Stress, tiredness, restlessness, etc. are all common feelings and symptoms we humans encounter at some point in our lives. “Just relax” “Get over it” “Go workout” are common things we hear from friends, family, or random individuals we may encounter. These things are easier said than done though and at times can be troublesome. What is Ashwagandha then? Is it true that it can help with relaxation? In this article, we are going to discuss everything that is needed to know about the Ayurvedic herb.
What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha or Withania somnifera is an herb that comes from the nightshade family of plants. It is a traditional herb with a history in Ayurveda which is the oldest type of holistic medicine known (it’s been used for over 3000 years!) Ayurveda focuses on keeping the body in balance as a whole and uniting it through mind, body, and spiritual awareness. Ashwagandha is primarily known for relaxation or as an adaptogen used to cater to other physiological and psychological things.
What does Ashwagandha help do?
Ashwagandha is known as an adaptogen which means it is safe to take and adapts accordingly when inside one’s body to potentially help with a lot of things. The main emphasis around ashwagandha is that it helps with overall cognitive health and overall well-being. Ashwagandha has been shown to affect the central nervous system and thus alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety, bad moods, and sometimes clinical cases like depression.
How does the herb do this?
Ashwagandha is known to have similar effects to that of GABA which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the brain. GABA usually helps by controlling certain reactions or other neurotransmitters and reducing feelings of excitability or spontaneity. It is meant to help relax and restore or just provide an overall calming feeling. Ashwagandha have been shown to provide similar effects by affecting the central nervous system. It is also claimed with other things such as immune defense, fertility in men, cardiovascular health, etc.
How can I take this herb?
Like most other supplements, anything that is liquid-based or extracted in relation to herbs is the best choice to take. Liquids tend to metabolize better in the human body so finding Ashwagandha in a liquid form would be best. If capsules are more your style or just a matter of convenience then they are available as well alongside gummies.
When looking at this supplement or any herbal supplement, it is best to note that anything labeled extract will potentially be better because “extract” usually means the supplement in question is derived from the root specifically and not the aerial parts. KSM-66 is known to be a pure full-spectrum extract derived directly from the root of the Ashwagandha herb. It is considered more potent so this is an option to look out for if wishing to supplement oneself with the herb.
I feel relaxed enough already.
Good! Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb with a variety of potential benefits and has a history rooted in Ayurvedic medicine. It will adapt accordingly to your body and benefit your overall health. It is safe and an alternative to prescribed medications and other psychoactives that are usually chemically based.
Now that we have that introduction out of the way, here are the Top 10 Health Benefits of Ashwagandha:
- Can reduce cortisol: The medicinal herb appears to help lower levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by your adrenal glands in response to stress. More specifically, this study shows that daily doses of 125 mg to 5 grams for 1–3 months have shown to lower cortisol levels by 11–32%.
- Can increase testosterone and male fertility: researchers in a 90- day study of 68 men aged 22-40, found that the men taking Ashwagandha had a 167% increase in sperm count, 53% increase in semen volume and a 57% increase in sperm movement compared to the beginning of the study.
- Helps reduce inflammation: In human studies, ashwagandha has been found to “increase the activity of natural killer cells, which are immune cells that fight infection and help you stay healthy.” On top of that, studies have also discovered that ashwagandha may also “decrease markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP).”
- Can boost mood and may help with anxiety and depression: Several studies of the plant have shown that potent extracts of Ashwagandha produce anxiety-relieving effects that are as powerful as many commonly used anti-depressants, without any side effects. This is due to withanolides, the active ingredient in this herb, which stimulates certain regions of the brain. In a 2-month study of 64 volunteers with chronic stress, those who took ashwagandha had a 69% anxiety & insomnia reduction on average. By contrast, the placebo group only reported an 11% reduction in anxiety.
- May increase muscle mass and strength: One study found that healthy men who took around 1g of ashwagandha per day saw gains in muscle strength after 30 days. Another study of 57 men, taking ashwagandha led to “significant increases in muscle mass and strength” and more than doubled their reductions in body fat percentage compared to a placebo group.
- May lower triglycerides and cholesterol: This ancient root may be capable of boosting heart health by reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of fat cell linked to diabetes and high blood pressure. One study found that ashwagandha lowered overall cholesterol levels by 53%.
- May help boost memory: Attention and memory lead to increased productivity. For focus, concentration, and memory, Ashwagandha has been shown in many studies to enhance all aspects of cognitive function! Based on the results of an 8 week study, ashwagandha can help improve immediate memory and general memory, as well as executive function, attention and information processing speed.
- Can lower blood sugar: this medicinal root can stimulate the secretion of insulin in bloodstream and reduce sugar levels in the blood. It has been found to be especially effective for people with Type 2 diabetes. One test-tube study found that it increased insulin secretion and improved insulin sensitivity in muscle cells.
- May reduce stress: research has shown that ashwagandha can help normalize cortisol levels, thus reducing the stress response. In fact, dosages of 125 mg to 5 g ashwagandha extract have been shown to reduce cortisol levels by 11% to 32%.
- May help with weight loss: scientists theorize that many of ashwagandha’s health-boosting properties comes from the antioxidant steroidal alkaloids and lactones, principally the withanolides. Ashwagandha may fight stress and aid weight loss by acting as a natural adaptogen in the body, fighting disease and decreasing levels of stress hormones.
