Adaptogens have been around for centuries—they were used by ancient Chinese warriors to control their response to stress and were studied by Russian scientists during the Cold War. Now they’ve been adopted by both tech executives powering through long hours at work and fitness enthusiasts seeking an edge.
As a renowned Silicon Valley investor and the founder of Bulletproof Coffee—as well as a gym regular—Dave Asprey fits pretty much every category of the modern adaptogen user. In the following slides, he gives us a primer on five of his favorites.
5 Adaptogens to Benefit Your Brain and Body
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Astragalus
What It Does: Contains 126 different chemical components, including flavonoids and polysaccharides. It may also help lengthen telomeres, which can fight aging as well as inflammation.Asprey Says: “This isn’t an antiinflammatory, but it helps the cells work better, so you get less inflammation.”
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Siberian Ginseng
What It Does: May increase endurance, reduce fatigue, and improve immunity.Asprey Says: “People who practice endurance exercise tend to get a decline in immune function. Studies show Siberian ginseng improves resistance to cognitive and physical fatigue.”
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Bacopa Monnieri
What It Does: May aid with anxiety, depression, and physiological stress.Asprey Says: “If you take Bacopa before a workout, you don’t get the stress of the workout, but you still get the benefits. You also don’t get the shortterm cognitive decline postworkout.”
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Ashwagandha
What It Does: May mitigate stress in a variety of ways, including by supporting your adrenal response.Asprey Says: “If you over exercise, your cortisol will go up too high, which is bad. And then your cortisol crashes, and you get tired and sick. This will help keep your cortisol levels from crashing.”
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Holy Basil
What It Does: May increase testosterone and help protect the liver.Asprey Says: “It’s got a couple of compounds that have been documented to specifically help the liver. And the more you’re eating extra protein to put on muscle, the more stress it puts on your liver.”
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How to Take Them
Adaptogens can be found in pills, as well as in tinctures, powders, and teas. (Bulletproof’s Zen Mode pills contain both holy basil and ashwagandha.) Asprey recommends taking them in the morning before a workout with a little bit of fat—either a meal or a cup of coffee with some fat infused in it. For example, you could fast in the morning, drink your coffee, take your adaptogens, and hit the gym. “Afterward, you eat some protein, and you have the best possible environment for making muscle,” Asprey says.
What It Does: Contains 126 different chemical components, including flavonoids and polysaccharides. It may also help lengthen telomeres, which can fight aging as well as inflammation.
Asprey Says: “This isn’t an antiinflammatory, but it helps the cells work better, so you get less inflammation.”
Siberian Ginseng
What It Does: May increase endurance, reduce fatigue, and improve immunity.
Asprey Says: “People who practice endurance exercise tend to get a decline in immune function. Studies show Siberian ginseng improves resistance to cognitive and physical fatigue.”
Bacopa Monnieri
What It Does: May aid with anxiety, depression, and physiological stress.
Asprey Says: “If you take Bacopa before a workout, you don’t get the stress of the workout, but you still get the benefits. You also don’t get the shortterm cognitive decline postworkout.”
Ashwagandha
What It Does: May mitigate stress in a variety of ways, including by supporting your adrenal response.
Asprey Says: “If you over exercise, your cortisol will go up too high, which is bad. And then your cortisol crashes, and you get tired and sick. This will help keep your cortisol levels from crashing.”
Holy Basil
What It Does: May increase testosterone and help protect the liver.
Asprey Says: “It’s got a couple of compounds that have been documented to specifically help the liver. And the more you’re eating extra protein to put on muscle, the more stress it puts on your liver.”
How to Take Them
Adaptogens can be found in pills, as well as in tinctures, powders, and teas. (Bulletproof’s Zen Mode pills contain both holy basil and ashwagandha.) Asprey recommends taking them in the morning before a workout with a little bit of fat—either a meal or a cup of coffee with some fat infused in it. For example, you could fast in the morning, drink your coffee, take your adaptogens, and hit the gym. “Afterward, you eat some protein, and you have the best possible environment for making muscle,” Asprey says.
