Adaptogens: five words to understand them

"Adaptogen" is one of those words you hear everywhere. This short glossary helps you find your bearings.

1. Adaptogen

It's a modern word. It's used for plants that tradition used to support the body's balance day to day. It isn't a medical category: it's a way of grouping plants with a similar traditional use.

2. Ayurveda

It's India's traditional wellbeing system. Its name joins two ideas: life and knowledge. Many of the plants called adaptogens come from there.

3. Ashwagandha

A plant from India (Withania somnifera). In Ayurvedic tradition its root has been used for centuries. It's the most studied of the group: there are trials in adults measuring how they feel facing everyday stress.

4. Holy basil

Also called tulsi (Ocimum sanctum). In India it's a deeply revered plant, grown in homes and temples.

5. Together, in one capsule

Our Ashwagandha + Holy Basil combines both plants at 1000 mg, in a 120-capsule bottle. To go deeper, read Ashwagandha and holy basil.

Dietary supplements do not replace a varied diet or medical treatment. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a health condition, talk to your doctor before starting.

Sources

• Chandrasekhar et al., A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ashwagandha root extract in adults, Indian J Psychol Med (2012)
• Cohen, Tulsi – Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons, J Ayurveda Integr Med (2014)