People often underestimate the power of plants, but they remain some of the most important living things that affect our daily lives. Besides providing us with nutrients in our meals every day, some plants have been discovered to have powerful effects on the body. Some of these plants have been refined and turned into the medicines and drugs that help people with medical issues. Others are used by people every day to regulate their moods and reduce their stress levels. These plants and herbs are called “adaptogens,” and they have been used by people to create powerful concoctions for centuries. One of the more popular ways to get these powerful plants is through an adaptogen drink, and they are only becoming more popular.

But what are adaptogens and how can an adaptogen drink help you feel better? Today, we break down what adaptogens are, their history, and how they can help you regulate your moods and reduce your stress levels.

A Brief History of the Adaptogen

The term “adaptogen” was first coined by a Soviet scientist, of all people, back in the 1940s. Back then, Soviet soldiers were drinking the world’s first widely available adaptogen drink, although they called it a “tonic” instead. This scientist was trying to find an all-natural way to help soldiers stay alert and coined the term “adaptogen” to describe how these plants helped them stay calm and alert.

While this is when the modern scientific community started to investigate these powerful plants, many cultures around the world already knew about the effects of adaptogen drinks. In fact, traditional Indian and Chinese medicine often prescribe adaptogens for everything from low energy to helping people with stress-related injuries. In Ancient Greece, a physician named Dioscorides created a catalogue of over 600 plants with known curative powers, including many plants that we now call “adaptogens.”

Fast forward a few centuries and the adaptogen drink developed by those Soviet scientists has a name, “Eleuthero” or “Siberian ginseng,” and it is heading up to space with the world’s earliest cosmonauts. After this, drinks with the compounds found in that elixir start showing up in Olympian diets and more scientific studies discover that these plants have positive effects on the body.

Since being discovered and researched, more and more people have awoken to the power of the adaptogen, specifically the transformative qualities of the adaptogen drink. In fact, Olympic athletes have said these compounds have been the key to their success for decades.

What are Adaptogens

We now know a little bit more about the history of adaptogens, but what are they? How do they differ from regular plants? And why is an adaptogen drink the most common way to ingest them? A recent article in Time Magazine puts it best:

“Adaptogens are non-toxic plants that are marketed as helping the body resist stressors of all kinds, whether physical, chemical, or biological. These herbs and roots have been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing traditions, but they’re having a renaissance today. Some, like holy basil, can be eaten as part of a meal, and some are consumed as supplements or brewed into teas.”

While new research is coming out all the time, adaptogens, especially when taken in an adaptogen drink, appear to block or regulate the body’s stress hormones. When the body is stressed, it releases special hormones to help boost its functions. But these hormones are often at too high of a level thanks to the stresses of modern life. The result can be damaging for people, and adaptogens appear to help bring balance back to these hormones in people.

How You can Unlock the Power of Adaptogens

One of the most common ways that people are tapping into the power of the adaptogen is through the same way they were back in the forties: through an adaptogen drink. Whether it is a smoothie or a juice, many people are choosing to get an added boost every day from these powerful plants.

While adaptogens have been with us for centuries, we are only now learning about their power, especially in how they can help the body with the stresses and anxieties of modern life. You too can enjoy the benefits of adaptogens with a simple adaptogen drink, which can help reduce your stress levels and regulate your mood.