The term "adaptogen" refers to non-toxic plants or their extracts purported to diminish stress and support overall wellbeing when consumed.
[4] The concept of an adaptogenic effect is not accepted in pharmacological or clinical settings, and is not approved for marketing in the European Union or United States.
[4][5] From 2020 to 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued numerous warning letters to manufacturers of dietary supplements making illegal, unapproved health claims for products marketed to contain an adaptogen.
"[6] The term "adaptogens" was coined in 1947 by Soviet toxicologist Nikolai Lazarev to describe substances that may increase resistance to stress.
[7][8] The term "adaptogenesis" was later applied in the Soviet Union to describe remedies thought to increase the resistance of organisms to biological stress.