Stress, Anxiety & Resilience

If stress or anxiety feels unmanageable, or you are thinking about harming yourself, reach out now. In the US, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), free and confidential, 24 hours a day. [1] Call 911 in an emergency. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own: ask the prescriber or pharmacist.

Stress and anxiety are not the same thing

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes stress as the physical or mental response to an external cause, and anxiety as the body's reaction to stress that can occur even when there is no current threat. [2] NIMH says anxiety that does not go away and interferes with life can affect health and raise the risk of an anxiety disorder. [2] That difference matters here, because most supplement trials measure a questionnaire score in volunteers, which is not the same as treating an anxiety disorder.

"Adaptogen" is a contested word, defined differently by different authors, and the plants discussed below are included because trials of them were done with stress in mind. See What are adaptogens?.

What research shows

Traditional use

Rhodiola has a long history of use in Russia, Scandinavia and other parts of Europe; NCCIH says it was traditionally used for work performance, endurance, fatigue and depression. [7] The European Medicines Agency's herbal committee (HMPC) concluded, on the basis of long-standing use rather than strong trials, that rhodiola root preparations can be used for temporary relief of symptoms of stress such as fatigue and a sensation of weakness, in adults over 18, and should not be taken longer than two weeks without medical advice. [9] Ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, according to NCCIH. [3] These are traditional uses, not proof of effect; see ashwagandha in Ayurveda.

What about cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone measured in blood or saliva, and many adaptogen pages claim to "lower" it. A 2026 meta-analysis of 23 trials (1,706 adults) found oral ashwagandha lowered measured cortisol compared with placebo, with differences between trials. [10] Two cautions: this is a biomarker, not a measure of how someone feels or functions, and the result applies to the ashwagandha preparations tested. The Endocrine Society says no scientific proof exists to support "adrenal fatigue" as a medical condition. [11] See Adrenal fatigue claims.

What a reader can do

Talk with a clinician if stress or worry lasts, affects sleep or work, or comes with low mood. NIMH describes anxiety as usually involving a persistent feeling of apprehension or dread that interferes with how you live. [2] For non-supplement approaches see Stress & Relaxation and how to relieve stress. Detail by ingredient: ashwagandha for stress and anxiety, burnout and chronic stress and adaptogens versus prescription treatments.