17 Adaptogens That Actually Work

You've probably heard a lot about adaptogens. These natural compounds help your body adapt to occasional stress by supporting systems that maintain balance. Some popular ones—such as ashwagandha and reishi mushrooms—are trending as teas and coffees as well as dietary supplements.

Adaptogen supplements are often labeled for specific health goals, such as energy, focus, sleep and calm, or immune support. But adaptogens, by the very definition of this term, influence multiple systems in the body. While some forms may be notable for promoting specific health goals, in general, adaptogens support nonspecific resistance to stress, or a broad, overall ability to cope with physical, emotional, or environmental challenges.

So let's get into what adaptogens do for the body, and the ones most scientifically studied for results.

What do adaptogens do?

Often derived from herbs and roots, adaptogens work by promoting your body's homeostasis, or a balanced state, and a healthy response to stress. Think of them as a system-level support nutrient with a broad spectrum of benefits:

• Energy: Adaptogens have been studied for energy, but they don't provide energy the way coffee or other caffeinated beverages do. Rather than acting like a stimulant, adaptogens are believed to work by supporting cellular energy production.
• Endurance: Because of their support of cellular energy, adaptogens promote endurance and steady energy. This can refer to both mental and physical endurance, incidentally!
• Focus: Mental endurance is another way of saying attention focus and attention. (And who doesn't need more of that?)
• Calmness: In the same way that these compounds aren't energizers per se, adaptogens are not stress "soothers." But adaptogens can encourage a healthy response to stress and help maintain a healthy balance of the stress-related hormones cortisol and DHEA.

Because there is so much buzz around the term "adaptogen," some popular herbs that are not adaptogens get this label—for example, maca and turmeric. While they may be worth adding to your repertoire for a variety of reasons, they do not fit the scientific definition for this term.

The top 17 adaptogens

Wondering what nutrients are true adaptogens? Here are the top nutrients that have been studied for supporting various aspects of health:

1. Panax ginseng

Panax ginseng, or Korean ginseng, is a plant used in traditional medicine. Its roots contain compounds called ginsenosides, which have antioxidant properties. Panax ginseng supports overall vitality and helps the body adapt to stress.

• Scientific name: Panax ginseng
• Other names: Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng, Red ginseng, Ren Shen
• Commonly used part: Root

2. Panax notoginseng

Another member of the ginseng family, Panax notoginseng is valued for its ability to promote the body's natural response to stress. It's recently been studied to support heart health.

• Scientific name: Panax notoginseng
• Other names: Chinese ginseng, San Qi, and Tian Qi
• Commonly used part: Root, rhizomes

3. Panax japonicus

Panax japonicus is a perennial herb that mainly grows wild in China, Japan, and Korea and is traditionally used there. It is also known as "Zhujieshen" because of its long, bamboo-like, horizontally creeping rhizome. It is used as a substitute for Panax ginseng in China, and research to understand more about this herb is ongoing.

• Scientific name: Panax japonicus
• Other names: Japanese ginseng, Chikusetsu-ninjin (Japan), Zhujieshen
• Commonly used part: Root

4. American ginseng

American ginseng is used in Native American and Chinese herbal traditions as a tonic to support vitality and stress resilience. Like other ginsengs, it also has antioxidant properties.

• Scientific name: Panax quinquefolius L.
• Other names: N/A
• Commonly used part: Root

5. Siberian ginseng

Siberian ginseng does not belong to the Panax genus, and it is not considered a species of ginseng, but it is an adaptogen. Siberian ginseng has traditionally been used in Russia, China, Korea, and Japan to support a healthy response to stress.

• Scientific name: Eleutherococcus senticosus
• Other names: Eleuthero, Ci Wu Jia, Devil's shrub
• Commonly used part: Root, stem bark

6. Rhodiola

Also known as golden root, rhodiola is a plant found in the Arctic and mountainous regions of Europe, Asia and America. It has antioxidant properties and supports exercise endurance.

• Scientific name: Rhodiola rosea
• Other names: Golden root, Arctic root, Jing Tian
• Commonly used part: Root, rhizome

7. Ashwagandha

An essential herb in Ayurvedic tradition, ashwagandha is prized for promoting feelings of calm and relaxation. Ashwagandha extracts are commercially available at different standardizations when it comes to its withanolide glycose content—the active compounds responsible for ashwagandha's health benefits. So you can find ashwagandha supplements that support healthy sleep, mood and cognition.

• Scientific name: Withania somnifera
• Other names: Indian ginseng, winter cherry
• Commonly used part: Root, leaf

8. Schisandra

Also known as the five-flavor fruit—representing sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty tastes—Schisandra has been traditionally used in East Asia and Russia to help support vitality and a healthy stress response.

• Scientific name: Schisandra chinensis
• Other names: Wi Wei Zi, five-flavor berry, Gomishi, Omicha, Omija, Ngu mie gee
• Commonly used part: Fruit (berry)

9. Bacopa

Bacopa, a traditional Ayurvedic herb found in the wetlands of India and Southeast Asia, has long been used to support memory, healthy cognition and attention.

• Scientific name: Bacopa monnieri
• Other names: Brahmi, water hyssop
• Commonly used part: Aerial parts (whole plant)

10. Holy basil

Not to be confused with the basil in marinara sauce, holy basil is an herb native to India and revered in Ayurvedic tradition for its use in supporting balance, vitality and overall well-being.

• Scientific name: Ocimum santum
• Other names: Tulsi
• Commonly used part: Leaf

11. Reishi

Reishi mushrooms have long been used in traditional Asian medicine to support overall health and vitality. Reishi mushrooms contain triterpenes and polysaccharides, compounds that have been studied to support immune system function.

• Scientific name: Ganoderma lucidum
• Other names: Ling Zhi
• Commonly used part: Fruiting body, mycelium, spores

12. Cordyceps

Traditionally used in East Asian herbal systems to support endurance and vitality, Cordyceps are rich in bioactive polysaccharides that have been studied for immune health support. Recipes for mud water, a chai-like beverage made with mushroom powder, often include Cordyceps as well as chaga and reishi mushrooms.

• Scientific name: Cordyceps sinensis/militaris
• Other names: Dong Chong Xia Cao, vegetable caterpillar, Chinese caterpillar fungus, Semitake, Hsia ts'ao tung ch'ung, Yarsha gumba
• Commonly used part: Fruiting body, mycelium

13. Shiitake

Traditionally used in East Asia to promote vitality and support a healthy response to stress, shiitake mushrooms are rich in bioactive polysaccharides that help promote immune health.

• Scientific name: Lentinula edodes
• Other names: Forest mushroom, Lentinula, Pasania fungus, Hua gu
• Commonly used part: Fruiting body

14. Maitake

Also known as the hen-of-the-woods, maitake mushroom is native to the temperate forests in Asia, Europe and North America. This mushroom typically grows in clusters at the base of hardwood trees. It also contains polysaccharides and has been studied for its immune health potential.

• Scientific name: Grifola frondosa
• Other names: Dancing mushroom, hen-of-the-wood
• Commonly used part: Fruiting body

15. Turkey tail

Long used in Chinese traditions, this mushroom is found worldwide, especially on decaying hardwood. Its thin, leathery, fan-shaped fruiting bodies display concentric zones of colors, usually brown, white and tan, sometimes with orange or blue, resembling a turkey's tail. These aptly named mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides.

• Scientific name: Trametes versicolor
• Other names: Yun Zhi, Coriolus versicolor
• Commonly used part: Fruiting body

16. Lion's mane

Lion's mane is an edible mushroom recognized by its distinctive white, shaggy, cascading spines that resemble a lion's mane. It is native to temperate forests in East Asia, North America, and Europe, typically growing on hardwood trees. Both the mycelium and fruiting bodies of lion's mane are used in culinary and traditional contexts.

• Scientific name: Hericium erinaceus
• Other names: Yamabushitake, monkey head mushroom
• Commonly used part: Fruiting body

17. Chaga

Chaga mushroom is a parasitic fungus found on birch trees in cold climates in Northern Europe, Russia, and Siberia. Chaga is commonly dried and ground for use in teas and chagaccinos, extracts, and supplements for its polysaccharide content and adaptogenic properties.

• Scientific name: Inonotus obliquus
• Other names: Cinder cork, Birch cork, Clinker polypore
• Commonly used part: Fruiting body

Adaptogens by health goal

Although adaptogens have broad effects, certain nutrients have been studied for specific health goals.

How can I incorporate adaptogens into my daily routine?

The best way to add adaptogens to your wellness routine is to find a form that encourages you to take them consistently. Supplements that are formulated with dosages based on scientific research help to deliver an adaptogen's full benefits, and they are a convenient way to get your everyday dose. The best supplements deliver clinically studied doses to optimize the benefits of the nutrients you are taking, so be a picky shopper!

You can also incorporate adaptogens into your lifestyle through diet, such as a chagaccino in the morning or a cup of moon milk at bedtime.

Are there side effects of adaptogens?

As with any dietary supplement, you should carefully follow the product label; if there are side effects to anticipate, they will be listed there. That being said, everyone's biochemistry is unique, so if you encounter any difficulties, discontinue use. However, you should also speak to your doctor or healthcare provider before adding any supplements to your daily routine or making any major lifestyle changes.

References

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