Why is everyone talking about Schisandra?
Schisandra is a powerful adaptogenic herb that has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese remedies and is rapidly rising in popularity in the western world. Used in our own plant-based supplement to relieve anxiety because it is so effective, our expert nutritionists explain Schisandra, what it does and why it is the talk of the town.
What is Schisandra?
Schisandra (also called Schisandra Chinesis), is a vine-like plant that produces purple-red berries. Although it isn’t generally consumed as a food, these berries are described as having 5 different tastes – sweet, bitter, sour, salty and pungent.
The berries contain lignans which are the active component, and is the reason Schisandra is taken as a supplement and herbal medicine. The lignans are categorised into 'Schisandrin's A, B & C', and are the bioactive compounds.
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Benefits of Schisandra
Schisandra is an adaptogenic herb. This means it regulates pathways in the body and increases your body's resistance to stress, and it may help to increase physical endurance and energy. Due to its adaptogenic properties, Schisandra is used in supplements, including plant-based supplements for menopause and supplements for stress and anxiety.
Menopause
Women going through menopause can present with many unpleasant symptoms, with mood swings and anxiety being among the most common. Learn more in our expert nutritionists' article '12 most common symptoms of menopause', and you may also enjoy the results of our customer survey of 1,000 women in 'Mental health effects of menopause'.
Being an adaptogen, Schisandra helps to bring balance to your body and mind, and studies show it may help to reduce night sweats, mood instability and memory loss that are associated with the drop in hormones that occur during menopause.
One study looked at the benefits of Schisandra on menopausal women between the ages of 40 and 70 who had menopausal symptoms. The women were randomly assigned either Schisandra or a placebo for 6 weeks, and the study concluded that Schisandra was beneficial and effective for symptoms associated with the menopause including hot flushes, sweats and heart palpitations.
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Stress
The adaptogenic effects of Schisandra have a positive influence on our body's stress response. The stress hormones are produced by two adrenal glands which sit on top of the kidneys, producing adrenaline and cortisol. Learn more in 'What is cortisol'.
Both over and under functioning glands can be problematic. Over functioning adrenal glands can cause a feeling of too much stress, inability to relax and trouble sleeping, and under functioning glands can cause fatigue, a lack of energy, low moods and an inability to deal with stressful situations. Learn more about how adrenal glands affect stress and endurance.
Schisandra can help to regulate the response of the adrenal glands. One study concluded that Schisandra significantly prevented chronic unpredictable mild stress behavioural and biochemical alterations.
Reducing the level of stress helps many other functions in the body affected by stress including mood, immunity and sleep. This is why our Stay Calm formula, to relieve anxiety and stress, is very commonly taken alongside Vegan Nights, for better and more complete sleep.
You might also enjoy our nutritionists blog: Foods and vitamins to help relieve anxiety.
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Depression
Depression can be a debilitating and serious condition, so if you think you might be depressed, make sure you talk to your GP first and discus the options of trying Schisandra.
Due to Schisandra's properties that lower stress, it may also have a positive benefit on your mood. Although its benefits as an antidepressant hasn’t been extensively studied in humans, it does appear to be therapeutic when tested with animals. You may enjoy our blog '5 foods to improve your mood'.
Why is Schisandra so popular?
Schisandra has become popular among women going through perimenopause and menopause due to the level of research among those with menopause symptoms.
The symptoms of the menopause have only been a concern for women in the last couple of hundred years due to the increasing life expectancy of women. Medically, there are not many alternatives to HRT to support women during this life phase which is why MenoFriend and herbs like Schisandra are so popular.
You may enjoy our blog: 8 unusual symptoms of menopause.
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Schisandra is also popular for helping regulate the adrenal glands. Modern lifestyles are much more stressful than lifestyles 100 years ago. As the pace of life increases, many people need to seek help with stress and hectic lifestyles, leading them to adaptogenic herbs like Schisandra.
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