What is ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, is a traditional Ayurvedic herb that has been used for centuries for its various health benefits.

How does it work?

Ashwagandha works by regulating the levels of stress hormones and improving the immune system, which in turn reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, and enhances physical and mental performance.

What is the active ingredient or ingredients that make it work?

The active ingredient in ashwagandha is a compound called Withanolides, which are believed to be responsible for its health benefits..

What forms does it come in?

Ashwagandha is available in various forms, including powder, capsule, extract, and oil.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Ashwagandha has been used for medicinal purposes for over 3,000 years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

What does Ashwagandha help with?

Ashwagandha is a root used for centuries in Ayurveda, the old healing system of India. Today it is sold as a capsule, powder or tea. Most people take it for stress, sleep, energy or strength.

• Feeling stressed, tense or on edge
  Strong evidence — repeated randomized human trials; the most studied use on file. This is the use with the most human trials behind it. In those trials, people reported less stress and less tension. Most noticed the change within a few weeks of steady daily use.
  Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T3
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
  Good evidence — human trials of regular daily use. In trials, people who took it each day fell asleep faster. They also described deeper, more restful sleep. The effect looked strongest when stress or a racing mind was the cause.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Low testosterone in men
  Good evidence — several human trials in men. Several trials found higher testosterone levels in the men who took it. The clearest shifts were in men with stress-linked dips. Some trials also noted better energy, mood and sex drive.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Strength, stamina and recovery after training
  Good evidence — trials in adults who already did resistance training. Trials in weight-training adults found gains in muscle strength and endurance. Recovery after hard sessions was faster too. Researchers also saw less muscle damage from exercise.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Brain fog, poor focus and memory slips
  Early evidence — early, small human studies. Early studies found quicker reaction times and better attention. Some memory scores rose too, both in healthy adults and in people with mild decline. Lab work suggests its plant compounds may shield brain cells from stress damage.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• High blood sugar
  Early evidence — several small trials in healthy adults and in people with diabetes. Several small trials found lower fasting blood sugar. Insulin sensitivity also looked better in these studies. The size of the change was modest, but it showed up again and again.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• A mildly underactive thyroid
  Early evidence — a small body of clinical studies in people with mild thyroid shortfall. Some clinical studies found small rises in T3 and T4. Those are the two main thyroid hormones. The people studied had only mildly low thyroid function.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Low sex drive
  Early evidence — human trials, including trials run in women. Trials in women found more desire and more satisfaction. In men, reports of higher sex drive came alongside higher testosterone. Less stress may play a part, but that link has not been shown directly.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Low energy and low mood
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — no trial of energy or mood on its own in our file; the reports come from stress trials. We hold no trial that tested energy or mood by itself. Within stress trials, people described feeling more like themselves over several weeks. Any lift in mood appeared to follow better sleep and less stress, rather than come first.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T3

What Ashwagandha has not been shown to do

• It has not been shown to replace thyroid medicine in people who need it.
• It has not been shown to give a fast, caffeine-style lift; any change in energy was slow.
• It has not been shown to work from a single dose, since the trials used weeks of daily use.
• It has not been shown to build muscle on its own, because the strength trials were in people who trained.

How to read this:

A grade shows how strong the human evidence is for that one use. A means several human trials agree. B means at least one good human trial. C means small or early studies. D means the evidence is weak or mixed. This page reports what studies found. It is not medical advice, and it is not a list of what you should take. Talk with your doctor, above all if you take medicine or are pregnant.

What can it help prevent?

1. Stress-related diseases such as heart disease
2. Cognitive decline and dementia
3. Certain types of cancer
4. Metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes
5. Inflammation and autoimmune diseases
6. Bone loss and osteoporosis
7. Age-related memory decline
8. Infertility
9. Symptoms of menopause
10. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue

Which foods are rich in it?

Ashwagandha is not found in any food products.

What are possible side effects?

Ashwagandha is generally considered safe when taken as directed. Some people may experience:

• Stomach upset
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Drowsiness
• Headache

What’s the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of Ashwagandha is 500-1000mg daily typically broken down into two doses.

How many days does it take to work?

It typically takes 2-4 weeks for Ashwagandha to start showing its effects.

What time of day is best to take it?

It is best to take Ashwagandha twice a day with half of the daily dose in the morning and the other half in the afternoon.

Is it best to take it with or without food?

Ashwagandha can be taken with or without food.