How I Discovered the Power of Adaptogens (and Why I Use Them Daily)

A few years ago, I hit a wall. Between training clients, building my supplement business, and pushing myself in the gym, my body was constantly wired but not in a good way. I was struggling to fall asleep, waking up exhausted, and relying on more caffeine than I’d like to admit just to keep going. My performance was slipping, and so was my recovery. That’s when I started digging deeper into the root cause: stress. More specifically, chronic stress and how it throws off everything from hormones to sleep to muscle repair.

That’s how I found adaptogens.

Adaptogens are a class of herbs and natural compounds that help your body adapt to physical, emotional, and environmental stress. Unlike stimulants that push your system harder, adaptogens work by supporting balance. They help modulate cortisol levels, restore energy without overstimulating the nervous system, and protect against the long-term damage of chronic stress.

The first one I tried was ashwagandha. I’d read the research how it could reduce cortisol, improve sleep quality, and even support testosterone in men but it wasn’t until I started taking it consistently that I noticed the change. I wasn’t crashing in the afternoon anymore. I was calmer during the day and sleeping deeper at night. From there, I added L-theanine, a naturally calming amino acid found in green tea. It’s been a game-changer for focus and mental clarity, especially when I need to stay sharp without feeling jittery or anxious.

Since then, adaptogens have become part of my daily routine. I rotate in others like Rhodiola when I’m in a high-stress training phase, and I’ve carefully formulated several of our Brother Barbell products with these compounds because I believe in them that much. Not because they’re trendy but because they work. They help me train harder, recover faster, and show up as a better version of myself day in and day out.

If you’re feeling run down, anxious, or stuck in a cycle of poor recovery and burnout, I highly recommend looking into adaptogens. Just make sure you’re getting them in pure, effective doses without the usual junk most supplement companies throw in. That’s exactly why I created our formulations the way I did! No artificial fillers, no unnecessary fluff just real, science backed ingredients that support the way your body is meant to function.