(Withania Somnifera, Indian Ginseng, Indian Winter Cherry)
Amount of Evidence: Very High Potential Benefits: Very High Safety: High
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, is one of the most popular herbs on the market, and for a good reason. The root and the berries of this adaptogen are most commonly used for reducing stress and anxiety, although this herb has many other potential benefits, such as increased testosterone and exercise performance. In this article, we will look at ashwagandha’s main benefits, potential side effects, and how to use it the right way.
Potential benefits
It is important to note that all of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. Counter-intuitively, taking a smaller amount of the adaptogen sometimes provides more benefits than a higher dose would. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.
Major benefits
Reduced stress – The root extract has been shown to reduce cortisol by 15-30%. This is a major change compared to other supplements. Because of this, ashwagandha is by far the most effective herb for lowering stress.
Reduced anxiety – Ashwagandha is most effective for stress-related and social anxiety. Other forms of anxiety (such as those related to fear rather than chronic stress) may not be reduced as much by taking ashwagandha but the herb can still be useful in managing these forms. One study also found a significant reduction in the symptoms of OCD.
Increased power output – A notable increase in power output was measured both in trained and untrained people. This effect seems to mainly apply to high-intensity exercise (specifically, sprints and strength training).
Reduced total cholesterol – The herb appears to reduce cholesterol levels by around 10%. This effect seems to apply to everyone, whether they have high cholesterol or not.
Minor benefits
Increased testosterone – This effect has been noted in two groups of people: men who do intense strength training and infertile men. If you don’t belong to one of those groups, ashwagandha may still increase your testosterone but the research we have hasn’t proven it yet.
Decreased fatigue – Ashwagandha keeps your energy levels more stable throughout the day and decreases symptoms of fatigue.
Increased alertness – Interestingly, one study noted an increase in alertness after taking Indian ginseng. This effect, however, needs to be proven by future research.
Improved VO2 max – Ashwagandha leads to a minor increase in VO2 max. It is one of the very few supplements to have this ability. This benefit is correlated with increased aerobic exercise endurance, which was also proven by 2 studies.
Lowered blood glucose – A small decrease was noted in healthy people. Research has yet to show whether or not this benefit applies to people with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Increased well-being – Ashwagandha has been proven to have a minor anti-depressive effect. Just like the stress-lowering effect, this mainly has to do with ashwagandha’s ability to lower cortisol.
Increased motivation – This benefit may be caused by increased well-being as well as increased testosterone.
Higher sperm quality – Ashwagandha is also able to increase sperm motility and sperm count. These effects likely lead to higher fertility in men who take the supplement.
Better social functioning – Since ashwagandha is very effective at lowering social anxiety, it may help you form deeper relationships with people.
Lower triglycerides – This benefit is minor and only seems to apply to those with metabolic impairments.
More stable attention – Two studies have noted this effect in people with cognitive impairment and bipolar disorder. This effect may also apply to healthy individuals.
Weight loss – A decrease of 1-2 kg was noted after 8 weeks of supplementation in people who were overweight and anxious. This effect may not apply to people who are at a healthy weight already.
Lowered blood pressure – A tiny decrease was noted in healthy individuals without hypertension.
Decreased CRP (C-reactive protein) – While the reduction in CRP seems notable, only two studies have shown this effect.
Increased serum T3 and T4 – A significant increase was found in people with subclinical hypothyroidism when they took 600 mg of root extract for 8 weeks.
Reduced symptoms of osteoarthritis – In one study, people with joint pain noticed a significant reduction in swelling and pain after taking 250-500 mg of root extract.
Increase in DHEA – Ashwagandha increases serum DHEA sulfate by around 13.2%.
Lowered rates of insomnia – This benefit has to do with ashwagandha’s cortisol-lowering effects because it was only noted in people with anxiety and chronic stress.
Decreased symptoms of bipolar disorder – This effect, however, is minor and only shown by one study.
Decreased symptoms of schizophrenia – Just like with bipolar disorder, this effect seems minor and we need more research to prove it.
Unproven benefits
The effect of ashwagandha on these parameters is either not sufficiently researched or the science shows little to no efficacy in these areas.
Reduced heart rate – Only a slight reduction has been found in healthy people with anxiety but not in other groups.
Muscle growth – The herb causes a slight increase in muscle mass in sedentary people but the difference is not significant.
Immunity boost – One study showed minor T-cell activation which could lead to better immunity. We need more research to prove this effect though.
Increased memory – This effect has been proven but only in people with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.
Decreased pain – This effect was only observed in people with osteoarthritis and those undergoing chemotherapy. In other cases, ashwagandha is unlikely to decrease physical pain.
Fat loss – Only one study has shown a minor decrease in body fat percentage. More research is needed.
Decrease in heart rate – A slight reduction has been noted in obese adults. However, if you are a healthy individual, ashwagandha will likely have no effect.
Sleep quality – Regular root extracts do not directly impact your sleep quality. They also do not have a direct effect on sleep duration. An exception to this may be Shoden, a relatively new extract.
Muscle soreness – The herb does not seem to reduce muscle soreness. There is only one study so far directly exploring the connection. In the study, there appears to be no benefit.
Possible side effects
These side effects are dose-dependent and the risk for them increases (most often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as the dose is increased. Some of the side effects are relevant only at very high doses.
Blunting of emotions – This side effect is quite rare but some people report not being able to feel emotions as strongly as before they were taking ashwagandha. Fortunately, this side effect should go away once you stop taking the adaptogen.
Diarrhea – This effect only applies to high doses and is most likely to happen when a person starts taking ashwagandha.
Nausea and vomiting – Ashwagandha does not taste good. If you take it in powder form, you probably will get nauseous from it before you get used to the taste.
Toxicity – The LD50 in mice (meaning 50% of the mice die from the dose) was found to be 432 mg/kg. Toxicity was never noted in humans. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about as long as you stick to the normal doses.
Harmful pesticides – If you can, buy organic ashwagandha to prevent potential damage from pesticide exposure.
Who should not take ashwagandha?
You should probably avoid taking high doses of the herb if you:
are already a calm person and don’t suffer from stress or anxiety (since these are the main benefits of ashwagandha)
Who will benefit the most?
You should definitely consider taking ashwagandha if you:
experience chronic stress and stress-related anxiety
are a serious athlete wanting to maximize exercise performance
suffer from hypothyroidism
experience symptoms of bipolar disorder
have been diagnosed with OCD
wish to improve your fertility
Forms of ashwagandha
While all of these forms share similar benefits, there are some considerable differences between them.
Root powder – The upside of regular root powder is that all the alkaloids are in their natural ratios. The downside is that the amount of alkaloids varies from plant to plant and most brands do not specify their alkaloid content. Most root powders contain somewhere between 0.2-0.6% withanolides, which are the main alkaloids in ashwagandha.
KSM-66 – KSM-66 is a full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract with natural ratios of ashwagandha alkaloids. This is the most popular as well as the most researched extract. Researchers spent 14 years developing this form. It appears to be more effective than other extracts for improving memory, cognition, and increasing energy. KSM-66 also appears to be safer than the other extracts.
Sensoril – This is another popular extract made from both the root and the leaf. Sensoril is standardized for ≥10% withanolides, while KSM-66 is standardized for ≥5%. However, this doesn’t make Sensoril 2 times more beneficial. Sensoril doesn’t seem to be as effective for cognitive enhancement as KSM-66 but appears more effective for reducing fatigue and improving cardiovascular health.
Shoden – This ashwagandha extract is relatively new and is known to be the most potent one. It is standardized for ≥35% withanolides. While research on Shoden is still in its early stages, this form appears to be very promising. People who take Shoden seem to notice the benefits faster than those who take other extracts. Shoden also appears to be the most effective form for improving sleep quality.
Other root extracts – There are a lot more ashwagandha extracts than the three already mentioned. However, the less popular ones do not have as much research behind them and/or do not seem to be as beneficial. It is recommended that you instead chose one of the forms above.
How much ashwagandha should you take?
Most studies on ashwagandha use root extracts in doses of 300-600 mg. The higher end of this range usually provides slightly more benefits in the short term. If you plan to take the herb for a long time (months or years), 300 mg is probably a better way to go since you’d develop a tolerance for higher doses faster.
For most root extracts (including KSM-66 and Sensoril), 300 mg seems to be the best dose to take. For Shoden, as little as 100 mg is usually more than enough because of how potent this extract is. The withanolide content in root powder is generally 0.2-0.6%. If you take the root powder and don’t know it’s withanolide content, anywhere from 2-6 grams seems to be a good amount to take. Taking 3-5 grams is probably a way to go.
If you take an x:1 extract, divide the 3-5 grams by x. For example, you’d want to take about 300-500 mg of a 10:1 extract.
Some experts believe that lower doses, such as 150 mg of most extracts or 1-2 grams of root powder, might be superior if you take the herb for many years because they are unlikely to lead to tolerance.
However, such doses are too low to derive notable benefits, and there is a better way to bypass the tolerance issue, which is cycling ashwagandha. You want to stop taking the herb every once in a while to reset your tolerance for it. Ideally, you want to take 2-3 days off every week.
Paradoxically, taking more than 600 mg of most root extracts or 6-8 grams of root powder would lead to fewer benefits than lower doses. There is no point in taking doses any higher than this.
Ashwagandha could theoretically cause toxicity if you took extremely high amounts (the LD50 in mice is 342 mg/kg). There is no reason ever take this much. It is important to note that the effects of ashwagandha are cumulative. Therefore, you need to take it regularly to notice long-term benefits. But again, cycling the herb and not taking it at least twice a week is necessary to prevent tolerance.
Best time to take ashwagandha
The time of the day doesn’t matter much, if at all, when it comes to ashwagandha. That is because the effects are cumulative and mainly happen in the long term.
You do not have to combine ashwagandha with food. Some people report that the effects are more profound when they take the herb on an empty stomach. At the same time, doing so can also lead to upset stomach and diarrhea.
Interactions with other supplements
Turmeric Ashwagandha seems to increase the antioxidant effects of curcumin.
SSRIs The herb can be taken with SSRIs for reducing obsession.
Milk thistle Just like with curcumin from turmeric, ashwagandha may increase the antioxidative effects of silymarin found in milk thistle.
Where to buy ashwagandha
Amazon seems to be the best option for ordering ashwagandha supplements in most countries. They offer some very affordable products that are backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands there without having to spend time searching through other markets on the internet.
One thing you should pay attention to if you decide to buy ashwagandha in capsule form is that some brands display the dosage per serving and not per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something that is less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.
Where you buy ashwagandha from doesn’t matter as much as what form you buy.
FAQ
It is not yet known if you develop a tolerance for ashwagandha over time. For this reason, it is best to cycle the supplement and not take it every once in a while. For example, you can take it on weekdays and not take it during the weekend.
Yes. It doesn’t impact your sleep in any negative way.
The root powder, as well as root extracts, can lose potency over time.
Keep the supplement in a cold, dark, and dry place and it should remain just as potent for a few months or even years.
You should start noticing the benefits 4-6 weeks after you start taking the supplement.
500-600 mg of root extract seems to be the optimal amount for increasing testosterone. If you are taking root powder, 2-3 grams are recommended.
Ashwagandha has a half-life of around five to six hours, so you can expect it to be completely out of your system in two to three days.
While you could safely take higher doses, 600 mg of root extract or 2-3 grams of root powder should give you all the benefits you need so taking more than that is unnecessary. Ashwagandha could theoretically cause toxicity but you would have to consume incredibly high amounts (the LD50 in mice was found to be 342 mg/kg).
No, it doesn’t. The herb does not interfere with fasting in any notable way.
References
Most of the information provided in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.
Anecdotal evidence (from reports on Reddit, YouTube, and other sources) is also taken into account unless it contradicts scientific research.
