Adaptogens are plants and fungi that help the body maintain balance in all its systems.
Criteria for adaptogens
1. An adaptogen produces a non-specific response in an organism, i.e., an increase in power of resistance against multiple stressors including physical, chemical, or biological agents.
2. An adaptogen has a normalizing influence on physiology, irrespective of the direction of change from physiological norms caused by the stressor.
3. An adaptogen is incapable of influencing normal body functions more than required to gain non-specific resistance.
Adaptogens for Exercise Recovery - Common and Latin names
Ashwagandha - Withania somnifera
Astragalus - Astragalus membranaceus
Codonopsis - Codonopsis radix
Cordyceps - Cordyceps militaris
Ginseng - Panax ginseng
Holy basil - Ocimum tenuiflorum
Reishi - Ganoderma lucidum
Rhodiola rosea - Rhodiola rosea
Schisandra - Schisandra chinensis
Sea buckthorn - Hippophae rhamnoides
Turmeric - Curcuma longa
Ashwagandha improves aerobic capacity by increasing oxygen in the blood. It can help add muscle mass and strength and can be useful in resistance training programs. It decreases the buildup of lactate and ammonia caused by exercise.1
Astragalus is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is thought to increase endurance and is used as a tonic for young active people. Studies have shown that the strong antioxidant properties of astragalus account for its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system which can increase aerobic performance.2
Codonopsis increases hemoglobin and RBC levels while lowering blood pressure. It is used to increase endurance of stress and alertness by maintaining normal blood oxygen levels. 3
Cordyceps can reduce and modulate the heart rate of marathoners thereby increasing endurance.It can reduce lactic acid.4
Ginseng can enhance muscle strength, endurance, and muscle recovery. It combats fatigue and promotes muscle regeneration. 5
Goji berry contains all nine of the amino acids your body needs to function well. It can reduce feelings of tiredness.6
Holy basil is good for muscle recovery. It helps the body maintain physiological homeostasis, or balance. It has antioxidant qualities, which can help prevent muscle damage after rigorous training. It lowers lactic acid. 7
Reishi mushroom lowers lactic acid, helps glycogen reserves resulting in less fatigue.8
Rhodiola rosea is said to enhance physical strength and endurance and lower blood lactate and plasma creatine kinase levels. The literature on this is mixed with many studies being inconclusive.
Schisandra lowers blood lactate. It fights fatigue by enhancing muscle performance.9
Sea buckthorn is packed with antioxidants, Omega -3, -6, -9, and -7. -7 is essential for collagen production. It has high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This helps all of the body’s connective tissues fight fatigue. 10
Turmeric is highly anti-inflammatory. This is another herb where studies are mixed but it has a long history of use. Its anti-inflammatory benefits alone suggest a role in exercise recovery.
For more information on Sports and Traditional Chinese Medicine see this article:
Sports and Chinese Herbal Medicine
ZeHua Yu, WenBin Wang, Kun Yang, JinFei Gou, Yi Jiang, ZhangBiao, Yu Graduate School, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510000, China Physical Culture Institute, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550000, China
Check out Google Scholar for more articles and studies. The content in these studies can challenge the best of readers so you can choose to read the Abstract then skip to the end for the Discussion and Conclusion sections.
1Wankhede, S., Langade, D., Joshi, K. et al. Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 12, 43 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-015-0104-9
2Antonelli, Michele, and Davide Donelli. 2024. "Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi) Supplementation in Sports Training: A Systematic Review" Encyclopedia 4, no. 1: 158-170. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia4010014
3Chu, Rui MDa; Zhou, Yiquan MDb; Ye, Chenjuan BDb; Pan, Rui BDb; Tan, Xiaomei PhDa,*. Advancements in the investigation of chemical components and pharmacological properties of Codonopsis: A review. Medicine 103(26):p e38632, June 28, 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038632
4Thongsawang, Siraphatthra, et al. "Applying Cordyceps sinensis to Boost Endurance Performance in Long-Distance Runners." Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, vol. 24, no. 3, June 2021, pp. 1+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667938345/AONE?u=nysl_oweb&sid=googleScholar&xid=a8c77f05. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
5Muñoz-Castellanos, Borja, Patricia Martínez-López, Rafael Bailón-Moreno, and Laura Esquius. 2024. "Effect of Ginseng Intake on Muscle Damage Induced by Exercise in Healthy Adults" Nutrients 16, no. 1: 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010090
6Lycium barbarum Fruit (Goji) Attenuates the Adrenal Steroid Response to an Exercise Challenge and the Feeling of Tiredness: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Human Clinical Study Harunobu Amagase, Dwight M. Nance Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine University of California at Irvine, Received: February 6, 2012 doi:10.5539/jfr.v1n2p3 Accepted: February 17, 2012 Published: May 1, 2012 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jfr.v1n2p3
7Prasad, MP Venu, and Farhath Khanum. "Antifatigue activity of ethanolic extract of Ocimum sanctum in rats." Research Journal of Medicinal Plant 6, no. 1 (2012): 37-46.
8Geng, Ping, Siu, Ka-Chai, Wang, Zhaomei, Wu, Jian-Yong, Anti Fatigue Functions and Mechanisms of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms, BioMed Research International, 2017, 9648496, 16 pages, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9648496
9Evaluation of the anti-fatigue activity of Schisandra chinensis polysaccharides, Zhou Si, Haoxiang Chen, Chensi Gu, Tingting Wang, Ziluan Fan, This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal., https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2742326/v1
10Geetha Suryakumar, Asheesh Gupta, Medicinal and therapeutic potential of Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.),
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 138, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 268-278, ISSN 0378-8741, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2011.09.024.