Are you looking for an easy way to improve your health and well-being? Then try incorporating ashwagandha into your daily routine. For centuries, ashwagandha has been used to reduce stress levels, increase focus and energy, boost immunity, balance hormones, and more.

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha, or Withania somnifera or Indian ginseng, is a traditional ayurvedic medicinal herb. It grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. The plant has been used for centuries to treat various ailments, including stress, fatigue, and inflammation. Ashwagandha root and fruit are utilized today in dietary supplements containing extracts, powders, and capsules.

It has many health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving cognitive function, balancing hormones, strengthening the immune system, improving sleep quality, and promoting heart health. Ashwagandha is best known for its adaptogenic properties, which help the body respond to stress by naturally regulating hormone levels. The active ingredients in ashwagandha increase serotonin and GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitters) while decreasing cortisol levels (a stress hormone).

What are the Health Benefits of Ashwagandha?

Improves Inflammation

One of the primary benefits of ashwagandha is its ability to reduce inflammation. Studies have shown that taking ashwagandha can reduce levels of cytokines, which are markers for inflammation in the body ^[1]. A healthy immune system is essential for optimal health, and using a natural supplement like ashwagandha can help regulate your body's inflammatory response.

Additionally, it may benefit people suffering from chronic inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Furthermore, ashwagandha can also strengthen muscles and bones. All these functions combined make ashwagandha an ideal supplement for athletes.

Improves Sleep

Studies have shown that taking ashwagandha can help improve your sleep quality and reduce sleep disturbances. It works by reducing stress, improving mood, and helping to balance hormones. This can lead to better overall health and improved sleep quality ^[2]. Plus, it's all-natural, so you don't have to worry about any unpleasant side effects like you would with prescription medications. Taking ashwagandha before bedtime is a great way to help ensure a restful night's sleep.

Helps with Brain Function and Memory

It has many potential health benefits, including improving brain function and memory. Studies have shown that it can help improve cognitive performance, reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Moreover, it can help control the symptoms of mild cognitive impairment, shizoaffective disorder, adults with schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder ^[3].

Ashwagandha is believed to be effective in improving cognitive performance and mental understanding and helping with depression, anxiety, and other stress-related conditions. This natural remedy has also been found to reduce inflammation, leading to improved brain and nervous system health. Furthermore, as explained above, it promotes good sleep, which can ultimately affect your brain health.

Stress Reliever

Ashwagandha has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine as an adaptogen, helping the body cope with stress. Research suggests that ashwagandha may reduce cortisol levels, relieving stress and improving overall health. By modulating hormone levels, ashwagandha helps balance the body's response to stress while promoting physical and mental well-being.

Studies have found that ashwagandha can help reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep quality, boost immunity and energy levels, increase libido, and enhance cognitive function, all of which can reduce stress.

Improves Sexual Performance

Studies have found that taking ashwagandha can improve libido and orgasm intensity and reduce anxiety associated with sex. Women who took the supplement also experienced improved sexual satisfaction, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm ^[4].

The active compounds in ashwagandha are believed responsible for their beneficial effects on sexual health.

Good for Heart Health

Amongst those benefits, ashwagandha can improve heart health. Studies have shown that it helps lower cholesterol levels and reduce oxidative stress on the body, which are key factors in maintaining cardiovascular health. Additionally, it can help regulate blood pressure and reduce inflammation in the body, all promoting healthy cardiovascular functioning. All these factors combined make ashwagandha a great choice for anyone looking to improve their heart health.

Furthermore, its calming effects on the mind and body also provide additional benefits by reducing stress, an important risk factor for heart disease.

Boosts Testosterone Levels:

Ashwagandha has been found to be a powerful stimulant of testosterone production in men. Studies have shown that regular supplementation with ashwagandha can significantly increase total and free testosterone levels in men and not women ^[5]. The increased testosterone levels from supplementing with ashwagandha can help improve physical performance, libido, muscle mass, strength, and overall well-being. Ashwagandha also helps reduce stress and anxiety, which further contributes to its ability to boost testosterone levels.

Additionally, there is evidence that suggests that ashwagandha may also increase sperm count and motility, thus improving male fertility as well ^[6].

What are the Side Effects and Risks of Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is generally considered safe, but it can cause some side effects in certain individuals. The most common side effects are stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. It may also cause drowsiness or sedation when taken in high doses. Pregnant or nursing people should avoid taking ashwagandha due to the lack of research on its safety during those times.

Additionally, those with autoimmune conditions, thyroid disorders, or diabetes should use caution when taking this supplement as it may interact with the medications they are currently taking. High doses of ashwagandha may also lower blood sugar levels which can be dangerous for people with hypoglycemia.

How can you Include Ashwagandha in your Diet?

 Here are some tips on how you can include ashwagandha in your diet:

1. Add it to smoothies or juices. The dried root powder can be easily blended into smoothies or juices for a quick and easy way to get the benefits of ashwagandha.
2. Make tea with it. Boil 1-2 tablespoons of the powdered root in 4 cups of water until reduced by half, then strain the liquid and sweeten to taste.
3. Sprinkle it on food. You can sprinkle the dried root powder on your favorite salads and soups and other dishes such as curries and stir-fries.
4. Take it in capsule form. For those who want an easier way to take ashwagandha, you can buy capsules containing high-calibration standardized extracts of this herb.

Conclusion

To sum things up, ashwagandha is a powerful root herb with numerous health benefits. It has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine to treat a range of ailments from inflammation and sleep issues to enhance sexual performance and boost testosterone levels. What’s best is that ashwagandha is relatively inexpensive, easy to obtain, and you can add it to your diet in various ways from teas to capsules and powders. No matter what form you decide on, adding Ashwagandha into your daily routine can bring a change in your life.

References:

1. Logie E, Vanden Berghe W. Tackling Chronic Inflammation with Withanolide Phytochemicals—A Withaferin A Perspective. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020;9:1107. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9111107.
   
   
2. Kelgane SB, Salve J, Sampara P, Debnath K. Efficacy and Tolerability of Ashwagandha Root Extract in the Elderly for Improvement of General Well-being and Sleep: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study. Cureus n.d.;12:e7083. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.7083.
   
   
3. Ng QX, Loke W, Foo NX, Tan WJ, Chan HW, Lim DY, et al. A systematic review of the clinical use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction. Phytother Res 2020;34:583–90. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6552.
   
   
4. Dongre S, Langade D, Bhattacharyya S. Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. Biomed Res Int 2015;2015:284154. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/284154.
   
   
5. Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Malvi H, Kodgule R. An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract. Medicine (Baltimore) 2019;98:e17186. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000017186.
   
   
6. Gupta A, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, Ahmad MK, Bansal N, Sankhwar P, et al. Efficacy of Withania somnifera on seminal plasma metabolites of infertile males: a proton NMR study at 800 MHz. J Ethnopharmacol 2013;149:208–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.06.024.