Adaptogens 201

A few weeks ago, we gave you a crash course in adaptogens. As a refresher, adaptogens are generally botanicals that have a normalizing effect on bodily functions (for example, they may help your body adapt to stress). Sound vague? That’s because dozens of herbs fall into this wide net. So why are we talking about them? Because “adaptogens” are suddenly everywhere and just about no one knows what they are.

Last time we covered Ashwagandha, Bacopa and Cordyceps. For Adaptogens Part Two, we’re skipping down the alphabet a little for Eleuthero, Maitake, and Maca.

Eleuthero, also known as Siberian ginseng, is alleged to improve bone density, increase endurance and stabilize blood sugar. Like most adaptogens, the evidence is still up for debate. You can read more about this super-plant here and here.

Maitake mushrooms, which also show up on restaurant menus and in recipes, may lower glucose and circulating insulin levels, and enhance peripheral insulin sensitivity.

Maca, a vegetable native to Peru, is mostly found in the sexual health aisle. But it has lots of purported benefits in addition to libido stimulation, including boosting energy and exercise performance.

So, next time you walk down the supplement aisle, the beverage aisle, the coffee aisle, or even the beauty aisle, and you see the word “adaptogen” on the label, you’ll be a pro.

Here at NEXT Data & Insights, we’ll continue to track this trend through the number of products shown at our Natural Products Expos, as well as new product concept testing adaptogens and products that contain them. To learn more about our trend tracking and how you can do your own early-stage concept testing, contact the NEXT Data & Insights team.