Adaptogens for stress and hormone balance

While cortisol gets a bad name as the “stress hormone”, it is vital to human life. When balanced, it regulates our sleep-wake cycle, metabolism, reduces inflammation, controls blood sugar, and helps our body’s deal with stressful situations – although when there is too much cortisol in the body, it can lead to anxiety, depression, fatigue, trouble sleeping, and high blood pressure. But nature can offer support; adaptogenic mushrooms like Reishi and Cordyceps may help the body adapt to stress.

Adaptogens don’t block stress, but they help to regulate and normalise body functions so your body can respond to stress more effectively and calmly. Mycologist Waine Delaney at Monotub explains how adaptogens buffer the effects of cortisol – from balancing neurotransmitters to protecting the body from free radicals and oxidative stress – and reveals the mushrooms that can help your body deal with anxiety and stress better, and how to get the most out of them.

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How adaptogens buffer the effects of cortisol

Regulating HPA axis

Adaptogenic mushrooms support the HPI axis (the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis) which is a key system in the body that controls your stress response, including the release of cortisol. When you’re under a lot of stress, the HPA axis becomes overactive, leading to a cortisol imbalance – either too much, making you feel anxious, or not enough, which makes you feel exhausted and burned out.

Balancing neurotransmitters

Many mushrooms help to regulate GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid), which is one of the main calming neurotransmitters in the brain. If you don’t have enough GABA, you can feel restless, anxious, unable to shut off your mind, and struggle to sleep – wired but tired.

Adaptogenic mushrooms contain triterpenes, a compound that can increase GABA receptors in the brain to help you respond better to your body’s natural calming signals, lower cortisol levels, and have a healthier sleep cycle.

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Protecting cells from oxidative stress

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage your body’s cells, proteins, and DNA; these molecules are produced as a byproduct of your cells using oxygen to function and are normally kept in balance with antioxidants. When your cortisol levels are high due to constant stress, your body produces more free radicals, which results in oxidative stress; this weakens the immune system, contributes to inflammation, speeds up aging, and can increase your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and even depression.

Antioxidant rich mushrooms ‘soak up’ the excess free radicals, restore balance to the body, helping you recover from the invisible damage stress and cortisol leaves behind – and help your body build its own antioxidant enzymes like glutathione and superoxide dismutase, which are crucial for detoxifying the harmful byproducts of stress.

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Improving sleep quality

When you enter deep sleep, usually around midnight to 2 a.m., cortisol naturally drops to its lowest level, and your body repairs tissues and balances hormones. However, chronic stress and high cortisol disrupts this process, making it hard to fall asleep, and causing you to get stuck in light sleep, which isn’t restorative, and creating a vicious cycle of fatigue, burnout, and anxiety.

Adaptogens can help balance the natural cortisol rhythm of high in the morning and low at night, which is important for a healthy sleep cycle – and polysaccharides found in certain mushrooms can help regulate melatonin, which is the hormone that makes you feel sleepy.

What mushrooms can help with stress?

Reishi

Reishi is often called ‘lingzhi’, or ‘mushroom of immortality’ in traditional Chinese medicine, and is famous for its adaptogenic properties that can regulate cortisol and calm the nervous system, support immune function, and promote deep and restful sleep. Studies have shown that Reishi contains compounds that can protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals, and can inhibit the overproduction of cortisol, reducing the wear and tear it has on the body. It can be particularly helpful for those dealing with sleep issues, burnout, and anxiety.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps is trending once again as being a parasitic fungus taking over human bodies in the HBO drama series The Last of Us – Google searches have risen by 192% in the last month, and there are 47 million posts under the same search in TikTok. But Cordyceps is very different in real life – instead of causing zombie-like creatures, studies have shown that Cordyceps can reduce stress-related markers, lead to improvements in stress response, and fatigue levels. Instead of calming, like Reishi, Cordyceps energizes without the jitters that caffeine brings, and supports the HPA axis to balance cortisol.

Lion’s Mane

Lion’s Mane contains hericenones and erinacines, unique compounds that stimulate the production of nerve growth factor – this is a protein that supports the growth and repair of neurons, and the brain’s ability of rewire and adapt. This means that it can help repair the nervous system after it’s been work down by burnout, chronic stress, and burnout. Studies have shown that Lion’s Mane can improve memory recall and cognitive performance, reducing brain fog and mental clarity, and improve sleep.

Chaga

Chaga is a powerful antioxidant that can help manage oxidative stress. Chronic stress can lead to neuroinflammation caused by an accumulation of free radicals in the brain, which can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine, that regulate mood – and studies have shown that Chaga can play a role in reducing cellular damage caused by stress. With Chaga supporting the brain’s natural defence mechanism and overall brain health, you can experience improved mood, cognitive function, and mental clarity, adapting to stress and recovering from it more effectively.

Turkey Tail

Turkey Tail is primarily recognised for its immune-enhancing properties, but studies have shown that the polysaccharides in these mushrooms not only enhance immune response but also help modulate stress-related hormones like cortisol. Turkey Tail mushrooms balance the gut microbiome, protect against oxidative stress, and help the body adapt to stress more effectively; the adaptogenic properties make is a valuable tool for overall wellbeing and resilience during times of stress.

How to incorporate adaptogenic mushrooms into your routine & get the most from them

Choose the right mushroom for your needs – for example, Reishi for relaxation, Cordyceps for energy, or Lion’s Mane for mental clarity.

Experiment with different forms to find out what works best for you. Capsules, tablets, and tinctures are the easiest and most convenient way to introduce adaptogenic mushrooms into your diet. These also mean you can get the benefits of the mushroom without the taste that you would get from a tea, coffee, or powder.

Mushroom teas, especially Reishi and Lion’s Mane, are great in the evening to support stress relief and relaxation before bed, as they can lower cortisol levels and promote a restful sleep.

Mushroom coffee blends ground coffee beans with mushroom extracts, to raise energy levels without the spike of cortisol and jitters that traditional coffee brings. It’s made as easily as instant coffee, delivers a more balanced and sustained energy that helps you adapt to stress and stay mentally clear.

Look for high-quality extracts, with products that use dual-extraction methods (water and alcohol) for the maximum availability of the beneficial compounds of the mushroom.

Look for products that specify the active ingredient, like the percentage of polysaccharides or beta-glucans, which are important for stress reduction and immune support.

Adaptogens aren’t a quick fix – they can take time to show noticeable effects. For example, studies have shown that the effects of Reishi on anxiety, sleep, and immune function are often noticeable after 4-8 weeks of consistent daily intake. Consistency is key!

Disclaimer: Consult your GP before taking adaptogens or any new medication.

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Feature Image: Pexels / Cristian Rojas