Adapt-Strong
Chronic, low-grade stress is a modern-day epidemic that creates sluggish metabolism, chronic inflammation, and abnormal immunity. Elevated stress hormone levels can create digestiv e problems and leaky gut syndrome, increased appetite, weight gain, thyroid disorders, and accelerated brain degeneration. These are common findings in the brains of those with anxiety, mood, and psychological disorders (1). Many auto-immune conditions have chronically elevated stress hormone production as a catalyst for this abnormal immune response (2). What Is HPA Axis And What Is Its Role In Your Health? The body processes stress through what is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This means that an area of the brain called the hypothalamus senses the environmental conditions and sends chemical signals to the pituitary gland, which then sends chemical signals to the adrenal glands for the appropriate response to the environmental stressor. When an individual is under chronic stress, it alters this HPA axis and hampers the body’s ability to effectively adapt to stress. This is a condition called adrenal fatigue and adrenal exhaustion. When the body is under adrenal fatigue, it cannot adapt effectively to its environment. This leads to a vicious cycle of chronic inflammation, tissue breakdown, and accelerated aging (3). What Are Adaptogenic Herbs And How Does Your Body Respond To Stress? One of the key components that adaptogenic herbs offer is their ability to lower and stabilize stress hormone levels. Elevated stress hormones, such as cortisol, can drain the precursors to major hormones such as testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. With less than adequate raw materials, the body becomes sex hormone deficient. This process rapidly accelerates the aging process and makes an individual’s life miserable. Healthy individuals have stable cortisol levels that naturally spike in the morning and then level off and stay consistently low during the day before tapering at night. This allows us to wake up with energy in the morning and maintain that energy until nightfall, when we should naturally be gearing down and getting ready for sleep. Stable cortisol levels result in improved mental clarity and memory. The individual feels as though they are less agitated and anxious and, therefore, able to perform better and have a higher quality of life (4). The body’s ability to effectively adapt to stress is the hallmark sign of successful health. There are certain performance aids that help our bodies modulate the stress response and adapt effectively. These substances are called adaptogens for their remarkable ability to enhance stress adaptation. What Are The Key Adaptogenic Herbs And Nutrients? Panax Ginseng:Ginseng has been given the Greek name, Panax, which means "all curing," as it has remarkable adaptogenic qualities that benefit individuals no matter what phase of life or stressors they are encountering. Research has shown that ginseng can stabilize blood sugar by improving fatty acid metabolism. (5) This reduces stress on the adrenals and improves stamina, energy, and physical performance. The compounds in ginseng also improve oxygenation throughout the body and improve the immune system. (6) Eleuthero: In the 1950s, Russian researchers investigated the properties of eleuthero and discovered that it had “adaptogenic” activity. An adaptogen refers to a substance that supports the body’s ability to adapt and promote healthy physiological functioning, most notably in relation to stress. This balancing effect has been evaluated in numerous human clinical trials that demonstrate the ability of eleuthero to increase stamina, mental alertness, and the capability of the participants to handle stress (7, 8) Schisandra: Schisandra has been widely studied for its effect on helping the body adapt to psychological and physical stressors. It has been suggested that Schisandra affects the basal levels of nitric oxide and cortisol, which promote endurance and accuracy of movement, mental performance, and working capacity (9). Schisandra is commonly used in combination with other adaptogens. In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial with rhodiola and eleuthero, improvement in attention as well as speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks was noted (10). Rhodiola: Rhodiola contains several powerful antioxidants, including glycosides (rosavin, rosin, rosarin) and flavonoids (rodiosin, rodionin, rodiolin, quercetin, proanthocyanidins, acetylrodaglin, kaempferol), monoterpenes, triterpenes, and phenolic acids such as chlorogenic and gallic acid. This unique array of phytonutrients allows Rhodiola to adapt to stressful environmental conditions and assists in our ability to withstand daily stressors. (11) Rhodiola is known to help people calm their emotions and stimulate cognitive processes that improve memory and creative thinking. Several studies have shown that Rhodiola improves associative thinking, speed of audiovisual perception, and ability to perform complex calculations. Researchers also found that it assists with mental focus and improves cognitive health. (12) Vitamin B5-Pantothenic Acid: The most studied role of pantothenic acid in health support is its incorporation into a molecule called Coenzyme A (CoA). This molecule is arguably on the short list of the most important chemicals needed to sustain life. CoA occupies a central place in energy metabolism, acting to allow carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to be burned as fuel sources. B5 is also responsible for the production of sex and stress-related hormones, including testosterone and serotonin. Studies show that B5 also promotes healthy skin with the ability to reduce signs of skin aging, such as redness and skin spots (13). Pantothenic acid allows the adrenal glands to generate more cortisone, which can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Without adequate B5, the body is much more susceptible to the formation of chronic inflammatory cascades when under stress. (14) Vitamin B6: Pyridoxine Vitamin B6 assists in the balancing of sodium and potassium as well as promoting red blood cell production. It is linked to cardiovascular health by decreasing the formation of homocysteine. B6 helps balance hormonal changes in women and aids the immune system. Lack of B6 may cause poor cellular oxygenation, nerve damage, electrical disturbances in the brain, skin problems, and sores in the mouth (15). It is required for producing major neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. This is why it is implicated in the treatment of mood issues and anxiety (16, 17). The active form that is most bioavailable of vitamin B6 is the P-5-P form that this supplement contains. Vitamin C The release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland in tandem with the body’s physiological response to stress will deplete the relatively large amount of vitamin C typically stored in the adrenal cortex (18). This vitamin is essential for the synthesis of epinephrine, the hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. Epinephrine, in turn, plays a role in the synthesis of aldosterone, the hormone that regulates blood pressure, volume, and pH. Adrenal Gland (from Argentina bovine), Licorice Root Adrenal gland derived from pure Argentinian bovine is a complementary ingredient traditionally used to replenish adrenal function (19) Licorice contains triterpenoid saponins that influence cortisol balance, and it is a staple herb for supporting adrenal insufficiency (20). What Are The Benefits of Adapt-Strong? Adapt-Strong supports normalizing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis when under stress. This formula provides useful support for both hyper and hypofunction of the adrenals. Hyperfunction is when the adrenals are overproducing hormones, such as cortisol, and hypofunction is the opposite, when the adrenals are underproducing. What Is The Recommended Dosage? Normal Dosage: 1 capsule – 2x daily Advanced Dosage: 2 capsules – 2x daily When introducing a new supplement, we recommend taking the lowest dose for 2-3 days. As tolerated, increase the dose until you have reached the recommended normal or advanced guidelines. Reduce to a tolerable dosage if adverse effects occur.
