Your Brain And Body On Adaptogens and Nootropics
We’ve entered the era of adaptogens and nootropics. Obviously, we’re fans of infusing your morning ritual with the potency of functional ingredients, but what are these so-called miracle workers? And how do they really behave in your brain and body?
Adaptogens and Nootropics: Key Players in Stress Reduction and Improved Cognition
Nootropics are a class of synthetic and natural substances considered to be “cognitive enhancers” that can help boost brain power in healthy individuals.40
Synthetic nootropics include prescription drugs (like Adderall), while natural include supplements, peptides, vitamins (like B-12) and nutrients (like fish oil); plus natural herbs (like gingko and ginseng), and even stimulants like caffeine.
Interest in nootropics is growing, mostly amongst healthy individuals who crave the competitive advantage of improved memory, attention, and overall cognitive performance.40
Adaptogens are naturally-occurring substances often found in plants that are believed to help the body regulate its stress response.
While nootropics work mostly in the brain, adaptogens work in the body at large. These substances have been used in traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Adaptogens can help regulate your body’s stress response by supporting the adrenal glands – the triangle-shaped organ that releases cortisol, a stress hormone.41
Adaptogen Examples In the Wild: Ashwagandha
Many members of the plant and fungi kingdoms are considered adaptogens.Just read the bag of a box of herbal tea and you’re likely to spot one of these darlings. Common plant adaptogens include holy basil (also called tulsi), ginseng, and rhodiola rosea. But one of the most revered plant adaptogens is ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha, also called “Indian ginseng,” is a plant commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s known to improve cognitive function, memory, and attention span.33 Its ability to help your brain retain information makes it both a nootropic and an adaptogen.
Adaptogenic Mushrooms: Your New Favorite Fungi
While plants get much of the attention, the fungal kingdom also sports several adaptogenic friends, too. Called adaptogenic mushrooms, these fungi are the fruiting body (the part you see above ground) and the mycelium (the root-like structure underground) of fungi are proven to help the body maintain a state of homeostasis.
Much like plant-based adaptogens, these fungi contain bioactive compounds that support the body’s ability to resist stressors (physical, emotional, and environmental) by supporting the immune system, offering antioxidant properties, balancing hormones, and boosting energy.
A Few Of Our Favorite Adaptogenic Mushrooms
All of the mushrooms we use in our instant adaptogenic latte blends contain six adaptogenic mushrooms (also called “functional mushrooms.”
Cordyceps is an adaptogenic mushrooms with potential applications in the treatment of mood disorders like depression and anxiety.32
Lion’s Mane mushroom (it looks like an oversized cotton ball) is also considered to be adaptogenic (as are maitake, chaga, and himematsutake), particularly when it comes to neurological health. Similar to ashwagandha, it acts as both a nootropic and an adaptogen in the body. Bam.
Adaptogenic Mushroom Benefits for Regulating Stress
We often don’t notice a regulated stress response. When cortisol levels are in check, we simply feel good (“calm” or “at peace” are other indicators that you’re riding a wave of stress-regulated contentment and bliss). But a dysregulated stress response may be the sneaky culprit behind many of your health woes.
When your body’s ability to manage daily stressors becomes impaired, it becomes “dysregulated.” A key indicator of dysregulation include feelings of persistent anxiety (those racing thoughts and constant feeling of overwhelm, even in routine). Chronic fatigue is another indicator – maybe you feel tired all the time, despite getting in your 8-9 hours of solid shut eye. Maybe you're struggling to fall asleep – or worse, stay asleep – so you wake up feeling unrefreshed.
Whatever the challenge, a dysregulated stress response impacts your overall mood, causing difficulty with concentration and clear-headed decision-making.
Adaptogens and Nootropics: A Blissed-Out Way To Start (Or End) Your Day
We’re fans of coffee (hello, Motherbrew – our signature ground coffee, blended with functional mushrooms) but without the adaptogenic properties of functional mushrooms stabilizing the stimulating effects of caffeine, your morning cup can leave you feeling wired and jittery.
Enter the adaptogenic latte. These beverages are designed to introduce adaptogens and nootropics into your morning (or evening) routine with ease. Our adaptogenic lattes are crafted to replace your coffee or tea ritual with the health-supportive, adaptogenic effects of functional mushrooms.
To inspire our flavors and ingredients, we’ve borrowed wisdom from traditional medicines like Ayurveda – a philosophy that harnesses the power of food as medicine. Our Golden Milk adaptogenic latte was inspired by the ancient ayurvedic beverage, haldi doodh. It’s formulated with ashwagandha, plus six functional mushrooms to help support the adrenal glands. It’s a caffeine-free beverage (caffeine can spike cortisol levels in the body), so it’s the perfect ritual for de-stressing after a long or hectic day.