One of the oldest medicine systems, ayurvedic medicine is a holistic approach to healing and wellness. With many of us frequently feeling chronically stressed and looking for natural ways to reduce anxiety, it’s no surprise that traditional ayurvedic remedies are becoming more popular. Ashwagandha is one such herb that’s been trending lately in the media. But why is it so popular? And is there actual research to back up these health claims? Let’s take a look!
What is Ashwagandha?
Before jumping into the proposed health benefits, let’s first briefly discuss what ashwagandha actually is.
As mentioned above, ashwagandha is an herb found in ayurvedic medicine that’s been used traditionally to relieve stress and improve cognition and energy levels.
Also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, ashwagandha has been classified as an adaptogen, as it may improve the body’s response to stress and anxiety.
Why is it trending?
While there are multiple proposed health benefits, the primary areas of research include reducing stress and anxiety, improvements in brain functioning, reduced risk of heart disease, and weight loss.
Stress, Anxiety and Depression
In a recent double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 52 individuals, aged 18-60 years old with chronic stress, daily supplementation of ashwagandha over 6 weeks was found to significantly decrease both perceived feelings of stress as well as serum cortisol levels.
While the exact mechanism hasn’t been fully studied in humans, in rats, it’s been suggested that supplementation blocks the stress pathway through regulation of chemical signaling in the brain.
Furthermore, another prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 64 adults with a history of chronic stress showed that 60 days of taking 300 mg supplements, twice a day resulted in a 69% reduction in anxiety and insomnia, compared to 11% reduction in the placebo group. Despite this high level of supplementation, no serious adverse events were reported.
But what about depression? While there are claims that this supplement can help reduce depression, there’s currently insufficient evidence to support this claim.
Cognition
If you haven’t caught on yet, many of the proposed benefits have to do with brain health. And one current trending area of research involves ways to improve memory and brain functioning with age.
One study showed that supplementation with ashwagandha completely reversed spatial memory impairment in epileptic rats. This study suggested that this reversal was brought on through antioxidant properties of the supplement, which reduced oxidative stress significantly.
However, there’s still very little research on whether or not supplementation has as drastic effects on brain functioning in humans.
A recent pilot study of 50 adults with diagnoses memory impairment or early dementia found that supplementation of 300 mg, twice a day for 8 weeks resulted in significantly improved general memory, task performance and attention compared to a placebo group. However, a larger, clinical trial with longer follow up is needed to confirm these potentially promising findings.
Weight Loss
Stress and weight have been shown to be tightly related. Generally speaking, more stressed we are, the more likely we are to crave foods (often sugary, fatty foods) and overeat. And over time, this habit of stress eating can lead to weight gain.
While there haven’t been any long term studies looking at the potential for ashwagandha to help with weight loss in chronically stressed individuals, one randomized controlled trial did find a significant reduction in weight loss and BMI over 8 weeks of twice daily 300 mg supplementation in overweight and obese individuals, compared to the placebo group.
Heart Disease
Due to it’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, this supplement is also being looked at as a potential to reduce risk of heart disease. Specifically, it’s role in reducing total cholesterol and triglycerides.
In a study in rats, ashwagandha supplementation significantly lowered total cholesterol by 53% and triglycerides by 45% in those with high cholesterol over just four weeks. The researchers found that this effect was largely due to an increase in bile acid synthesis, which allows for more cholesterol to be removed from the body.
As with many of these proposed health benefits, the research in humans is still lacking.
Potential Side Effects
As with any supplement, it’s a good idea to talk with your medical provider or registered dietitian before taking it.
As supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, I recommend choosing a brand that’s USP certified. USP stands for United States Pharmacopeia, which tests the purity, identity, and potency of supplements. This certification is voluntary for companies and ensures that the supplement actually contains what is advertised on the label.
There are certain populations who should avoid ashwagandha, unless told otherwise by a doctor. As ashwagandha can cause miscarriages, it’s strongly advised that pregnant women avoid the supplement. Lactating women should also avoid it as the safety hasn’t been studied in this population.
Individuals with autoimmune diseases (such as lupus or type 1 diabetes) or those on thyroid medications should also avoid taking this supplement unless given the green light by their primary care provider.
How to Purchase and Use
If you’ve been cleared to try ashwagandha, you can purchase it in either powder or capsule form. Most studies have shown the capsule form to be more effective, with starting dosage of 300-500 mg once to twice a day, or as directed by your medical provider.
Bottom Line
While more research is needed on the benefits of ashwagandha, the research so far on reducing stress and anxiety is promising. If you’re looking for a natural way to help with chronic stress, it’s worth talking to your medical provider about whether or not it’s a good option.
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