Introduction
Ashwagandha is one of the most prominent ancient medicinal plants in Ayurveda, a system of medicine rooted in Indian traditions.
Classified as an adaptogenic plant, ashwagandha helps the body adapt to the various types of stress it faces. This adaptogenic plant adapts to the body’s actual needs, without causing any harmful, excessive or aggressive effects. Thanks to its effects, the body functions optimally, preparing it for any eventuality; and, in times of stress, the stress response is even better than initially anticipated by physiological functions.
Adaptogenic plants have a bidirectional effect. They restore energy in cases of exhaustion or physical or mental stress, but in cases of hyperactivity, they promote calm.
Botanical
Ashwagandha is a shrub native to arid regions, particularly India, the Middle East and Africa. It has small red fruits and a tuberous root, both of which are widely used in Ayurveda.
The plant is included in List B of medicinal plants in the French Pharmacopoeia.
Chemical constituents
Ashwagandha is rich in:
- Lactones with steroidal structures (withanolides, including withaferin)
- Alkaloids (withasomnine, cuscohigrine, solasodine)
- Phytosterols, flavonoids
- Essential oil, amino acids and trace elements, including iron.
Properties of ashwagandha:
Supports the body’s resistance to stress.
Ashwagandha is known for its effect on stress. It is said to influence cortisol, one of the hormones involved in stress physiology (1,2).
Several scientific studies suggest that ashwagandha is effective for symptoms of anxiety. In a randomised trial involving 64 patients with chronic stress, taking 300 mg of ashwagandha extract (full-spectrum) for sixty days had a beneficial effect on anxiety and insomnia. At the same time, ashwagandha reduced cortisol levels by 27.9% (1).
Furthermore, in patients with anxiety disorders, supplementation with 300 mg of ashwagandha (1.5% withanolides) twice daily improved anxiety symptoms by 56% compared with 30.5% in the placebo group (3) during the eight-week follow-up.
By helping the body manage stress, ashwagandha contributes to mental and physical wellbeing.
In summary, ashwagandha:
- Helps the body manage stress.
- Improves the body’s resistance to stress.
- Helps maintain mental balance and emotional stability.
- Helps with recovery following stressful events.
Contributes to optimal relaxation.
Ashwagandha helps to calm hyperactivity. In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is a rasayana herb that regenerates the body.
Ashwagandha:
- Provides support during times of mental strain, nervous tension and anxiety.
- Contributes to optimal relaxation.
- Helps induce sleep.
- Helps promote relaxation, mental and physical wellbeing.
- Contributes to emotional balance and general wellbeing.
It promotes learning and memory.
Ashwagandha has traditionally been used in Ayurvedic herbal medicine to improve memory and cognitive performance. Its neuroprotective action is supported by research. In a randomised controlled trial, the cognitive and motor performance of participants who received 1000 mg of ashwagandha was better than that of the placebo group (4).
In another randomised controlled trial, 50 subjects with moderate memory impairment were given 600 mg of ashwagandha root extract or a placebo (5). After eight weeks, performance on various cognitive tests – including memory, spatial-temporal visualisation, executive function and attention – improved in the ashwagandha group compared with the placebo group.
By promoting memory and attention, ashwagandha provides support during periods of intellectual and nervous strain.
In summary, ashwagandha:
- Promotes learning, memory and recall.
- Supports cognitive function in older people.
Supports the body’s energy levels.
Ashwagandha:
- Helps maintain energy levels.
- Helps you feel more energetic.
- Helps maintain the body’s vitality.
Promotes muscle function
Many athletes use ashwagandha as part of their daily routine to improve their muscle function (6), physical performance and recovery.
In a study of 18 volunteers, taking ashwagandha in gradually increasing doses (750 mg to 1250 mg per day) over thirty days led to an increase in lean body mass, muscle strength and physical performance, associated with a reduction in body fat.
Furthermore, the results of a study involving healthy professional cyclists suggest that ashwagandha improves cardiorespiratory endurance, particularly VO₂max — that is, the body’s capacity to extract oxygen and utilise it at the muscular level — whilst also reducing the time to fatigue (7).
Similarly, a study on ashwagandha KSM-66 reported a positive effect on muscle function during an 8-week resistance training programme in inexperienced men aged between 10 and 50. The men who received ashwagandha performed better in certain physical tests compared with the placebo group: muscle strength, muscle size, body fat percentage and muscle recovery were greater in those supplemented with ashwagandha (8).
In summary, ashwagandha:
- Helps build weight and muscle mass.
- Helps build muscle.
- Helps maintain optimal stamina, feelings of energy and vitality, and physical and mental wellbeing.
- Promotes the body’s resistance to physical stress.
Supports male sexual function
Ashwagandha means ‘strong as a horse’ in the Indian language and refers partly to its smell and partly to its revitalising and strengthening properties.
The plant may have a stimulating effect on male sexual function and blood testosterone levels (9). In patients with fertility disorders, ashwagandha may increase sperm count and motility (10).
Ashwagandha:
- Supports sexual function in men.
- Helps maintain sperm motility and volume.
1. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of a high-concentration, full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. July 2012;34(3):255–62.
2. Auddy B, Hazra J, Mitra A, Abedon B, Ghosal S. A standardised Withania somnifera extract significantly reduces stress-related parameters in chronically stressed humans: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study. 2008;11(1):8.
3. Cooley K, Szczurko O, Perri D, Mills EJ, Bernhardt B, Zhou Q, et al. Naturopathic care for anxiety: a randomised controlled trial ISRCTN78958974. PLoS One. 31 August 2009;4(8):e6628.
4. Pingali U, Pilli R, Fatima N. Effect of standardised aqueous extract of Withania somnifera on tests of cognitive and psychomotor performance in healthy human participants. Pharmacogn Res. January 2014;6(1):12–8.
5. Choudhary D, Bhattacharyya S, Bose S. Efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) root extract in improving memory and cognitive functions. J Diet Suppl. 2 Nov 2017;14(6):599–612.
6. Raut AA, Rege NN, Tadvi FM, Solanki PV, Kene KR, Shirolkar SG, et al. An exploratory study to evaluate the tolerability, safety and activity of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in healthy volunteers. J Ayurveda Integr Med. July 2012;3(3):111–4.
7. Shenoy S, Chaskar U, Sandhu JS, Paadhi MM. Effects of eight-week supplementation with Ashwagandha on cardiorespiratory endurance in elite Indian cyclists. J Ayurveda Integr Med. Oct 2012;3(4):209–14.
8. Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S. Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomised controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:43.
9. Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, Ahmad MK, Rajender S, Shankhwar SN, Singh V, et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality in stress-related male infertility. Evid-Based Complement Altern Med ECAM. 29 Sept 2009;
10. Ambiye VR, Langade D, Dongre S, Aptikar P, Kulkarni M, Dongre A. Clinical evaluation of the spermatogenic activity of the root extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in men with oligospermia: a pilot study. Evid-Based Complement Altern Med ECAM. 2013;2013:571420.
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