Prime Science

Adaptogens - Stronger than Stress

Dr. Ben Tabachnik, Vice President of Research and Development

Scientists have struggled with stress for decades, but have never achieved a scientific breakthrough in protecting the human body from stress. Dr. Hans Selye, the Canadian researcher who first studied the concept of stress, describes the condition as the body's reaction as it strives to adapt to all changes in life. This concept intrigued Dr. Brekhman and his mentor, Professor Nikolai Lazarev, and became a starting point for their quest. They worked from the theory that if there is only one mechanism for launching all of the negative states of the human organism (over-fatigue, depression, sleep disorders, as well as many illnesses) then there should be some substance which can help the entire body and its systems adjust to and overcome these negative consequences.

From this unique concept, Russian researchers initiated their search for this substance, which led them ultimately to adaptogens. Dr. Brekhman was the first to study and prove that adaptogens are the only natural substances which help the body protect itself from stress. However, the mechanism by which adaptogens achieve their vitalizing effects is well-researched not only in the former Soviet Union, but also in Japan, Germany, Sweden, and the United States.

When the human body is under stress, for example, during athletic training, mental or emotional pressure, the adrenal gland pours out its stress hormones as the body is "called to arms" by the natural "fight or flight" instinct. If adaptogens are present during this time of stress, this instinct is altered. The first difference in reaction is that the body's response to stress is more effective. The adrenal gland slows its production of harmful stress hormones and the body is left with more of its natural reserves intact.

A great deal of biochemical research was carried out in the former USSR, notably by a colleague of Dr. Brekhman, Dr. Igor Dardymov, who further uncovered clues as to how the human body works more efficiently, and especially how humans can achieve higher stamina levels as a result of using adaptogens. These studies have shown that the biological machinery which manages energy in the body is activated by adaptogens. The result is that when the body is challenged, more sugar (glucose) is released into the blood from the body's reserves. This glucose is quickly absorbed by tissue cells to give them the necessary energy to function. According to many researchers, adaptogens help glucose cross the cell barriers (membranes) and is therefore more easily absorbed. As a result, the sugar levels in the blood return to normal more quickly, an effect confirmed by studies in Professor Norman Farnsworth's laboratory at the University of Chicago in 1983.

The result of this more efficient cellular activity is that after taking adaptogens there is more energy available to carry out difficult tasks. The body can perform better with less fatigue. It has been confirmed at research centers throughout the world that under the influence of adaptogens, the body has a better supply of fuel and a lower buildup of the wastes (lactic acid) that lead to exhaustion and poor functioning.

Once the body's systems are working properly, adaptogens help the body to remain balanced, so that each system is working in harmony with the others - which ultimately improves health and well-being

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