Posted by The goal when dealing with anxiety and stress is to be able to handle things with grace and come out well on the other side. Distraction from tension and worry simply doesn’t fit into a productive wellness lifestyle and can interfere with careful routines and being fully present.
Classification and use of adaptogens aren’t as modern as you might think. Interestingly, Soviet military and athletic programs got them known and popular in the US as performance enhancers, both physically and mentally.
True to their name, adaptogens help people adapt to changing circumstances and challenging situations. Narrowing it down is a list with the top 5 that are best for anxiety and stress.
How Adaptogens Relieve Anxiety and Promote Stress Resilience
Adaptogens do some invisible heavy lifting in the emotional area and don’t make users feel like they’re taking drugs or psychotropic medications. Many people self-report feeling subtly-increasing effects within days, better able to handle stress at work, and overall having better days that don’t feel like eventual emotional burnout or restless nights of worrisome thoughts. They feel natural and at one with the body and mind, because they are.
The main pathway adaptogens work on is the Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis (HPA), which controls what we know as the stress response or survival mode. Think of neither depressing the Central Nervous System (such as with alcohol or opioids) or overstimulating it (stimulants) but keeping it on an even keel with regards to cortisol (stress hormone) and other neuroendocrine pathways. They also aid in healthy intracellular pathways, meaning maintaining energy levels during stress. The result is enhanced survival, neuroplasticity, and cellular adaptation.
5 Adaptogens for Anxiety and Stress
If you want to understand why so many people swear by adaptogens, read about these popular choices you can encounter today:
Kava or Kava Kava
Piper methysticum is a pepper family plant, with kava or kava kava being the common name as well as the name for the root-derived beverage. Kava has psychoactive effects, so they can be a bit intoxicating, so it’s best for nighttime use. It’s an alcohol alternative that’s traditionally been in use for social bonding, anxiety and stress relief, has a bitter flavor, and makes the mouth feel somewhat numb. Its key bioactive compounds, or kavalactones, affect GABA, dopamine, norepinephrine, and CB1 receptors. Kava’s effects are short-lived and last 3 to 5 hours.
Ashwagandha
Many daily supplements contain Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) as one of their ingredients. Think of starting the day on the right foot with a smooth, calm feeling that can be a little drowsy with certain doses. Some people self-report that it’s almost like taking a Xanax but without the intoxication. Alternatively, it can be for nighttime use on its own or in stacks with other botanicals or herbs for unwinding, so it depends on the time of day and what you take it with (if anything). It lasts about 4 to 6 hours. Ashwagandha root powder is a staple in traditional Indian medicine.
L-Theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid that’s similar to glutamine and L-glutamate. Glutamine is a non-essential nutrient (human bodies can produce it on their own) and a precursor to GABA (see below). L-glutamate is in demand by the body in times of stress, so this resemblance in structure likewise has similar effects in anxiety relief and stress resilience by providing what the body uses too much of. The tea plant and some fungi produce it naturally.
GABA
Have you ever heard of the triune brain theory? GABA is a neurotransmitter that works in an inhibitory (limiting) way to prevent the mammalian Central Nervous System from getting overly excited. Other than the brain, GABA is naturally present in the pancreas, specifically in its insulin-producing beta cells (think blood sugar). It’s also present in various organs in the abdomen as well as the lungs.
What does CNS excitability do? Cognitive dysfunction and other disorders can result. GABA’s role is to maintain output or change output depending on circumstances. Through several areas in the CNS region, GABA aids in voluntary physical functions and stress response for homeostasis.
Kana or Kanna
Another psychoactive plant, Mesembryanthemum tortuosum is a succulent that hails from Africa. Its traditional usage was as a fermented, chewable form of the plant, as medicine, and for social and and spiritual purposes. It also exists in the form of gel caps, tinctures, teas, and smoking herb.
Kana helps combat the effects of thirst, hunger, and fatigue. It is sometimes commercially available as a sexual performance enhancer – so uplifting, euphoric effects enhance mood and get people in the mood. mixed with cannabis, and commercially may be available as a sexual performance enhancer. Uplifting, euphoric effects enhance mood (and get people in the mood)
Kratom and Kava Shots That Hit Different
Kratom and kava shots by Real Botanicals don’t only have kratom and kava, although they’re the main featured ingredients. They also contain Ashwagandha, L-theanine, and GABA for a well-rounded array of bioactive compounds that affect different aspects of anxiety and stress. When you want fast relief in a shot bottle, their particular kratom and kava shots could fit perfectly into your routine.
Further reading: “6 of the Best Botanicals for Calm and Relaxation” and “6 of the Best Botanicals for Mood Boosting and Support”