Stress occurs in every facet of our lives. More so than ever our bodies are subjected to an onslaught of stress – from our environment, chemical factors, dietary intake, training, incessant blue light and the list goes on and on. Regardless of the source, stress is the state of threatened homeostasis and as a response to such stress the body will experience what has been termed the general adaptation syndrome. Hans Selye is rather well known for his discovery of the general adaptation syndrome, but what most do not know about our man Hans is how he actually came across the phenomenon that plagues our performance.
The general adaptation syndrome consists of three stages: Alarm- detection of a stressor and initial reaction, Adaptation – the body will activate defense mechanisms to oppose the stressors, and finally Exhaustion – depletion of resources and breakdown of function. As a young scientist Hans Selye had a rather difficult time handling the animal subjects. During his experimental treatments he would often drop the rats and chase them around the laboratory. While investigating the response to his experimental serums he discovered that the rats injected with the experimental serums had suppressed immune systems, developed ulcers, he thought he was on to something big… until he checked the control rats (injected with a placebo) and they had the same issues. Well of course they were also dropped and abused in efforts to inject them with the control serum. Being the brilliant scientist that he was, he realized they all had in common a series of stressful experiences during his dose administrations. So, he commenced a new experiment subjecting some rats to environmental stressors such as cold, noise and others he kept in a neutral environment –This led to the monumental discovery of stress.
The key segment of his discovery and the general adaptation syndrome resides in the individual’s response within the adaptation stage. The use of plant adaptogens have been in practice for many years, perhaps even before Russian scientist N.V. Lazarev in 1947. It has been documented in several Eastern Block research papers that specific plant adaptogens improve the ability for humans to resist various stressors. Naturally, this would get performance coaches’ wheels turning about the potential of such plant adaptogens from an athletics standpoint. One would also consider the potential medicinal purposes of plant adaptogens in the prevention, or as a combatant of disease states in humans.
In the original definition, a plant adaptogen has three characteristics:
In essence, adaptogens are regulators and reinforcers. They act as metabolic regulators, helping the body maintain homeostasis under stress. They influence the biological systems such as the endocrine, immune, and nervous systems, and are increasingly studied for their role in athletic performance and disease prevention. They regulate through their normalizing effect and reinforce an organism’s adaptive capacity to withstand stress and thus result in a faster response to stress and return to dynamic homeostasis. Since stress and the diseases stress perpetuates may be contributing to a majority of all illnesses we encounter, and the largest contributing factor to injuries incurred by athletes is fatigue; perhaps it is time to take a closer look at these compounds and their potential benefits to high performance.
Precursors to fatigue are stressors placed upon the body through practice, training, or other life situations. Noted well by Soviet training expert and clinical herbalist Dr. Ben Tabachnik, the capacity of which an individual adapts to stressors and the individualistic nature of the adaptation are the limiting factors in an athletes’ performance. We have heard it over and over again – under-recovery, not overtraining, is the limiting factor in accumulating the appropriate training stimulus. Adaptogens may help bridge this gap by enhancing recovery and resilience.
There are numerous adaptogen compounds that are found in nature and used in traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and now even in preventative medicine found here in the western world. Generally, these special plant compounds with adaptive properties often grow in very harsh climates. Their ability to live in these climates necessitate adaptive compounds which humans can potentially benefit from. Several adaptogens have gained prominence due to these unique properties specifically:
– Panax Ginseng – Found in the mountains of East Asia, enhances mental acuity, and anti-inflammatory properties of the brain.
– Rhodiola rosea – Grows in cold mountainous regions; supports high load stress response and increases physical stamina. Rich in rosavin and salidroside, its compounds are shown to be stable under acidic and high-temperature conditions.
– Schisandra chinensis – Native to Northern China and Far East Russia; berries are used for their high antioxidant and adaptogenic effects.
– Shilajit – A rare exudate found in Himalayas and Altai Mountain regions, harvested only twice a year. Known for its rejuvenating properties in bone and muscle with mineral high fulvic acid content.
Adaptogens represent a promising frontier in both sports science and preventive medicine. Their ability to regulate metabolism and support systemic balance makes them valuable tools in managing stress and optimizing performance. As research continues, these ancient remedies are finding new relevance in modern health strategies.
