News from CRIS: Trending - Adaptogen Ingredients

March 2, 2021

What are adaptogens?

The term adaptogens refer to some of the herbs and supplements used in alternative medicine practices. These herbs and supplements are purported to have balancing properties that negate the effects of stress by normalizing and strengthening our body's functions and systems (1,2).
 
You'll often find ingredients claiming adaptogenic properties in traditional Ayurveda and Chinese medicine and other holistic herbal alternative medicine practices.

What properties do adaptogens need to possess?

According to the European Medicines Agency, adaptogen ingredients must include:

1. an almost non-toxic response in the recipient.
2. non-specific pharmacological properties that increase an organism's resistance to a broad spectrum of adverse biological, chemical, and physical factors.
3. the ability to be a regulator by having a normalizing effect on an organism's various organ systems or other profound pathologic changes in the organism.

The above properties are thought to bring homeostasis to the body, thus reducing stress and stress hormone levels. 

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Read the entire blog post at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/adaptogen-ingredient.