Ashwagandha

January 27, 2019 3 min read

Known as “Indian Ginseng,” this powerful Ayurvedic herb helps relax an anxious mind, reduce stress, and build up a tolerance to stressful situations. This superherb does all of this without inducing a sense of fatigue.

 

References: 

Choudhary, D., Bhattacharyya, S., & Joshi, K. (2016).Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract.Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine,22(1), 96-106. doi:10.1177/2156587216641830

Conclusion: “The outcome of this study suggests that Ashwagandha root extract can be used for body weight management in adults under chronic stress.”

Chandrasekhar, K., Kapoor, J., & Anishetty, S. (2012).A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of Ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults.Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine,34(3), 255. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.106022

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that a high-concentration full-spectrumAshwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.

Cooley, K., Szczurko, O., Perri, D., Mills, E. J., Bernhardt, B., Zhou, Q., & Seely, D. (2009).Naturopathic Care for Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial ISRCTN78958974.PLoS ONE,4(8). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006628

Conclusion: “Seventy-five participants (93%) were followed for 8 or more weeks on the trial. Final BAI scores decreased by 56.5% (p<0.0001) in the NC group and 30.5% (p<0.0001) in the PT group. BAI group scores were significantly decreased in the NC group compared to PT group (p = 0.003). Significant differences between groups were also observed in mental health, concentration, fatigue, social functioning, vitality, and overall quality of life with the NC group exhibiting greater clinical benefit. No serious adverse reactions were observed in either group.”

Biswal, B. M., Sulaiman, S. A., Ismail, H. C., Zakaria, H., & Musa, K. I. (2012).Effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on the Development of Chemotherapy-Induced Fatigue and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients. Integrative Cancer Therapies,12(4), 312-322. doi:10.1177/1534735412464551

Conclusion: “Withania somnifera has potential against cancer-related fatigue, in addition to improving the quality of life. However, further study with a larger sample size in a randomized trial is warranted to validate our findings.”

Pratte, M. A., Nanavati, K. B., Young, V., & Morley, C. P. (2014). An Alternative Treatment for Anxiety: A Systematic Review of Human Trial Results Reported for the Ayurvedic Herb Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 20(12), 901-908. doi:10.1089/acm.2014.0177

 

Singh, N., Bhalla, M., Jager, P. D., & Gilca, M. (2011). An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 8(5S). doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5s.9

 

Chandrasekhar, K., Kapoor, J., & Anishetty, S. (2012). A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of Ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults.Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 34(3), 255. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.106022

 

A Prospective, Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Safety and Efficacy of a High-Concentration Full-Spectrum Extract of Ashwagandha Root in Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Adults

 

Dongre, S., Langade, D., & Bhattacharyya, S. (2015). Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. BioMed Research International, 2015, 1-9. doi:10.1155/2015/284154

 

Rayees, S., & Malik, F. (2017). Withania somnifera: From Traditional Use to Evidence Based Medicinal Prominence. Science of Ashwagandha: Preventive and Therapeutic Potentials, 81-103. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-59192-6_4

 

Wankhede, S., Langade, D., Joshi, K., Sinha, S. R., & Bhattacharyya, S. (2015). Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(1). doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0104-9

 

Kuboyama, T., Tohda, C., & Komatsu, K. (2014). Effects of Ashwagandha (Roots of Withania somnifera) on Neurodegenerative Diseases. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 37(6), 892-897. doi:10.1248/bpb.b14-00022

 

Choudhary, D., Bhattacharyya, S., & Bose, S. (2017). Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 14(6), 599-612. doi:10.1080/19390211.2017.1284970

 

Sharma, A. K., Basu, I., & Singh, S. (2018). Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Subclinical Hypothyroid Patients: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 24(3), 243-248. doi:10.1089/acm.2017.0183



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