KSM-66 Ashwagandha

Description

Benefits of Ashwagandha

Reduces stress

Optimises the body’s stress response by lowering cortisol levels and promoting a calmer state of mind.

Reduces anxiety

Clinically proven to reduce feelings of anxiety by supporting the production of mood-stabilising brain chemicals.

Supports demanding physical activity

Improves sports performance and endurance by aiding muscle strength and recovery – we particularly recommend this if you have a very physically active job or hobby.

Optimises hormone health

Promotes a healthy libido, increases male testosterone levels and sperm production and supports female hormone health and mood changes related to the female cycle.

How Does Ashwagandha Work?

Ashwagandha contains numerous bioactive compounds, namely alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, and steroidal lactones.  Within the steroidal lactones are withanolides, which are considered to be responsible for most of the plant’s benefits.

Most of ashwagandha’s benefits are at least partly due to its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Ashwagandha can increase levels of antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, while also inhibiting lipid peroxidation. For more information on mechanisms of action, including molecular targets, see the Research Breakdown section.

As part of its ability to reduce stress and anxiety, ashwagandha also appears to influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis — which plays a central role in the stress response — as evidenced by its ability to decrease cortisol levels. Furthermore, ashwagandha seems to alter the signaling of several neurotransmitters, which are dysfunctional in anxiety disorders. Its ability to enhance GABA_A receptor signaling, specifically, is thought to underlie its benefits for sleep.

Ashwagandha may improve endurance performance by increasing levels of hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen to the rest of the body) but more studies are needed to confirm this effect.

Ashwagandha’s ability to improve reproductive health is attributed to its antioxidative effects in combination with its ability to increase testosterone levels. This effect is more notable in men with infertility and low testosterone levels, but preliminary evidence suggests ashwagandha may boost testosterone levels in healthy men as well.

How To Take Ashwagandha

Studies on ashwagandha have used dosages of 250–600 mg/day of a root extract. The most common dosing protocol is 600 mg/day divided into two doses, with one taken in the morning with breakfast and the other in the evening.

Evidence suggests that 600 mg/day is superior to lower doses for improving sleep. Similarly, 600–1,000 mg/day may be more beneficial than lower doses for athletes undergoing an intensive exercise regimen.

It is unknown if ashwagandha loses its potency with daily long-term usage, but due to its possible drug-like effects on neurotransmission, this hypothesis cannot be ruled out. It’s also unknown if taking breaks from ashwagandha or taking it every other day influences its effectiveness.