Ayurveda is an old Indian method of medicine that has used ashwagandha root extract as an herbal medicine for a very long time.
Ashwagandha has been used for a long time to treat stress-related illnesses like nervousness, insomnia, and getting older. Ashwagandha capsules can help the defense system by working as an adaptogen, which is why this is the case. Withanolides, which may be found in Ashwagandha, are thought to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Ashwagandha has also been used to help men with trouble getting pregnant and improve sports performance. While true, there needs to be more research data on these and other uses.
This article lists all the ways that Ashwagandha can be used. It also talks about the herb’s possible side effects, how to choose the best Ashwagandha capsules, and how it interacts with other drugs.
When faced with such a long list of claims, it is essential to look at the study carefully. Here are some of the most convincing ways that Ashwagandha could be used.
Stress
People think that Ashwagandha can help with long-term worry. Several tests show that this may be right after all.
A new study from India compared Ashwagandha at different doses to a fake to see how well it worked at treating stress.
In this study, people were randomly put into one of three groups: those who took a sugar pill with no active ingredients (placebo), those who took 250 mg of Ashwagandha every day, or those who took 600 mg.
Anxiety
In Ayurvedic therapy, Ashwagandha has been used for a long time as an alternative to traditional anxiety treatments. Ashwagandha might help treat nervousness by reducing inflammation and protecting cells from damage.
One systematic review found that there were only five randomized controlled studies that looked at how Ashwagandha affected anxiety. The data showed that people participating in all five trials had less stress. The review brought up several problems, including the study’s design and possible bias.
Alternatively, a small-scale human study that came out in 2022 showed more proof that Ashwagandha might help people who are dealing with anxiety. Participants were randomly given one of three amounts of Ashwagandha to take for 30 days: 225 mg daily, 400 mg daily, or a sugar pill.
Some people who took either dose of Ashwagandha for 30 days reported feeling less anxious afterward.
Memory
In Ayurveda, Ashwagandha has also been used for a long time to help people who have memory problems.
In one clinical trial, ashwagandha root extract was used to test how it affected memory and general brain function.
People who took Ashwagandha did much better at learning, paying attention, and remembering things visually than people who took a fake.
A pilot study examining the benefits of Ashwagandha also used people with mild cognitive impairment. In this study, people were given either a sugar pill or 300 mg of Ashwagandha twice daily for eight weeks.
The people who took Ashwagandha had much better short- and long-term memories by the end of the study.
The results would be even stronger if more large-scale, long-term studies were done.
Athletic Abilities
A few studies have been done in the last few years examining how Ashwagandha might help people perform better. Even in ancient times, doctors thought that Ashwagandha might be helpful as a sports supplement.
Another systematic review and meta-analysis study found that Ashwagandha may be suitable for sports. Scientists looked at twelve studies and discovered that Ashwagandha had a more significant effect on physical performance than fake Ashwagandha capsules.
The three most essential parts of physical success were power and strength, stamina, and recovery time.
More research is needed in this area because it is still a new field of study.
Needing more sleep.
An inability to get enough sleep is a sign of insomnia, a common sleep disorder. Ashwagandha might help people who can’t sleep.
A study compared Ashwagandha to a fake substance to see how well it treated sleepiness.
During the 10-week study, the participants’ late start to sleep, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and number of wake-ups after starting to sleep were all looked at. When people took 300 mg of Ashwagandha twice a day, it improved their sleep.
The same thing was found in another study examining how Ashwagandha affected getting a good night’s sleep.
The study found that Ashwagandha has a small but noticeable effect on how well people with sleeplessness sleep. Interestingly, the benefits were most substantial in people taking 600 mg of Ashwagandha daily for at least eight weeks.
Ashwagandha capsules
You can get Ashwagandha as a supplement in several forms, such as pills, candies, Ashwagandha capsules, drops, and powders. You can also drink Ashwagandha as a plant tea.
The type of supplement that works best for you is the one you should choose.
Most Ashwagandha capsules don’t have any gluten or cheese in them. Ensure that any new products you add to your diet are safe for you first. There are Ashwagandha capsules out there, but not all of them are natural.
When shopping for food supplements, look for the seal of approval from a third party, like ConsumerLab, NSF International, or USP. These outside groups check that dietary Ashwagandha capsules have the ingredients they do, but they don’t check claims that they can treat medical conditions. Herbs and nutritional supplements are not controlled in the US, so the only way to be sure you are getting a good supplement is to look for a seal of approval from one of these groups.
Conclusion
Ayurvedic treatment has used natural Ashwagandha, scientifically named Withania somnifera, for a long time. Several studies have shown that Ashwagandha capsules may help with various health problems, such as stress, worry, memory loss, and trouble sleeping. On the other hand, many studies that back Ashwagandha could be more potent or better done.
Traditional medical care is the only thing that works, not even Ashwagandha or other dietary medicines. Talking to a doctor or nurse before starting a new vitamin plan is essential.
