“Adaptogens are a class of herbs used to improve the health of your adrenal system, which is in charge of managing your body’s hormonal response to stress,” explains Frank Lipman, M.D., an integrative-medicine practitioner and the founder of Be Well.They’re called adaptogens because of their unique ability to “adapt” their function according to your body’s specific needs. “They can calm you down and boost your energy at the same time without leaving you feeling overstimulated,” says Lipman. Although the herbs may be new to you, they’ve been used in both traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. The most common adaptogenic herbs include Asian ginseng, eleuthero, ashwagandha, and Rhodiola rosea. (They’re also available in a single supplement with the Be Well Energy formula created by Lipman.)
