Adaptogens Explained: Ashwagandha, Rhodiola and Saffron

What Are Adaptogens, and Why Are So Many Women Talking About Them?

The word "adaptogen" gets thrown around a lot in wellness circles, but the concept has a long history in pharmacology research. An adaptogen is a plant-derived substance thought to help the body cope with the physical and mental effects of stress — not by sedating you or masking how you feel, but by supporting your body's own regulatory systems so it can return more easily to a state of balance.

The idea was first described by Soviet pharmacologist Nikolai Lazarev in the 1940s and later refined by Brekhman and Dardymov. In their definition, a true adaptogen should be non-toxic at normal doses, produce a non-specific stress-protective response, and help normalize physiological function regardless of the direction of the imbalance. That last point is what makes the concept interesting: a good adaptogen nudges the system toward equilibrium rather than pushing it in one fixed direction.

Three adaptogens in particular — ashwagandha, rhodiola and saffron — have attracted serious scientific attention, especially for adults dealing with the kind of sustained, low-grade stress that tends to build up in one's 40s, 50s and beyond. This article is an honest look at what each one does, what the research shows so far, and how they complement one another.

Cortisol: The Thread That Connects Stress, Mood and Energy

Before exploring each plant, it helps to understand cortisol, because it sits at the center of why adaptogens matter for everyday well-being. Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. In short bursts it is useful — it sharpens focus and mobilizes energy. The problem is a stress response that stays switched on for weeks or months. Over time, that can get in the way of restful sleep, steady mood and clear thinking, and leave you feeling wired and exhausted at the same time.

Many women notice that this balance feels harder to hold during perimenopause, when shifting hormones can affect sleep and make everyday pressures — work deadlines, family demands, broken nights — feel heavier than they did a decade earlier. Adaptogens are thought to work largely through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis — the command-and-control pathway for cortisol release — which is why they are so often discussed in the context of this life stage.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): The Calming Root

Ashwagandha is one of the most studied adaptogens in the Western research literature. It is a small shrub native to India and North Africa, and its root has a long history of use in Ayurvedic practice. Its active compounds, called withanolides, appear to interact with the HPA axis and with calming GABA pathways in the brain, both of which play roles in the stress response.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Medicine in 2019 (Lopresti et al.) found that adults taking a standardized ashwagandha extract reported less stress and had lower morning cortisol levels than those taking a placebo. It was a relatively small study, but it fits a broader body of research pointing in the same direction.

The key practical point: not all ashwagandha supplements are equivalent. Standardized extracts deliver a consistent amount of active compounds, whereas generic root powders can vary widely in potency.

Rhodiola Rosea: The Energy and Resilience Adaptogen

Rhodiola grows at high altitude in the cold mountain regions of Europe and Asia, and it has a long history of traditional use in Scandinavia and Russia — often associated with physical and mental endurance. Its main active compounds are rosavins and salidroside.

Where ashwagandha leans toward calming, rhodiola tends to lean toward energizing and sharpening — which is why the two complement rather than duplicate each other. A systematic review published in Phytomedicine in 2011 (Hung et al.) looked at eleven randomized trials and found some evidence that rhodiola may help with physical and mental fatigue, while noting that many of the studies were small and of mixed quality.

More recently, a 2017 open-label study in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (Kasper and Dienel) reported improvements in exhaustion and concentration among adults with burnout symptoms over 12 weeks. Because that study had no placebo group, it is best read as encouraging rather than conclusive. For women who feel mentally foggy or flat despite adequate rest, rhodiola is one of the more interesting options to understand.

Saffron (Crocus sativus): The Mood Adaptogen

Saffron is most familiar as a culinary spice, but its stigmas contain bioactive compounds — primarily crocin, crocetin and safranal — that have drawn considerable interest from researchers for their effects on mood and emotional resilience. Saffron is thought to influence serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine signaling, in a way that differs from both ashwagandha and rhodiola.

A 2015 systematic review in the Journal of Integrative Medicine (Hausenblas et al.) looked across randomized controlled trials of saffron and reported favorable effects on mood-related outcomes compared with placebo. One of the most studied forms is affron®, a standardized saffron extract. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine in 2017 (Kell et al.), healthy adults taking affron reported improvements in mood over four weeks. This matters: the dose and the extract form used in studies are not interchangeable with a pinch of kitchen saffron.

How the Three Work Together

Taken individually, each adaptogen is associated with a different side of the stress response. Ashwagandha is linked to cortisol and the HPA axis. Rhodiola is linked to mental energy and focus. Saffron is most closely associated with mood and emotional steadiness. Together they make a logical trio: a calmer baseline, more sustained mental energy and steadier mood — without stimulants or sedatives.

That is why this kind of combination fits naturally into a morning ritual rather than an evening wind-down. The goal is to start the day with a steady stress response, not a suppressed one.

A Morning Ritual Built Around This Combination

If you're interested in building a consistent adaptogen practice, you might also find value in reading about building a morning wellness routine and how the gut-brain connection influences mood — two pieces that explain why a holistic morning approach tends to work better than any single supplement on its own.

GLOWIS Midlife Balance: Adaptogens in One Morning Scoop

GLOWIS Midlife Balance was built around four adaptogens: saffron (as affron®), ashwagandha, rhodiola and maca. Taken as a morning ritual, it is designed to support calm, mood and everyday energy.† The formula also includes magnesium, vitamin D3 and B vitamins as a daily foundation for women in their 40s and beyond.

It comes in a Blood Orange flavor sweetened only with monk fruit — no stevia and no erythritol. Mix one 5 g scoop into 8–12 oz of cold water each morning; each 150 g jar provides 30 servings. You can see the full supplement facts on the Midlife Balance product page.

For a wider picture, see our 10-minute self-care routine for busy women and our guide to the supplements most relevant for women in their 50s and 60s.

What to Look for When Evaluating Any Adaptogen Product

A few practical checkpoints before you buy anything in this category:

• Standardized extracts: Look for named, standardized forms rather than generic powders, which can vary widely in potency.
• Transparent labeling: The ingredients and amounts per serving should be easy to find, not hidden.
• Morning versus evening positioning: Some adaptogens, particularly rhodiola, are better suited to the morning because of their energizing profile. Products that contain rhodiola and market themselves as sleep aids deserve a second look.
• Reasonable expectations: Adaptogens are generally studied over several weeks of consistent use, not as a one-off dose.
• Clean sweetener profile: If you are prone to digestive discomfort, check whether the product uses erythritol or other sugar alcohols — many people tolerate monk fruit better.

The Bottom Line on Adaptogens

The research on ashwagandha, rhodiola and saffron is more substantial than for most wellness trends. These are not ancient remedies being romanticized — they are plants whose effects are increasingly being studied in well-designed trials, even if many questions remain open. For women navigating the sustained stress that often arrives in the 40s, 50s and beyond, a thoughtfully formulated combination of these three is a reasonable, evidence-informed option to consider as part of a daily routine.†

Adaptogens are not right for everyone. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication, or have a thyroid, liver or autoimmune condition, talk to your healthcare provider before starting ashwagandha or any new supplement.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.