Ashwagandha is an herb that has been known for its incredible health-boosting properties for at least 5,000 years in Indian culture. It was mentioned in several ancient texts including the Sushruta Samhitas, Ashwalayan Grihya Sutra, and the Shuthpath Brahman.
The popularity of this revitalising herb even spread across ancient Greece and other nearby civilizations because of its amazing effects.
Clearly, even before there were scientific studies to back it up, ancient peoples knew that ashwagandha had some incredible medicinal properties!
What is ashwagandha used for and how can you start incorporating its benefits into your life, too? Let’s find out!
Ashwagandha is an Adaptogenic Herb
In recent years, ashwagandha has been touted (especially in the West) as an adaptogen.
Adaptogen is a term that was coined in 1947 by Nikolai Lazarev, a Soviet toxicologist. He used the term to describe natural substances that appeared to increase an organism’s resistance to stress. Essentially, an adaptogen is a substance that helps an organism adapt to experiencing stress.
It’s important to note that the term does not have any scientific backing, however, and as of 2023, both the UK and the US prohibit marketing supplements or foods with the term. It’s not a recognized term in pharmacology or physiology. It is, however, recognized and regulated by the Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) department as a traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
Even so, ashwagandha has been deemed an adaptogen because of its effects on the body. Just be sure to always do your own research for this and any other herb or plant, as well as the seller, to ensure that you know what to expect and that you’re receiving the product you intended to buy!
What Are Adaptogens?
What do adaptogens actually do?
According to Lazarev's (admittedly vague) definition, adaptogens help the body manage stress. The contemporary thought about this meaning is that adaptogens are mushrooms and plants containing beneficial compounds that help the body regulate its stress response, encourage healthy immune function, and promote energy.
They are meant to help the body return to homeostasis more quickly after experiencing stress of some sort (like an emotional incident, mild physical trauma, or high cortisol and insomnia due to stress), help reduce the impacts of illnesses and diseases, and have an overall positive effect on the body.
Adaptogens must not be toxic or harmful in reasonable doses to be considered part of the group.
How do adaptogens work?
Since there isn’t a lot of research on the subject yet, and by definition, the effects of adaptogens must be a general sense of well-being and healing, it’s hard to know exactly how they work in scientific terms.
In a 2021 study titled “Plant Adaptogens—History and Future Perspectives” by Todorova V, Ivanov K, Delattre C, et al., adaptogens are currently believed to affect the endocrine system and the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis. This means that the enzymes and hormones produced by these organs may be influenced by substances in the adaptogenic plant, causing better levels and interactions of blood cells, blood sugar, nitric oxide, lactate, cortisol, lipids, liver enzymes, and more.
While more and more clinical research is coming out to support the claims of adaptogenic plants and mushrooms as a health boon, right now much of the belief is from Ayurveda and folk medicine. That doesn't mean these plants don't work, it just means that there could be a lot of misunderstanding and false claims being made by people who don't really understand them!
Ashwagandha for Men and Women: Is There a Difference?
Ashwagandha and other adaptogens can have different effects on men and women because they influence hormones.
Effects of Ashwagandha on Women
Ashwagandha may help regulate the menstrual cycle, meaning that women may experience more evenly-spaced periods with milder PMS symptoms (like mood swings, breast tenderness, bloating, and fatigue) and less cramping. It can also reduce these same types of symptoms in peri-menopause and menopause.
Additionally, ashwagandha may help boost female libido and fertility. However, it’s important to note that too much ashwagandha during pregnancy may cause miscarriage.
Effects of Ashwagandha on Men
Ashwagandha may increase libido and fertility in men. It can boost testosterone in men with lower levels.
Uses and Side Effects of Ashwagandha
For everyone, Ashwagandha boasts some spectacular benefits. Regardless of gender, this potent herbal root has been used for thousands of years as a Rasayana (an Ayurvedic term referring to rejuvenating herbs or compounds that promote overall health and well-being) and is still used today for the same reasons.
Ayurvedic Uses & Properties of Ashwagandha
In Ayurveda, ashwagandha has the properties of
| Quality | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa | Titka | Bitter |
| Rasa | Katu | Pungent |
| Rasa | Madhura | Sweet |
| Guna | Laghu | Light |
| Guna | Snigdha | Oily |
| Virya | Ushna | Hot |
| Vipaka | Madhura | Sweet/Satisfying |
Ashwagandha agitates Pitta and pacifies Vata and Kapha.
Ashwagandha is also classified as
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rasayana | Lifespan Lengthening |
| Bhalya | Increases Strength |
| Vajikara | Promotes Healthy Sexual Function |
In Ayurvedic terms, ashwagandha is prescribed as a treatment for dosha imbalances.
| Dosha | Meaning | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Vata | Too much air and space | Anxiety, Insomnia, Fatigue, Forgetfulness |
| Kapha | Too much earth and water | Weight gain, Lethargy, Congestion, Constipation |
| Pitta | Too much fire and water | Inflammation (when taken with a cooling food like coconut water) |
Modern Uses of Ashwagandha
In modern terms, the advantageous compounds within ashwagandha have been identified as
| Compounds | Effects |
|---|---|
| Alkaloids: withanine, somnine, somniferine, isopellietierine, anaferine, tropine, pseudotropine, pseudowithanine, anahygrine, cuscohygrine, scopoletin, tropanol, sopelletierine | Cognitive health, stress relief, sleep aid, anti-inflammatory, heart health, endocrinehealth |
| Phytosterols: beta-sitosterol | Prostate health, blood cholesterol health |
| Flavonoids | Antioxidants |
| Saponins | Reduce cancer risk, blood health |
| Sitoindosides | Reduce stress response |
| Iron | Blood health |
| Choline | Cognitive health, brain health, cell health |
| Acylsteryl glucosides | Anti-microbial |
| Coumarins: scopoletin and aesculetin | Anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory (expands blood vessels) |
| Triterpene: beta-amyrin | Anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-microbial |
| Phytosterols: stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol | Manage cholesterol |
| Essential oils: ipuranol, withaniol | Anti-stress |
| Steroidal lactones: glycowithanolide | Adaptogen; anti-stess, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunity support, cognitive support |
Ashwagandha’s botanical name is Withania Somnifera; somnifera means “sleep-inducive” which means that the plant’s calming qualities are recognized in the science of botany.
The four components that make up the ashwagandha plant are the leaves, the fruit (berry), the seeds, and the roots. Most often, the root is powdered and used as medicine and supplementation. Each part of the plant contains beneficial compounds, however, AYUSH does not recommend using the leaves as a medicinal treatment because ancient Ayurveda does not describe the use of the leaves.
Leaves
The leaves have analgesic (pain-relieving) and antioxidant properties and can be used to help treat viral infections, cough and cold symptoms, fever, and chronic pain, and may help asthma and emphysema. They also contain withaferin A, a steroidal lactone, which may have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective properties.
Fruit & Flowers
Ashwagandha flowers have diuretic qualities which can help prevent kidney stones. They are also considered an aphrodisiac for men and women, helping with libido and fertility.
The berries of the plant contain compounds which can be used as a substitute for rennet in cheese-making.
Seeds
The seeds have anthelminthic (anti-parasitic) properties and are used for preventing and treating infectious diseases and parasitic invasions.
Roots
The root is most often used for all medicinal applications. It is considered to have aphrodisiac, diuretic, anthelminthic, antioxidant, anti-depressant, and anti-diabetic properties.
Ashwagandha Benefits
Ashwagandha is typically used to help:
- Cognitive and neural problems like forgetfulness, anxiety, racing thoughts, and mental stress
- General stress relief
- General pain reduction, relief from fibromyalgia
- Possibly reduce the risk of diseases like multiple sclerosis, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s due to nerve reparation and preservation
- Reduce severity and occurrence of migraines
- Improve immune system function, expedite wound healing, reduce skin conditions
- Improved respiratory health, treating tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis
- Hypertension, high or low blood sugar, diabetes
- Improve sleep patterns, sleep quality, insomnia
- Improve sustained energy levels, physical strength, vitality, endurance, and athletic performance
- Supports healthy joints, muscles, thyroid, adrenals; reduced risk of hypothyroidism
- Reduces inflammation; reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis
- Reduced risk of certain cancers and tumours
- Possible help in treating certain types of paralysis
- Relieve constipation
- Improve virility and fertility and men and women, reproductive health, reduce menstrual problems
Side Effects of Ashwagandha
While ashwagandha is safe when taken in moderate doses, too much of any plant can cause health issues, especially plants that are mostly used for medicine rather than nutrition.
Do not take ashwagandha without first consulting your doctor if you
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have hormone-sensitive prostate cancer
- Are due to have surgery soon
- Have an autoimmune disease
- Have a thyroid disease or disorder
- Have liver problems
- Take certain medications, like benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, or barbituates
Some common side effects that can occur, especially if you take too much ashwagandha, are
- Abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea, vomiting
- Drowsiness
In Ayurveda, it is not recommended to take too much ashwagandha if you have too much Pitta and Ama, since the herb has heating qualities. Low amounts of the herb are recommended to help inflammation when combined with cooling foods, but too much may aggravate Pitta further.
Overall, ashwagandha is generally a very safe herb.
How to Take Ashwagandha for Health
Ashwagandha is typically taken as a powder in a pill or tea form, but can also be found as a liquid or tincture.
A safe dose is considered to be 250–500 milligrams (mg) per day for at least 1 month. It can take weeks or months of consistent use to notice changes in the body. Daily doses of 225–600 mg for 1–2 months have been shown to significantly lower cortisol levels, and taking 600mg per day for 8 weeks may reduce anxiety and improve sleep, especially in people with insomnia and high stress.
Even a dose as low as 5 mg per day has been shown to have effects on the body.
Depending on what you’d like to achieve by taking ashwagandha, the daily dose and length of treatment may differ.
You should not exceed 1000mg (1 gram) per day and should not take for longer than 12 weeks without consulting a doctor.
Closing Thoughts
Ashwagandha is truly an amazing medicinal plant, and hopefully, more scientific studies will take place in the near future to give modern backing to ancient wisdom.
There is so much to learn when you’re interested in herbalism, ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, or any other plant-fungi-herb-based medicinal system!
Learn more with bio classes near me here on Superprof!
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