With the amazing rise of adaptogenic herbs on the rise, there is a big question that is looming…

will these go the way of the majority of the supplement industry and turn into adaptogenic supplements with ineffective doses of herbs, or will they stay as true adaptogens and be the super herbs they have always been?

This is a topic recently discussed over at Food Dive in an article entitled “Adaptogens yield functional food growth, but ‘pixie dusting’ concerns loom.” The author brings up a serious concern as adaptogens have been associated with new, hot buzzwords in the health food and supplement industry such as:

• Vitality
• Energy
• Stress Relief
• Immune Boosting

The stress and vitality angles are of significant concern to Nutrition Business Journal and ingredients editor Todd Runestad. I certainly agree with the stress angle of adaptogenic herbs since EVERYBODY IS STRESSED. We could all use a little buffer to these increased stressors and many times rather than addressing the negative stressors we look to a supplement (even if whole food based) as the answer. This does not mean that I do not feel that adaptogens can be used effectively to handle stress, but they should be used in combination with addressing the stressor with an action plan as well.

Pixie Dusting Possibilities

When taken in whole food form or listed specific amounts on labels there is less of a chance of something having an ineffective dose of the herb or ‘pixie dusting’, but when combined in a ready-made drink it is tough to tell. The ingredients will be listed on the can or bottle, but not necessarily with the amounts of each ingredient. It could be a true stress buster in a bottle, or an overpriced, supposed superfood chocolate drink.

There are going to be reputable companies out there, but you have to just make sure to do your homework. Remember that they are still running a business and are selling you what you want in the form of stress relief. My favorite way would be to get the adaptogens in whole or powdered form and make them into the drinks you want. Sure this might be an extra step, but could certainly be worth the time to get the true benefits you are looking for.

Whatever your choice, as is discussed in the article on Food Dive, when it comes to food ingredients, the dosage size really does matter. If you are taking half of what is needed you may blow something off that it doesn’t work, but in fact is just not enough. They also stress importance of quality with any food ingredients. Garbage in is always going to equal garbage out. Do your homework and you can reap the stress relieving benefits of adaptogens as well.

Have a Great Day!

Nick Horowski