10 powerful herbs to help improve energy, strength, stamina, and vitality

When was the last time you woke up early in the morning, feeling relaxed and refreshed, went out for a 30-minute run in the park, came back with a great appetite and a smile on your face, had a nutritious breakfast, ploughed through your daily activities with full attention and energy, spent some quality time with family and friends in the evening, and then, after a light dinner, slowed down to relax, recuperate (even spark a little bit of passion perhaps), before settling down for a good night’s sleep?

A long time back, when you were younger, or at least felt younger?

Yes, age does take its slow toll, but that doesn’t explain why a lot of us feel a lot older than we actually are. Clearly, there are certain imbalances that prevent us from being at our best, and left unchecked, these imbalances gradually get worse. Quick fixes - pills that promise a quick boost to your energy, stamina, and strength - are alluring, but the benefits are short-lived, and the damage can be long lasting and irreparable.

Getting back to a balanced diet, an active lifestyle, and a low-stress environment is the only sensible way to help your body roll back some of these extra years.

If you are considering supplementation, do look beyond standard nutritional supplements.

Herbs are known to play a beneficial functional role in improving your energy, strength, stamina, and vitality. 

Here are eight of the very best!

• Ashwagandha and Maca are two super-herbs with a long history of use for their strengthening, revitalising and stress-reducing properties. 
• Turmeric, Velvet Bean, Brahmi, Ginger, Shatavari, Finger-leaf Morning Glory, Chlorophytum, and Amla offer potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, adaptogenic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, hormone-balancing, mood-enhancing, and immunomodulatory properties. They also offer support for healthy digestion, metabolism, circulation, and sexual and reproductive health.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also known as Indian ginseng, has been used as a strength and energy tonic for over 2000 years. 

As per Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of health and wellness, Ashwagandha has a warming, comforting, strengthening, and performance-enhancing effect on all cells in the body.

Ashwagandha contains a multitude of active compounds, some of which (such as its characteristic withanolides, including the most famous Withaferin-A) have been studied more than others in the recent past. 

• Ashwagandha helps improve the transport of nutrients to cells, and helps your body absorb and metabolise those nutrients better. 
• Ashwagandha helps you cope better with stress, by reducing the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. 
• Ashwagandha helps you sleep better, by helping your body synchronize its sleep-wake, night-day, and repair-active cycles.
• Ashwagandha helps protect and strengthen your bones and joints, by keeping inflammation in check, and improving the expression of genes and production of cells that assist with bone formation and healing.

Maca

Maca (Lepidium meneyii), also known as Peruvian ginseng, has been used as a food and traditional medicine for over 2000 years, primarily for its positive effects on sexual and reproductive health in both men and women.

Maca is renowned as an energising herb that helps you feel less tired.

Maca contains a multitude of functionally useful compounds, including macaene, macamide, glucosinolates, alkaloids, and sterols.

• Maca helps improve sperm count and motility, and also sexual desire (in normal males as well as in those with erectile dysfunction). 
• Maca helps improve uterine weight and pregnancy outcomes in women. 
• As an adaptogen, Maca helps your body cope better with stress. 

Turmeric

Our immune system is designed to operate in passive-alert mode, constantly scanning for threats and responding promptly when one is discovered. A temporary increase in inflammation is a natural fallout of this response. 

However, if your body is under continuous stress, your body can feel like it’s in a war-zone all the time. This is referred to as chronic low-grade inflammation, and it affects your entire body. If you have ever wondered why you feel so tired all the time, chronic inflammation might just be the main culprit. Healing and repair takes a lot of effort.

If you had to pick one herb to enhance and support your body’s healing abilities, it would have to be turmeric. 

Turmeric is known in Ayurveda for its unique ability to reach and open the minutest of channels in tissues across the body, reduce inflammation and swelling, and drain and cleanse inflammatory toxins. It also helps improve blood flow and circulation, and fluid metabolism. It also encourages daily detoxification of the liver, kidney, and intestines.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) helps out in multiple ways. The turmeric root has more than 200 active compounds including its trademark curcuminoids, and volatile oils.

• Turmeric supports your immune system by assisting it in detecting and dealing with threats more effectively. It can destroy the cell walls of bacteria as well as deactivate enzymes that promote bacterial growth.
• Turmeric has potent anti-inflammatory compounds that help keep oxidative damage in check, wherever they occur in your body, from your brain, to your bones and joints.
• Turmeric helps regulate your metabolism, and enhances insulin sensitivity.
• Turmeric inhibits enzymes that reduce happy hormones, helping you stay upbeat.
• Turmeric helps reduce levels of toxins in your body
• Turmeric protects your heart, helps reduce the build-up of plaque in your arteries, and helps regulate blood pressure.
• Turmeric supports healthy lipid metabolism, helping improve HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Velvet Bean

Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens), also known as Kapikacchu, is a herb that promotes both physical and mental strength.

When it comes to energy, strength, stamina, and vitality, the brain's role is frequently overlooked. When you delve a little deeper, it's clear that the brain plays a significant role. It is one of the primary energy consumers. It also controls the hormones that signal whether the body is at ease or in danger.

Indeed, if you want to be at your most energetic every day, getting to a happy and relaxed state of mind may be the best, and often the only thing you need to focus on, and everything else will fall into place naturally.

Velvet bean fosters feelings of accomplishment and well-being. It also encourages factors that boost vitality and immunity.

According to Ayurveda, Velvet bean aids in the rapid nourishment and growth of the body's deeper tissues, including nervous and reproductive tissue. It has a gentle, nutrient-rich quality that helps protect these deeper tissues from degeneration and aids in their healing.

• Velvet Bean actually contains L-dopa, a precursor to the hormone dopamine that’s naturally produced in our brain, and associated with pleasure, reward, motivation, memory, and attention. 
• Velvet Bean contains small amounts of serotonin - a key hormone naturally produced by our body, that stabilizes our mood, and promotes feelings of well-being and happiness.
• Velvet bean helps reduce cortisol levels, thereby keeping stress levels in check.
• Velvet Bean drives the production of ATP, the body’s fuel, in your brain, thereby playing a key role in improving your body’s energy levels.
• Velvet Bean contains glutathione, a potent antioxidant also produced naturally in the brain, to protect it from oxidative stress and inflammation.
• Velvet Bean contains beta-sitosterol, a plant compound that mimics cholesterol and found to be useful in maintaining healthy LDL cholesterol levels.

Bacopa

Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri), also known as Brahmi (the mind herb), is a toning herb for the brain that is known to give your brain superpowers.

Bacopa aids in the flow of thoughts. It aids in the enhancement of memory, reasoning abilities, and overall cognitive function. Bacopa also improves the relationship between speech and thought in the brain.

Bacopa also has a calming effect that helps the brain slow down and take a step back when necessary.

Bacopa helps your mind stay in that optimal active-yet-relaxed zen state.

Bacopa contains a wide range of unique saponins (bacosides are the most well-studied), alkaloids (such as brahmine), flavonoids, glycosides, and other phytonutrients (brahmic acid, brahmoside, brahminoside).

• Bacopa improves blood flow to the brain, keeping it nourished and active.
• The antioxidants in Brahmi protect the brain from nerve-damaging free radicals. Bacopa also stimulates the body's natural antioxidant production.
• Bacopa promotes the optimal growth of neural networks in the brain, which improves memory and cognitive function.
• Bacopa improves mood by increasing serotonin availability.

Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been a staple in cuisines in India, China, and South-East Asia for at least a few thousand years, and a popular spice across the world. 

In Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginger plays a very important role as a healing spice. The properties of fresh and dried ginger are quite different, and are used accordingly. 

Ginger works as a friendly catalyst in your system, smoothing out rough edges, and ensuring that everything is flowing smoothly.

Ginger is rich in gingerols which are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-bacterial. 

• Ginger helps improve digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food
• Ginger helps improve blood circulation and metabolism
• Ginger helps reduce inflammation and pain
• Ginger has an energising effect - it helps relieve fatigue, and imparts energy and vigor to both body and mind. 
• Ginger is a potent detoxifying agent
• Ginger helps prevent bone loss
• Ginger supports healthy lipid metabolism, and healthy LDL and HDL cholesterol levels
• Ginger supports healthy lung function

Shatavari

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is an adaptogenic herb that has a cooling and soothing effect on the body and mind. 

As per Ayurveda, Shatavari is known as a nourishing tonic that offers special benefits for the lymphatic system. It aids in the formation and maintenance of lymphatic fluids. It helps the lymphatic fluid flow through the body at a steady, uniform pace by absorbing excess heat and eliminating stagnation, promoting optimal lymphatic system functioning.

Shatavari's cooling properties are also beneficial to skin and eye health, as well as promoting mental clarity and improved cognitive function.

Shatavari helps balance hormone levels, and improves reproductive health (in both men and women, although its benefits for women’s health are more widely known)

Shatavari root contains a high concentration of steroidal saponins and flavonoids, associated with a variety of benefits.

• Shatavari helps neutralize excess stomach acids, offering soothing succour to those with an overactive digestion and metabolism.
• Shatavari helps increase absorption of nutrients in the small intestine.
• It helps improve strength of bones by improving Vitamin D levels and absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
• It promotes healthy immune function, potentially linked to its beneficial effects on the lymphatic system.

Finger-leaf Morning Glory

Finger-leaf Morning Glory (Ipomea digitata) is an adaptogenic herb - a sweet, nutritive tuber traditionally used to nourish and rejuvenate the body, improve strength and performance, and enhance sexual health in both men and women. 

In Ayurvedic literature, Finger-leaf Morning Glory is considered to be nourishing to the muscle tissue, and help promote a lean muscular tone. It reduces excessive body fluids, helps reduce flabbiness, and improve compactness. It helps clear inflammation by removing toxins.

Finger-leaf Morning Glory helps improve endurance, and is known as a gentle strengthening aphrodisiac.

The good news is that research interest in the benefits of Finger-leaf Morning Glory is growing - not strange, considering its promised benefits for sexual health. Latest studies attest to some of the benefits noted in traditional literature, and more!

• Finger-leaf Morning Glory protects the heart and supports healthy blood pressure
• Finger-leaf Morning Glory supports healthy glucose metabolism
• Finger-leaf Morning Glory helps improve count and motility of sperm
• Finger-leaf Morning Glory supports a healthy cycle and reproductive health in women

Amla

The Indian gooseberry, Amla (Phyllanthus emblica), is a key ingredient in two famous daily health-promoting tonics in Ayurveda - Chyawanaprash, a herbal jam for building vitality and immunity, and Triphala, a powder that helps regulate digestion and gut health. It is also a common ingredient in beauty tonics, oils, and creams.

Amla is highly recommended in Ayurveda for its ability to guide and channelise nutrition to all the tissues in the body. It absorbs excess heat, and helps the stomach, gut, and liver work in tandem to improve digestive function as a whole.

Amla helps prepare the gut for optimal absorption of nutrients.

Amla’s cooling and nourishing properties are also great for your eyes, skin, heart, and mind.

Amla’s benefits are attributed to its constituent vitamins, tannins, flavonoids, and a variety of other phytonutrients.

• Amla is a rich source of bioavailable Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant.
• Amla is known to protect the liver, an organ that plays a key role in both metabolism and detoxification, from free-radical damage.
• Amla helps your body regulate its blood glucose levels in multiple ways - improving slow breakdown of carbs in the intestine, improving insulin production and sensitivity, and reducing toxic by-products.
• Amla helps regulate cholesterol levels and reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol
• Amla modulates your immune response, activating immune cells and reducing immune cell death, while simultaneously keeping inflammation in check.

Chlorophytum

Chlorophytum (Chlorophytum borivilianum) is used as a general health promotive tonic with anti-ageing properties.

As per Ayurveda, Chlorophytum has a warming, invigorating, augmenting, and grounding effect on the body and mind. 

Chlorophytum helps improve compactness and tone of tissues, helping promote vigor and vitality.

It nourishes tissues that support strength and stability of musculoskeletal, nervous and reproductive systems.

It is rich in steroidal saponins and polysaccharides, which are linked to its multiple benefits.

• Chlorophytum helps modulate immune function and helps improve innate immunity
• Chlorophytum supports healthy glucose and lipid metabolism
• Chlorophytum has a beneficial effect on a wide variety of sexual and reproductive health parameters in men - including sexual desire and arousal, and sperm count and motility
• Chlorophytum is a potent adaptogen and offers excellent stress support

Whole Herbs or Isolated Active Ingredients?

We have all looked at supplement labels and wondered, is it potent enough? Does this have enough of the good stuff?

In living systems, too much of a good thing - can actually make things worse.

Living systems operate in a state of delicate (yet robust) balance. There are limits to the amount of food we can consume, or air we can breathe, or activities that we can perform. Our bodies have evolved to adapt to fluctuations and operate optimally, within these limits.

When it comes to food, let’s just say that our bodies are used to dealing with nutrients in what we term “natural” forms and amounts. Popping a calcium pill is not the same as consuming a bowl of yogurt.

Turmeric contains a small amount of curcumin, a compound that has been widely studied, and many other elements whose effects we are yet to fully comprehend. A teaspoon of whole turmeric root powder - is easily processed by the body, and put to optimal use. A teaspoon of isolated curcumin on the other hand, is a lot more than what our body knows how to handle in a graceful manner. 

Sure, if there is a lot of inflammation, extra curcumin can help - as a medicine - to be taken for a limited period of time. But, we need to keep in mind that the extra curcumin will also upset your body’s delicate balance along other functional dimensions, and your body will need to work hard to restore balance.

Also, whole foods contain a matrix of ingredients that often work well together and balance each other - sometimes amplifying the benefits, and other times neutralizing some of the negative effects.

It is a misnomer that our body takes what it needs, and just eliminates the rest. The fact is - anything in excess, disturbs the balance. There is significant evidence to suggest that the side effects of consuming larger quantities of isolated active ingredients (be it vitamins or minerals or proteins or phytonutrients such as curcumin or withaferin) on a long term basis actually outweighs the benefits.

If you are thinking about dietary supplements that are safe and optimally effective for consumption on a daily basis, whole foods (including herbs and spices), are easily the better choice when compared to isolated active ingredients.

About the Author

Jayagopal Parla (Jay) is a world-renowned speaker, professor of Ayurvedic medicine and a NAMA registered practitioner, with more than 21 years of experience in Ayurvedic practice and teaching.

He is the founder and Director of Athreya Ayurvedic Integrative Health Center, Long Beach, California (www.athreyaayurveda.com). He is also a faculty member at Southern California University of Health Sciences and Japan School of Ayurveda.

Jay holds Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery from Bangalore University, MD (Ayur) in Ayurvedic Medicine from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India. He also holds a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Southern California University of Health Sciences and is a certified Yoga therapist.