"Adaptogens" For Regulating Homeostasis

[RareForm]

If there's already a discussion on this seemingly controversial topic, please feel free to merge this with it or close it.

The EU has a ban on the term for marketing purposes, and the US seems to have a problem with how companies are advertising them.

I've found maca and ashwagandha to provide a sort of balance by regulating cortisol levels effectively and perhaps a geared step enhancing cognitive functions.

I'm a bit of a yokel when it comes to this stuff, though my fascination persists, so I'm curious to know if any of you have experiences or thoughts about their efficacy or use.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexander-Panossian/publication/273615817_Understanding_adaptogens_new_evidence_on_their_possible_effectiveness_in_stress-induced_and_ageing-associated_disorders_from_a_DNA_microarray_study_of_neuroglia_cells/links/59ce0eef458515cc6aa9f03d/Understanding-adaptogens-new-evidence-on-their-possible-effectiveness-in-stress-induced-and-ageing-associated-disorders-from-a-DNA-microarray-study-of-neuroglia-cells.pdf

Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress—Protective Activity - PMC

Adaptogens were initially defined as substances that enhance the “state of non-specific resistance” in stress, a physiological condition that is linked with various disorders of the neuroendocrine-immune system. Studies on animals and isolated ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexander-Panossian/publication/236089522_Adaptogens_in_Mental_and_Behavioral_Disorders/links/5a108834458515cc5aa802ae/Adaptogens-in-Mental-and-Behavioral-Disorders.pdf

12 Adaptogens for Stress and Hormonal Balance — And How to Use Them

Get smarter than stress with a little help from adaptogens. We’ll tell you about how they work, which ones to take, and pitfalls to avoid.

www.healthline.com

 

[G_Chem]

I personally don’t fully buy into “adaptogens” and have yet to see one truly. All psychoactive substances have benefits and negatives, there’s no magical malleable substance that can do nothing but good and bring no bad to the table.

Maca is a great example, I love the stuff. It’s a great long lasting stimulant, perfect adjunct to other stimulants, good vasodilator. But take too much or for too often and anxiety will start to show it’s face. Those increased levels of NE while beneficial sometimes isn’t always good.

I think most new drugs often get viewed in this overly positive light when the negatives haven’t been figured out yet.

-GC

 

[allone]

another adaptogen, although more of the synthetic type, is the russian bromantane. it has similar adaptogenic activity as the herbs mentioned.

 

[plumbus-nine]

I've tried ashwagandha up and down and all it did was giving me a weird, sad feeling when taking a lot. Rhodiola rosea worked exactly once, it gave me the jitters and since then it does nothing anymore. Don't know, is it necessary to take small doses daily for some time? Another one, bromantane, caused my interest but failed to source it for an acceptable price so far - it's a dopaminergic though and maybe more similar to its cousin memantine (which indeed is kind of a short-time adaptogen, at least can I extrapolate what bromantane must be, but this fades with time - weirdly I found it to be effective again, after a little while, when I'm still permatolerant to dissociatives).

All psychoactive substances have benefits and negatives, there’s no magical malleable substance that can do nothing but good and bring no bad to the table.

True. Some psychiatric quacks should think about.