by Emme Haddon

The latest buzzword to hit the health food and supplement market is ‘adaptogen’. Health and beauty blogs are raving about them and the health conscious and fitness enthusiasts are taking them as supplements, in tinctures, herbal infusions and adding them to meals and smoothies.

But what exactly are they? The term “adaptogen” stems from the Latin ‘adaptare’, meaning to adjust, and was first coined in the late 1940s by the Russian toxicologist, Nickolai Lazarev, while studying the body’s resistance to stress. Workplace stress alone has risen by nearly 20% over the last 30 years. With the COVID-19 pandemic in its second year, the economic difficulties and curbs on social interaction have had a marked effect on people’s mental health.

Stress boosts cortisol production – the chronic overproduction of which is detrimental to the immune, digestive, cardiovascular, sleep, and reproductive systems. To be considered adaptogenic, herbs have to meet specific criteria: be non-toxic to the body; reduce and regulate stress by helping the body adapt to it and they must benefit overall well-being.

By restoring balance in the stress response, adaptogens aid overall adrenal health. Adrenal glands produce hormones that help regulate the metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to stress and other essential functions. The concept of adaptogenic herbs dates back 5,000 years to ancient Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda healing traditions – many of the “rasayana” (rejuvenating) medicinal plants referred to in ancient ayurvedic manuscripts are adaptogenic.

Ashwagandha (Latin: Withania somnifera), also known as Indian winter cherry and amukkara in Sinhala, is a highly prized adaptogenic rasayana that has been cultivated and used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It is a small, evergreen plant with velvety leaves, and bell flowers that contain orangey-red fruits, native to India, the Middle East and North Africa.

It grows well in dry stony soil with sun to partial shade and is able to tolerate drought conditions. The Latin species name “somnifera” means “sleep-inducing” whilst the name “ashwagandha” is a combination of the Sanskrit words ‘ashva’, meaning horse, and ‘gandha’, meaning smell, reflecting the strong horse-like odour of its roots.

In Ayurveda ashwagandha is used in various formulations as a tonic to strengthen, rejuvenate and bring balance to all the body systems. The root is also used in Ayurveda to balance vata doshas and is considered a grounding and nourishing herb. Ashwagandha is a powerful reproductive tonic having aphrodisiac qualities that is used to treat erectile dysfunction, boost vitality, balance hormones and improve sperm count and semen quality.

In the Kama Sutra it is described as a natural sexual stimulant that men can use to increase their sex drive. It is also an acclaimed tonic for the brain and nervous systems, traditionally used to treat hysteria, anxiety, stress, memory loss, epilepsy, insomnia and other nervous disorders.

Ashwagandha, is one of the most studied of all adaptogenic plants. Ayurvedic tradition is enough proof for some, but there is a growing body of research lending the herb credibility among those who value science above all else. Scientific studies describe the benefits in a language of the times. Known as “the chill-out herb” it is likened to a stress vaccine that tweaks hormone production and helps our bodies manage, adapt and build resilience to external stressors.

Many of ashwagandha’s health benefits are attributed to the high concentration in its roots of withanoloids which have immunology, anti-inflammatory, neuron and brain regenerative properties and show promise in oncology. Studies have demonstrated its benefits in:

stress management and sleep support – reducing cortisol production and boosting testosterone has a positive effect on mood, libido, erectile dysfunction, energy, body fat, sleep, muscle and bone mass and overall well-being;

improving heart health by reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels;

lowering blood sugar levels;

lowering blood pressure;

increasing the activity of natural killer cells that fight infection;

decreasing markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, linked to an increased risk of heart disease;

easing the pain and joint swelling in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis;

treating skin conditions such as ulcers, skin sores, leukoderma and scabies,

promoting the formation of reactive oxygen species which disrupts the function of cancer cells and inducing apoptosis, the programmed death of cancer cells;

slowing, halting or reversing the progression of neurodegenerative disorders including, dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases and

improving cardiovascular endurance exercise in healthy athletes, with significant improvement in muscle mass and strength, testosterone levels, recovery time and tolerability and reduction in exercise-induced muscle damage and decrease in body fat.

In Sri Lanka, despite having a long ayurvedic tradition and growing body of research, the health benefits of ashwagandha are relatively unknown. Here it is referred to as “Nature’s Viagra” with little awareness of its other remarkable health benefits. Globally, however, sales of ashwagandha are enjoying huge success as it responds to key consumer needs: sleep, brain-health, anxiety and stress.

In the U.S. by the end of 2020, with the outbreak of Covid-19, ashwagandha sales saw a massive 3,995% increase as new consumers sought natural remedies to help them deal with poor sleep quality and stress. Studies that focus on improved athletic performance, overall cardiovascular health, immunity, neurodegenerative benefits and pet-care have opened up new avenues for ashwagandha root and its supplements.

With consumers interested in more novel delivery forms, ashwagandha is now available in the form of beverages, chocolate, coffee, powders, gummies, and candies. It is also formulated with complementary ingredients to promote specific health benefits

The popularity of ashwagandha has served as the gateway herb to the overall adaptogen category of herbs. Ashwagandha is poised to lead adaptogens into the mainstream in 2021. Once again, this poses the question will Sri Lanka wake up to the wonders of ashwagandha and the many other adaptogenic Ayurvedic herbs native to this biodiverse island?

(Emme Haddon has lived in the West Indies, France, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the UK. She has run various businesses and has set up a successful on-line clothing operation. For the past seven years she has lived in Sri Lanka where she has been able to pursue her passion for natural medicines. She has a great interest in Sri Lanka’s plants and herbal medicines.)