Current Evidence and Practical Considerations for Adaptogen Use in Exercise Recovery, Training Adaptation, and Exercise Performance in Athletes: A Narrative Review
Study Details
This new review evaluated evidence for ashwagandha, Panax Ginseng, Rhodiola rosea and Cordyceps in trained athletes, focusing on recovery, training adaptation and performance 🔍
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
Ashwagandha 🌿
🌿 Currently has the most consistent athlete-specific evidence of the four adaptogens reviewed
😴 600 mg/day for 4 weeks improved perceived recovery and sleep quality in professional female footballers
💪 Six weeks of 600 mg/day reduced DOMS, fatigue and stress biomarkers in team-sport athletes, with some improvements in countermovement jump performance
🚴 Studies using 1000 mg/day for 8 weeks also reported improvements in VO₂max and time to exhaustion
Panax Ginseng 🌱
🌱 Evidence is more mixed, with some studies suggesting better muscle-force recovery and lower perceived exertion after damaging exercise
↔️ However, Panax has not consistently reduced muscle-damage or inflammatory markers
Rhodiola Rosea 🌸
🌸 May improve fatigue tolerance and repeated high-intensity performance, particularly in team-sport athletes
⚽ Four weeks of Rhodiola improved Yo-Yo performance, repeated-sprint ability, decision-making and passing under fatigue in footballers
🏃 In contrast, Rhodiola did not improve marathon performance, DOMS, CK or inflammation in trained runners
Cordyceps 🍄
🍄 May improve time to exhaustion and repeated-sprint performance, but endurance-performance findings remain inconsistent
🧬 Proposed mechanisms include modulation of stress responses, mitochondrial function, energy metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress, although much mechanistic evidence comes from animal or laboratory studies
⚠️ Extract composition, dose and standardisation vary considerably between studies, making comparisons difficult
Conclusion
Generally, female athletes remain underrepresented, and most interventions were relatively short ⚠️
This review does not support routine adaptogen supplementation in athletes, consistent with their AIS Group C classification 🚫
Athletes considering adaptogens should use independently batch-tested products because contamination and mislabelling remain important anti-doping risks 🛡️
Overall, ashwagandha appears most promising, while Panax Ginseng, Rhodiola and Cordyceps remain preliminary and outcome-specific ☝️
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42588175/
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