The best adaptogens when travelling

We always look forward to our next exciting adventure, although we sometimes wish we could do without the stress of travel and fatigue from jet lag - ideally we can teleport to our holiday destination! We often need sustained balanced energy - especially for activity-based holidays which are soaring in popularity. From skiing in the French alps to hiking up Machu Picchu, we want to make the most out of our jam-packed itinerary, and many people are turning to adaptogenic coffee to give them a natural boost.

Adaptogens are certain plant and mushroom extracts which are known for rebalancing physical and mental stressors in the mind & body. They work in an array of ways to protect us from stress, and incorporating them into our daily diets can help alleviate anxiety and boost our stamina. They make the perfect partner for when jetting off on holiday, especially if there are activities and adventures involved. Not only will you need physical endurance, but the admin and airports alone are enough to mentally drain you before you’ve even arrived. Aah, we’ve all been there.

For us at London Nootropics, our favourite adaptogens when travelling are Ashwagandha and Cordyceps. While Ashwagandha’s adaptogenic properties will help combat stress and help us stay balanced while we’re away, Cordyceps mushrooms can give us a physical boost, help reset our body clock and reduce jet lag and travel fatigue. Let’s go!

Why adaptogenic coffee?

First things first, let’s cover the basics. Why adaptogenic coffee?

What’s great about adaptogens and caffeine is that they synergise well. You know sometimes when you drink a cup of coffee, you can feel groggy fairly quickly - especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine. That’s because caffeine, when consumed on its own, can result in a spike and crash - leaving you wanting another coffee.

Oh, and did we mention the jitters? For those already prone to anxiety and stress, caffeine likes to stir things up - it can increase our cortisol (our stress hormone), and studies show that caffeine can even block serotonin production if it’s consumed in excess amounts. Yikes.

As a nation of avid coffee drinkers, ditching caffeine altogether seems like an outrageous ask. After all, the UK alone drinks around 95 million cups of coffee daily. This is where adaptogens come in.

The beauty of adaptogenic coffee is that it minimises the side effects of caffeine intake. Whether it’s Rhodiola or Siberian Ginseng, adaptogens can help give us sustained energy levels without the crash and can even rebalance our cortisol levels if we’re exposed to a trigger…such as…airports.

‘Holiday Anxiety’​

Holidays can be a stressful experience; not only do you have the admin to organise, you’ve also got the airports to endure - and it’s this that can induce an astronomical amount of stress in individuals. (You only need to watch an episode of ITV’s Airline to see what we mean!)

A survey of more than 1,700 Brits found that almost half (49%) believe baggage collection is the most stressful part of airport travel, closely followed by passing through security (47%). And a further 62% of respondents cite getting stuck in traffic as a top concern before they travel.

Ashwagandha for combatting stress​

Ashwagandha, botanically known as Withania Somnifera, is a medicinal herb that’s been used for over 2,500 years. Countless studies have shown its impact on human health, including its ability to help the body and mind adapt to cope with stressful conditions.

Over the years, many studies have accredited ashwagandha root extract to improve stress, anxiety, insomnia and even depression in individuals. Need convincing? We’ve rounded up some key study findings, so you don’t have to:

• The herb exhibits noteworthy anti-stress and anti-anxiety in humans. An eight-week supplementation of Ashwagandha was accredited to significantly reduce stress levels in individuals and improve the overall quality of life.
• Ashwagandha may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. One study found that ashwagandha extract can reduce inflammatory markers, which could ease depression and fatigue.
• The root extract can improve sleep quality. While ashwagandha can lower cortisol levels, it was also proven to significantly improve sleep quality compared to those in a placebo group.

With ashwagandha’s properties for helping us find balance and reduce any travel-induced anxiety, it pairs perfectly with coffee. Coffee can increase our cortisol, our stress hormone, especially if we’re sensitive to caffeine - this may result in jitters, anxiety, stress and feeling on edge and we may already have heightened cortisol from travelling. Ashwagandha is known to work on our adrenals and can help balance our cortisol - so we get the benefits of coffee and lift to our day, whilst staying balanced and stress-free. What you’re left with is a well-needed energy boost, whilst minimising side-effects. Jitters, no more!

Power up with Cordyceps Mushrooms​

So, you’ve made it through the sea of people at the airports. The flight went smoothly, and you landed at your final destination. It’s time for the holiday to finally begin. But after hours of travelling, you’re feeling zapped. You need a pick me up, and you need it fast.

For us at London Nootropics, Cordyceps are the perfect remedy for fatigue. Cordyceps is a fungi that’s known for supporting energy and stamina and is heralded for giving us an all-natural energy boost. Studies have shown that it can rapidly reset our body clock (our circadian rhythm) from jet lag or travel fatigue, helping give us the energy to enjoy our trip from the moment we arrive.

They’re also shown to increase our aerobic capacity, oxygen flow around our body and boost ATP, our energy molecule. This delivery of oxygen is what helps build a resistance to fatigue, boost energy and keeps us going for longer—especially when we’re exercising - perfect for a hike or holiday activity.

Wake up our brain with Lion’s Mane Mushroom​

When we sleep in a new place, such a the comfiest hotel bed, only half our brain sleeps. This evolutionary mechanism helps keeps us alert in a new environment. Lion’s mane, known as the brain mushroom, has been shown to improve our cognitive performance and give us mental clarity - perfect to wake our brain up and help us feel alert and functional from the first day of our trip.

Combat physical and mental fatigue with Rhodiola

Rhodiola Rosea is another incredible adaptogen for cognitive benefits, it’s also been studied for it’s benefits to physical performance and has been used by the Sherpa people on the Himalayas for hundreds of years to stay balanced at high altitudes - the perfect companion on a hike.

Adaptogenic Coffee for when you’re on the move​

So, whether we’re skiing in the french alps or hiking up Machu Picchu, adaptogens can be an excellent way to help us stay balanced and give us sustained and natural energy levels throughout the day.

And at London Nootropics, we’re on a mission to make it easy and accessible for people to incorporate the highest-quality adaptogen extracts into their daily diets. Our Rhodiola is wildcrafted in the pristine Siberian Altai region and our award-winning Ashwagandha is the highest concentration, most bioavailable full-spectrum root extract on the market today.

Each of our adaptogenic coffee blends are made with an effective amount of premium extracts rich in active compounds to help you find your flow. They come in single-serve sachets, perfect for when you’re on the go.

Our Mojo blend (with +305mg of Hifas da Terra Cordyceps, standardised to 5% Cordycepin, 25% beta-glucans fruiting bodies and +108mg of Siberian Ginseng with 0.8% Eleutherosides) extract is perfect for travel fatigue - cordyceps have been shown to rapidly reset our body clock from jet lag. Feeling a little stressed? Try our Zen coffee with Ashwagandha and L-theanine to promote calming energy, combatting the effects of stress, tension and irritability whilst travelling. Or, if you’re looking for a coffee that’ll awaken your mind without the crash, try our Flow blend with Lion’s Mane and Rhodiola to give you focus for the day.

Wishing you safe and balanced travels!

References

1. Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Stress and the Stress-Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia.
2. A Standardixed Withania Somnifera Extract Significantly Reduces Stress-Related Parameteres in Chronically Stressed Humans: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.
3. Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study.