulating. A basic formula such as this
is for everybody, regardless of age, sex, or health conditions. From a TCM
perspective, this formula would nourish "yin."
Formula II, a rejuvenating formula that maximizes "adaptive energy," is
blood-nourishing and, having an anabolic/anti-catabolic effect, would be more
specific for enhancement of the kidney/adrenal system – the "seed" of
vital adaptive energy – and the spleen system. It would be indicated
for resuscitation from exhaustion, recovery from debility, or creating optimum
conditions for athletes or highly active people desiring peak performance.
From a TCM perspective, this formula would nourish "yang."
Yin and yang oppose each other, and at the same time, they have an interdependent
relationship. When the body is in balance between yin and yang, health is prominent;
when it is not, disease occurs. When used in combination, two formulas such
as these can exert a powerful double-phase effect.
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