Adaptogens and Their Role in Addiction Recovery

Adaptogens have been utilized in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for millennia, and their benefits are now being recognized in the West. These herbs and natural substances help the body resist stress and maintain balance, offering significant potential for aiding addiction recovery.

Stress and Its Effects

Chronic stress impacts almost all body systems. The initial "fight or flight" response activates the sympathetic nervous system, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This response is designed for short-term emergencies, but prolonged stress keeps the body in a heightened state, known as the resistance phase. Persistently high cortisol levels can cause digestive issues, weight gain, fatigue, poor sleep, and other chronic health problems.

Coping with Stress

Modern life is filled with stress from financial worries, job dissatisfaction, relationship issues, illness, and home life problems. Many people turn to alcohol or drugs to relax, which can lead to dependence and addiction, ultimately harming liver function and overall health. Imbalances in neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and GABA are common in individuals with substance dependencies, driving the need for addictive substances to achieve balance.

The Role of Adaptogens

Adaptogens can help us to manage stress healthily, reducing the reliance on harmful substances. They balance the hormonal and central nervous systems, promoting overall equilibrium and resilience to stress. Key adaptogens beneficial for addiction recovery include:

1. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

• Benefits: Supports adrenal glands, reduces cortisol, helps with adrenal fatigue and nervous system exhaustion, and studies have shown antidepressant and anxiolytic effects (1).
• Use: Useful for managing the metabolic stress of substance abuse and withdrawal.

2. Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)

• Benefits: Stimulates dopamine and serotonin pathways, aiding in depression management with fewer adverse effects compared to SSRIs, and research showed it was better tolerated than antidepressants (2).
• Use: Useful for the management of depression.
• Caution: Avoid combining with SSRIs. As with most adaptogens, Rhodiola has not been tested on pregnant or breastfeeding women, therefore, avoidance is advised.

3. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

• Benefits: Alleviates anxiety, helps regulate neurotransmitters, and eases withdrawal symptoms (3). Protects brain and cognitive function from alcohol toxicity.
• Use: Effective for managing increased stress and anxiety during addiction recovery.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

4. Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

• Benefits: The polysaccharides extracted from maca are rich in antioxidants, helping to neutralize free radicals and cell damage, supporting detoxification (4). Some studies have shown that maca may reduce blood pressure and depression (5).
• Use: Beneficial for those recovering from excessive alcohol and drug use.

Medicinal Mushrooms

In addition to herbs, medicinal mushrooms like cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane have adaptogenic properties. They contain compounds like beta-glucans and triterpenes, which are anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory.

5. Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)

• Benefits: Cordyceps is best known for its’ energising properties, enhancing energy, physical endurance, and libido. Cordyceps is a fungus that grows on a caterpillar, found wild in the foothills of the Himalayas in Tibet and Bhutan. It is quite rare though, and due to over-harvesting (and a high value), its survival is threatened, so cultivated cordyceps should only be used.
• Use: Cordyceps helps regulate cortisol levels, supporting the stress response (6).

6. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

• Benefits: Reishi has a very calming and normalising effect on the endocrine system (hormones), immune system, cardiovascular system, the central nervous system, and the digestive system.

Use: Especially useful for adrenal health and stress management. Reishi may also support cholesterol and blood sugar balance.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

7. Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus)

• Benefits: Cognitive function and gut health, it has the ability to promote nerve growth and to prevent and repair nerve damage.
• Uses: Useful for mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Integrating Adaptogens into Recovery

Including adaptogens in your diet and supplement routine can support detoxification and increase the chances of successful recovery. However, it's recommended to work with a qualified healthcare practitioner to ensure safe and effective use, as not all adaptogens are suitable for everyone.

As always it is important to purchase high quality supplements from trustworthy sources.

Conclusion

Adaptogens offer a natural way to manage stress and support addiction recovery. By balancing the body's systems, they can help reduce the need for harmful substances and promote long-term health and well-being. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen to avoid potential interactions with medications or conditions.

This article was written by Registered Nutritional Therapist, Helen Ross, BSc (Hons), mBANT, CNHC.

Her website can be found at www.thewelllifelab.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_well_life_lab/

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References

1. Muszyńska et al. (2015) ‘Natural products of relevance in the prevention and supportive treatment of depression’, Psychiatria Polska. doi: 10.12740/pp/29367.
2. Mao et al. (2015) ‘Rhodiola rosea versus sertraline for major depressive disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial’, Phytomedicine. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2015.01.010.
3. Chandrasekhar et al. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of Ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.106022.
4. Zha et al. (2014) ‘Extraction, purification and antioxidant activities of the polysaccharides from maca (Lepidium meyenii)’, Carbohydrate Polymers. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.05.017.
5. Stojanovska et al. (2015) ‘Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women’, Climacteric. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2014.929649.
6. Nagata et al, ‘Supplemental anti-fatigue effects of Cordyceps Sinensis (Tochu-Kaso) extract powder during three stepwise exercise of human’. 2006. Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine.