![]() They note that the reporting on safety and adverse effects, especially long term, was lacking in many studies and the overall quality of these studies was variable. Researchers note that the herb may affect certain neurotransmitters involved in sleep.Ī systematic review and meta-analysis published in September 2021 in PLoS One included five randomized controlled trials and concluded that ashwagandha extract showed a small but statistically significant effect on overall sleep, especially in those with insomnia, in doses of 600 mg or greater when taken over eight weeks or more. And the benefits were more pronounced in the insomnia group. ![]() A randomized, placebo-controlled study from India of healthy people and those with insomnia found that taking ashwagandha for eight weeks improved various measures of sleep: actigraphy, daily monitoring of movement, and standardized self-reported measures, including shortening the time it took to doze off, sleep quality, and daytime alertness. If you’re struggling to get the sleep you need, ashwagandha may help make your night more relaxing. These studies suggest only a potential fertility-supporting effect and don’t prove that ashwagandha will actually increase your chances of becoming pregnant more studies are needed. Although the exact reasons aren’t known, researchers stated that antioxidants in ashwagandha may be involved. In a meta-analysis of both human and animal studies, researchers concluded that there is some evidence that ashwagandha use may decrease infertility by improving semen quality, as well as improve the health of hormones that play a key role in ovulation and testosterone and sperm production. Ashwagandha has traditionally been used in ayurveda to support fertility, and there are some studies on this. May Improve Fertilityįertility is complex, and many factors go into both female and male reproductive health. Those in the ashwagandha group had reduced scores on a scale measuring anxiety and lower stress-related hormones, including lower morning cortisol and DHEA-S (a circulating steroid). One of the trials considered compared a placebo versus 240 milligrams (mg) of an ashwagandha extract once per day for 60 days in stressed yet healthy adults. This means that more research is needed to verify this possible health benefit. In a meta-analysis of 12 papers that included more than 1,000 people, supplementing with ashwagandha was found to reduce anxiety and stress better than a placebo, though “the certainty of evidence was low,” the authors note. So if you’re nervous and anxious, the herb might help soothe you, but if you’re feeling down, it can help lift you up, similar to ginseng, another popular herbal root, she adds. Its superpower ability is to sense in the body if your nervous system needs to go up or down,” says Silcox. How? “Ashwagandha adapts to the nervous system of the person taking it. May Help Relieve Stress and AnxietyĪshwagandha is perhaps best known today as an adaptogen that helps your body better handle stress. Here’s how the supplement might play a role in your well-being. Because of its possible anti-stress benefits, ashwagandha has become a well-known supplement and addition to health foods and daily wellness routines.Īshwagandha may deliver several potential health perks for certain groups. (When you think about it, this linguistic metaphor alludes to virility.)Īnd while it may still be used for potential fertility benefits, ashwagandha has grown in popularity for its other ancient use: as an adaptogen, meaning a substance that helps the body adapt and build resilience against stress and helps restore balance, according to UCLA Health. In Sanskrit, ashwa means "horse" and gandha means "smell," she points out, so the entire word means "smell of a horse." In other words, “it’s known as an herb that gives the strength of a horse,” she explains. Traditionally, ashwagandha is used as a fertility tonic in India, says Katie Silcox, an ayurvedic teacher and the author of Glow Worthy, based in Charlottesville, Virginia. ![]() The plant is also called Indian ginseng, winter cherry, or Withania somnifera, research notes. The root or leaf, or a combination of both, may be used in supplements sold today. Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that grows in India, Africa, and the Middle East, though it’s used especially in ayurvedic medicine, according to the NCCIH.
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