Ashwagandha Benefits for Stress & Anxiety

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Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha benefits people in times of stress and is commonly used for feelings of anxiety as it contains natural chemicals that might help calm the brain, reduce swelling, lower blood pressure, and alter the immune system.

Ashwagandha is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda, which is a traditional form of alternative medicine based on Indian principles of natural healing.

People have used ashwagandha for thousands of years to relieve stress, increase energy levels, and improve concentration (1Trusted Source).

“Ashwagandha” is Sanskrit for “smell of the horse,” which refers to both the herb’s scent and its potential ability to increase strength (2Trusted Source).

Its botanical name is Withania somnifera, and it’s also known by several other names, including “Indian ginseng” and “winter cherry.”

The ashwagandha plant is a small shrub with yellow flowers that’s native to India and Southeast Asia. Extracts or powder from the plant’s root or leaves are used to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety and fertility issues (3Trusted Source).

Since ashwagandha is traditionally used as an adaptogen, it is used for many conditions related to stress. Adaptogens are believed to help the body resist physical and mental stress.

Some of the conditions it is used for including insomnia, aging, anxiety and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses. There is also no good evidence to support using ashwagandha for COVID-19.

Don’t confuse ashwagandha with Physalis alkekengi. Both are known as winter cherry. Also, don’t confuse ashwagandha with American ginseng, Panax ginseng, or eleuthero.

This article is extracted and paraphrased from Healthline and WebMD 
Possibly Effective for
  • Insomnia. Taking ashwagandha by mouth seems to improve overall sleep and sleep quality in some people.
  • Stress. Taking ashwagandha by mouth seems to help reduce stress in some people. It might also help reduce stress-related weight gain.

There is interest in using ashwagandha for a number of other purposes, but there isn’t enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

When taken by mouth: Ashwagandha is possibly safe when used for up to 3 months. The long-term safety of ashwagandha is not known. Large doses of ashwagandha might cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. Rarely, liver problems might occur.

When applied to the skin: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if ashwagandha is safe or what the side effects might be.
Pregnancy: It is likely unsafe to use ashwagandha when pregnant. There is some evidence that ashwagandha might cause miscarriages.

Breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if ashwagandha is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

“Auto-immune diseases” such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or other conditions: Ashwagandha might cause the immune system to become more active, and this could increase the symptoms of auto-immune diseases. If you have one of these conditions, it’s best to avoid using ashwagandha.

Surgery: Ashwagandha may slow down the central nervous system. Healthcare providers worry that anesthesia and other medications during and after surgery might increase this effect. Stop taking ashwagandha at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Thyroid disorders: Ashwagandha might increase thyroid hormone levels. Ashwagandha should be used cautiously or avoided if you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid hormone medications.
Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination.

Medications that decrease the immune system (Immunosuppressants) interacts with ASHWAGANDHA

Ashwagandha can increase the activity of the immune system. Some medications, such as those used after a transplant, decrease the activity of the immune system. Taking ashwagandha along with these medications might decrease the effects of these medications.

Sedative medications (Benzodiazepines) interacts with ASHWAGANDHA

Ashwagandha might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking ashwagandha with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.

Sedative medications (CNS depressants) interacts with ASHWAGANDHA

Ashwagandha might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking ashwagandha with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.

Thyroid hormone interacts with ASHWAGANDHA

The body naturally produces thyroid hormones. Ashwagandha might increase how much thyroid hormone the body produces. Taking ashwagandha with thyroid hormone pills might cause too much thyroid hormone in the body, and increase the effects and side effects of thyroid hormone.

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with ASHWAGANDHA

Ashwagandha might lower blood sugar levels. Taking ashwagandha along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.

Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with ASHWAGANDHA

Ashwagandha might lower blood pressure. Taking ashwagandha along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.

Ashwagandha appears to help control mediators of stress, including heat shock proteins (Hsp70), cortisol, and stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK-1) (4Trusted Source).

It also reduces the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a system in your body that regulates the stress response (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

Several studies have shown that ashwagandha supplements may help relieve stress and anxiety.

In a small study with 58 participants, those who took 250 or 600 mg of ashwagandha extract for 8 weeks had significantly reduced perceived stress and levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared with those who took a placebo.

What’s more, the participants who took the ashwagandha supplements experienced significant improvements in sleep quality compared with the placebo group (4Trusted Source).

Another study in 60 people found that those who took 240 mg of ashwagandha extract per day for 60 days had significant reductions in anxiety compared with those who received a placebo treatment (5Trusted Source).

Thus, early research suggests ashwagandha may be a helpful supplement for stress and anxiety.

However, a recent review of studies concluded that there’s not enough evidence to form a consensus on the most appropriate dosage and form of ashwagandha benefits you by treating stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety (6Trusted Source).

Dosage
Ashwagandha has most often been used by adults in doses up to 1000 mg daily, for up to 12 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.
Ashwagandha
Other resources on Ashwagandha can also be found online

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