Ashwagandha: Know All About This Magic Shrub!

Hello everyone! Today we will learn about ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is a very useful shrub and a lot of people seem to like it. Along with liking it, a lot of people love ashwagandha and use it too. So, in this blog, you will be learning all about ashwagandha, and getting to understand the shrub(ashwagandha) in details.

About Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub found in parts of India, Africa, and the Middle East. It contains several bioactive compounds, including a group of substances known as withanolides. Withanolides have been associated with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Ashwagandha has been a medicinal plant for thousands of years, especially in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Currently, ashwagandha supplements are often promoted for stress and anxiety, sleep, male infertility, and athletic performance. These supplements typically contain ashwagandha root, leaf, or root/leaf extracts. it has also been promoted for COVID-19, but insufficient high-quality evidence supports its use.

What are ashwagandha’s main benefits?

Ashwagandha’s reputation as a panacea may have originated from its purported influence on the stress response and related conditions. It is best known for its anxiolytic (antianxiety) and stress-relieving effects, including reductions in cortisol. In addition, a growing body of evidence supports the efficacy of ashwagandha for improving total sleep time and quality in people with and without insomnia.

Ashwagandha has shown promise in research as a cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal performance enhancement for both athletes and non-athletes. Similarly, it may also improve immune, women’s, men’s, and sexual health. Unfortunately, because of inconsistencies in the research, it has been difficult to draw any direct conclusions.

What are ashwagandha’s main drawbacks?

Though ashwagandha appears to be safe overall, there is still a potential for adverse effects, including thyroid issues, liver toxicity, immune stimulation, and electrolyte imbalances. Although clinical studies have not shown an increased risk of adverse events, case reports raise concerns. For example, case reports have suggested adverse effects such as rash, itching, or thyroid dysregulation may occur with ashwagandha use. Still, the same adverse events were not seen in a safety study with a larger sample size.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the occurrence of liver toxicity, although this has not been observed in clinical safety trials. In two 2024 case reports, liver injury was recorded when ashwagandha capsules were taken at dosages up to 1,350 mg per day for durations ranging from 30 hours to 6 months. In other reports, liver toxicity was usually reported within 2 to 12 weeks of ashwagandha use, and liver function returned to normal in all but one case following medical support and stopping ashwagandha.

Additionally, ashwagandha may influence immune and hormonal systems, which could put specific populations at a greater risk. In one case report, a kidney transplant recipient developed organ rejection after using ashwagandha for two weeks. In another case report, a patient with high blood pressure developed hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood) and adrenal insufficiency with abnormally low cortisol levels after taking a combination of supplements that included ashwagandha.

Case studies suggest that ashwagandha could have serious side effects, though there are often minimal details on dosage or formulation. However, more extensive clinical studies, especially those with standardized formulations and dose regimens, indicate milder adverse events (e.g., drowsiness or sedation) can still occur. In a more recent systematic review and meta-analysis, the majority of randomized controlled trials reported no adverse events, but several reported effects such as diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, rashes, and abnormal liver or kidney function tests. More research is needed to understand the risks associated with ashwagandha entirely. However, it is crucial that individuals, especially those with pre-existing conditions or who are taking other medications, consult with their healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimens.

How does ashwagandha work?

It contains numerous bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, and steroidal lactones. Withanolides are a type of steroidal lactone that is considered to be responsible for most of the plant’s benefits.

One proposed theory is that ashwagandha affects the HPA axis, which is seen in its ability to influence cortisol levels. Most studies on ashwagandha focus on stress and stress-related conditions frequently associated with cortisol, other neuroendocrine hormones, and neurotransmitters. Much research has been devoted to understanding the ability of it to mitigate the effects of both healthy and detrimental stress, which, in turn, could affect other outcomes and or health states.

Anxiety, depression, fertility, obesity, sleep, exercise recovery, immune health, and cognition are just a few examples. The HPA stress response may also explain some of the varied results in the evidence. This variance could be the result of ashwagandha affecting the HPA axis differently in different people. It may also be due to the complex relationship between stress and health conditions. If stress isn’t the precipitating factor for an adverse health state, ashwagandha may not be an effective treatment for it, either.

The most substantial evidence to date suggests ashwagandha has cortisol-lowering and corticosteroid-lowering effects. In studies where cortisol was lowered, other outcomes, such as anxiety, weight management, fertility, cognition, sleep, and/or quality of life, have also improved.

Dosage information

Formulation

Various parts of that plant are used, but the most common supplemental form is an extract of its roots that may come in a capsule, liquid extraction, tablets, or tea. When ashwagandha is part of the Ayurvedic system, it usually involves more than just the herb alone.

Because withanolides are considered the primary active component in ashwagandha, some extracts are standardized to contain a certain minimum amount. Clinical trials have used standardized extracts containing anywhere from 1.5% to 35% withanolides, but many studies do not disclose this information, and the optimal amount of withanolides is not yet precise. While studies may use standardized extracts or proprietary formulas, extraction methods, formulation, or composition variations can affect the physiological response.

Range of dosages studied

Studies on ashwagandha have used daily dosages ranging from 120 to 12,000 mg of a root extract. The most common dosing protocol is 150 to 600 mg daily, which may be divided into one to three doses.

Effective Dosages

Stress

Adults: Studies in adults (ages 18–65+) have shown that ashwagandha, given in dosages from 120 to 600 mg per day for 4 to 12 weeks’ duration, is effective for relieving stress and reducing cortisol. In these studies, both capsules and root powder were taken once or twice daily with water.

Sleep

Adults: Studies in adults (ages 18–65+) with and without insomnia have shown that ashwagandha, given in dosages from 120 to 1,250 mg per day (most commonly 600 mg per day) for 4 to 12 weeks’ duration, improves alertness/fatigue, sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep disturbances.[5] Standardized root extract capsules were used in most studies, taken once or twice daily in combination with milk or water.

Special considerations: The trials used different standardized extracts, some from the root only and others from both the root and leaves. This may result in different phytochemical profiles.

Hormonal health

Men: Men (ages 18–64) who took ashwagandha in dosages from 600 to 5,000 mg per day for 8–12 weeks’ duration saw increases in sexual function, fertility, and testosterone levels. Root extract capsules or powder were taken once or twice daily.

Women: Women (ages 18–64) who took 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice a day saw increases in estrogen and sexual function and decreases in follicle-stimulating, luteinizing, and menopausal symptoms.

Mood and Brain Health

Adults: In studies in adults (ages 18–65+), both with and without anxiety/depression, ashwagandha given in dosages from 120 to 1,000 mg per day (with one outlier giving 12,000 mg per day) for 4 to 12 weeks’ duration was effective for reducing symptoms of anxiety and improving cognition. Root extract capsules were taken once or twice daily with milk or water.

Special considerations: One trial used 12,000 mg daily, 20 times the dose most commonly seen in trials (600 mg per day).

Immune Function

Adults: In studies in adults (ages 18–65+) without known health conditions, ashwagandha given in dosages ranging from 60 to 1,000 mg per day (once or twice daily) for 4 to 16 weeks’ duration has been effective in altering markers of immune function. Capsules, root powder, and tablets were used in these studies that saw increased lymphocytes (CD3, CD4, and CD8), immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, interleukin 4, and natural killer cells, and decreased signs of oxidation and inflammation.

Exercise and Fitness

Adults: Studies in both trained and untrained adults (ages 18–64) have shown that ashwagandha given in dosages from 120 to 1,250 mg per day for 2 to 8 weeks’ duration improves aerobic exercise metrics, exercise recovery, and physical strength. In these studies, capsules were taken once or twice daily.

Other Considerations

It is unknown if ashwagandha loses its potency with daily long-term use, but due to its possible drug-like effects on neurotransmission, this possibility cannot be ruled out. It’s also unknown if taking breaks from ashwagandha or taking it every other day prolongs its effectiveness. Whether ashwagandha is taken with milk or water could potentially affect its absorption. More research is needed to confirm whether dosages above 600 mg daily yield better benefits.

Conclusion

So, ashwagandha is truly a good shrub and certainly you must use it. However, you must use it with great caution. This is because overuse of anything can be dangerous.

FAQs

Is ashwagandha and awpl the same thing?

Ans: Yes.

Is ashwagandha and shilajit present in viagra tablet?