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Adaptogens are herbs, roots and other plant substances (like mushrooms) that help our bodies manage stress and restore balance after a stressful situation. People take adaptogens as herbal supplements in capsule form, drink them in teas or in a powder added to soups, smoothies and other foods.
Any kind of stress — physical, emotional, hormonal, and even things we eat and drink —affects the body’s systems. Experts believe that adaptogens interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which initiates your body’s stress response and plays a big role in keeping your body in balance.
Not all herbs work as adaptogens. To be considered an adaptogen, an herb or plant substance must:
Be nontoxic at normal doses
Support the entire body’s ability to cope with stress
Help the body return to a stable state
