I just saw that there is now also a fairly good Wikipedia article on adaptogens. This term was coined by Nikolai Lazarev in 1947. At the time, Lazarev wondered whether there might be something better than amphetamines and other stimulants, which can boost performance in the short term but damage your health in the long term.
That was how Lazarev discovered the group of substances known as adaptogens. Israel Brekhman, a Soviet researcher (his first name is misleading!), then established the term in academic science. In the meantime, discussions are also taking place at the European level about how adaptogens should be classified from a regulatory perspective—somewhere between medicines, foods, and food supplements.
One should not misunderstand the word “adapt.” Stephen Covey’s first rule for effectiveness is: Be proactive. Stop saying, “It can’t be done,” and JUST GET STARTED!—then magical things often happen!
You can adapt to circumstances, as I have done as an entrepreneur all along. But you can also adapt circumstances to yourself, as the banana magnate Sam Zemurray—also known as “El Amigo” or simply “Z”—did in Honduras a hundred years ago.
When the president in office at the time wanted to revoke his customs privileges, he simply overthrew the government. Perhaps not a good role model for adaptation...
You can find more about the mechanism behind this in What Is an Adaptogen? Adaptation Instead of Constant Stress, and I describe how adaptogens can specifically help with exhaustion in Adaptogens and Burnout: My Personal Research Journey.
You can find the complete overview in our comprehensive overview of salutogenesis.