Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal plant in Ayurveda. It is used as a sedative and is said to help with sleep disorders and hypothyroidism.
What is the truth behind this? Can modern studies prove these effects?
What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha belongs to the nightshade family. The plant originally comes from Asia, but can now also be found in Greece, Spain and Africa.
Ashwagandha is also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry. The term Ashwagandha means something like “smell of the horse” because the root smells strongly of horse.
What does Ashwagandha do?
First of all, it is important to mention that the roots and leaves are used in dietary supplements, not the fruit, so the name "sleepberry" is somewhat misleading. The fruits are inedible and are poisonous due to their high alkaloid content.
The main active ingredients in Ashwagandha are withanolides. They are said to be responsible for Ashwagandha's stress-relieving, anti-anxiety and sleep-promoting properties. Ashwagandha also contains a number of other secondary plant substances such as alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins.
Ashwagandha for anxiety
Ashwagandha is said to have an anti-anxiety effect. In a study on subjects with anxiety disorders, symptoms improved within 6 weeks compared to the placebo group. [1]
For this reason, Ashwagandha could also potentially be helpful for panic attacks. However, this still needs to be investigated further.
Ashwagandha for stress
In one study, Ashwagandha was able to reduce the level of the stress hormone cortisol. At the same time, the level of DHEA increased. The DHEA hormone is an antagonist of cortisol. It is known as an anti-stress and anti-aging hormone.
In addition, stress sensitivity decreased, anxiety subsided, and insomnia improved. [2]
Ashwagandha for sleep disorders
Since Ashwandandha counteracts anxiety and could relieve stress, it is not surprising that it could also promote sleep. After all, sleep disorders, anxiety and too much stress usually go hand in hand.
In one study, subjects who took Ashwagandha fell asleep faster, woke up less often during the night, and had more restful sleep overall. [3]
The effect of Ashwagandha on memory and cognitive performance
Nerve cells in the brain are sensitive to free radicals and oxidative stress. Due to its antioxidant properties, Ashwagandha could protect nerve cells from oxidative stress.
In one study, reaction time, memory performance and attention improved after 8 weeks of taking Ashwagandha. [4]
Ashwagandha for high blood pressure
Ashwagandha also appears to have a positive effect on blood pressure. This is not surprising, as excessive stress and lack of sleep can cause high blood pressure.
In one study, Ashwagandha powder dissolved in milk was able to lower both diastolic and systolic blood pressure. [5]
Ashwagandha for hypothyroidism
Excessive stress and poor sleep can contribute to thyroid problems, which is why some studies have examined the effects of Ashwagandha on hypothyroidism.
In studies, Ashwagandha was able to increase the levels of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4, while also lowering TSH. [6] TSH is usually too high in hypothyroidism.
People with hyperthyroidism should be cautious with Ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha for inflammation
Ashwagandha appears to have strong anti-inflammatory effects and could therefore be helpful in inflammatory conditions.
In one study, Ashwagandha was able to relieve inflammatory knee pain within 12 weeks. [7] Ashwagandha may also help with osteoarthritis . However, this still needs to be investigated further.
Buying Ashwagandha: How to recognize a good product
Ashwagandha is often heavily contaminated with pesticides, so you should definitely pay attention to organic quality and choose a product that has been tested for harmful substances.
The best study data is available on root extract. That is why it makes sense to choose a preparation with root extract.
The withanolide content can vary greatly from preparation to preparation. In studies, daily doses of 15 - 30 mg are usually used. To be effective, the Ashwagandha preparation should have a withanolide content of this magnitude.
Risks and side effects of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is considered safe for human consumption and side effects are rare. However, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach irritation can sometimes occur.
There is insufficient data on the safety of Ashwagandha in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Therefore, you should not take it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you are taking blood pressure or blood sugar lowering medication, immunosuppressants, antidepressants and thyroid medication, you should definitely talk to your doctor before taking Ashwagandha, because in this case the dosage of the medication will need to be adjusted.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21407960/
[2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242151370_A_Standardized_Withania_Somnifera_Extract_Significantly_Reduces_Stress-Related_Parameters_in_Chronically_Stressed_Humans_A_Double-Blind_Randomized_Placebo-Controlled_Study
[3] https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/original_article/pdf/22928/1612429213-1612429205-20210204-18204-14l5ome.pdf
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24497737/
[5] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09735070.2012.11886427
[6] https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2017.0183
[7] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0975947616300298?via%3Dihub
