How Ashwagandha Can Benefit Your Health

If you keep up with health and wellness trends, you might have already heard of ashwagandha and its purported health benefits. For those who haven’t heard of it, or if you just want to know more about this plant, let’s discuss what ashwagandha is and how it might benefit your health.

What is ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha, or winter cherry, is an evergreen shrub in the nightshade family. Native to India, and parts of Africa, this plant has been used for centuries in Indian traditions and Ayurvedic medicine.

The roots of the ashwagandha plant are dried and ground into a powder, which is thought to have benefits ranging from better sleep to stress management, improved energy and concentration.

Is all this true? Well, although ashwagandha is not well studied in the west, there are many recent studies along with centuries of anecdotal evidence that suggest that ashwagandha could be all that and more!

What are the benefits?

Research supports a wide range of benefits of taking ashwagandha along with those already mentioned. One of the main reasons it is so powerful is because it is a substance classified as an adaptogen.

Adaptogens help the body deal with stress. Stress can effect the body in many ways from cognitive function to hormone regulation, and even muscle recovery.

Let’s get into some of the ways that ashwagandha could help you.

reduced anxiety

Along with many centuries of anecdotal support, early research has found that subjects with anxiety and depression experienced reduced symptoms after several weeks of taking ashwagandha supplements.

Results suggest that ashwagandha could help regulate cortisol, which is directly related to stress.

Other studies have shown that patients with schizophrenia and bipolar have also benefited from taking the supplement. More research is needed on the subject and you should always consult your doctor before adding any supplements with your current medications.

improved sleep

Along with a reduction in stress, ashwagandha may also help improve sleep. One twelve week study showed improved sleep patterns for 50 adults, particularly among people with insomnia.

Whether it is the supplement or the extra hours of rest, subjects also reported increased alertness and wakefulness the day after taking it.

Exercise performance

Several studies have shown an improvement in athletic performance in people who took ashwagandha.

The research shows an increase in the body’s ability to consume oxygen, allowing for people to exercise longer and harder. These results may also suggest an improvement of overall heart health and circulation which could be helpful for muscle recovery.

blood sugar regulation

Limited research suggests that ashwagandha may also lower blood sugar levels. Scientists are hopeful that these results will be replicated in further studies.

Ashwagandha has the potential to be an effective form of treatment for people with diabetes or high blood sugar.

How do you take it?

For most people, ashwagandha is safe to take and can be effective in treating ailments such as trouble sleeping or stress.

People who are pregnant, taking medications like benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, barbiturates, and people with thyroid disease should not take ashwagandha.

It is sold as a supplement in most health food stores. You can take it daily or even multiple times per day, although it has been found to cause gastrointestinal discomfort and sometimes diarrhea in high doses.

Ashwagandha does not take effect immediately and will need to build up in your system before you feel any effects. Make sure to talk to your doctor before adding any supplements to your routine to make sure that they are right and safe for you.