Here’s What Experts Say About Using Ashwagandha As A Stress Treatment

No wonder we as a society are under a lot of stress. actual, American Psychological Association 27% of Americans reported being too stressed to work.

So it’s easy to see why a product purported to help with stress would be attractive to potential buyers. While many supplements and pills claim to help calm the mind, there’s one supplement that’s getting a lot of attention online and in the natural health field: ashwagandha.

“[Ashwagandha is] It is an herb that grows in regions of South and Central Asia, including India, where it is used in Ayurvedic medicine.” Dr. Susan BlackfordPhysician of Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, Duke Center for Integrative Medicine, North Carolina.

The Latin name for this shrub is Withania somnifera. Blackford says that in Latin, somnifera means sleep-inducing, which explains one of its uses. Ashwagandha also claims to help with problems other than sleep and stress, such as anxiety and depression.

So is it true? Experts say:

“There are many other ways to [people] You can use it, but I think in integrative medicine you probably use it mainly for stress,” Blackford said.

This is because ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which means it “increases the body’s resilience to stress,” she added.

Amara SoumianatThis can refer to multiple types of stress, including psychological stress and physical stress (such as from an infection), explained Oregon Health and Science University’s Center for Plant Dietary Supplements Research. “These adaptogens [are] It’s thought to have a very wide range of impacts,” Soumianas said.

Blackford added that it’s not entirely clear how that will be done. Ashwagandha affects stress, but it appears to act on GABA-A and GABA-B receptors in the body that are “known to produce a calming effect.” And of course, a calm temperament also affects anxiety and sleep. So it’s easy to see how ashwagandha could potentially affect all these issues.

Soumianat said preclinical and clinical studies are investigating ashwagandha as a treatment.a 2019 survey Among 60 adults, those who took ashwagandha daily were found to have lower morning cortisol levels, Blackford said. Note, however, that the sample size of this study is very small at only 60 he.

“All I can say is… there’s pretty good clinical evidence about stress and its effects on sleep,” Soumianat said. “There is a lot of preclinical evidence for its effectiveness for anxiety, but the clinical evidence may be less.”

In other words, more research is needed on the effectiveness of ashwagandha in helping manage anxiety before making any healthier conclusions.

All of this has a big caveat. Although there is some promising evidence of ashwagandha’s efficacy for specific problems, Soumianat said these studies are usually related to specific ashwagandha product formulations.

This means that not all supplements containing ashwagandha are created equal. “Because of product variability, we cannot necessarily assume that all products on the market will have the same effect,” explained Soumianas.

“If you look on the shelves, you’ll see a wide variety of ashwagandha products on the market,” Soumianath said, adding that many different types of extracts are used in these products, which contribute to their efficacy. pointed out to be influential.

“It can be a powdered root, it can be a powdered root extract, the extract can be made with water, it can be an alcohol mixture, the extract can be [the] Not just leaves, but roots,” she continued. In other words, there are many formulations and not all of these extracts have been studied or proven effective.

Your first thought might be to find a product that: offal Although researched, Soumianat said dietary supplements are not always standardized. Manufacturers can change their manufacturing process at any time, which will affect future batches of their product.

Instead, you can compare products with different formulations, such as comparing dried roots and extracts, to see what works for you, Soumianas said. “Generally, products with extracts are more potent, because the extract concentrates some of the plant’s constituents,” she said.

Additionally, Blackford said: consumerlab.comto compare available products.

“We’re not saying whether it’s useful or not, we’re saying, ‘Does it contain what it should contain, does it contain contaminants that we should be concerned about,'” Blackford said. Told. “So it’s like a watchdog group making sure that what you’re ingesting is safe.”

Soumianath said she and other researchers are trying to determine the parameters needed to guarantee ashwagandha’s efficacy.

“Much research is still needed to link the plant chemical profile of ashwagandha to its biological activity so that we can design better nutritional supplements with the right ingredients in the right doses. But at the moment, we haven’t done the research yet, that’s the information,” Soumianat said.

“Among all these caveats about variability, I think you get an important message. It’s a very useful plant, and while it’s been found to be generally safe, individual products can stress and You may or may not get benefits like anxiety reduction,” she said. .

With ashwagandha, side effects are usually non-existent and tend to be short-lived, Blackford said. “It can cause headaches, drowsiness, and stomach upset.”

“Reports of liver toxicity are very rare,” Soumianat noted.

And while side effects are uncommon, Soumianat said it’s still important to inform your healthcare provider about any supplements or medications you’re taking.

Ashwagandha also affects other systems. Blackford says it may lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels and increase hormone levels. “So you probably won’t see a dramatic change, but you should be aware that if you’re taking blood pressure, blood sugar, or thyroid medication, you should monitor it.”

Additionally, from a Western medical point of view, Blackford said, consuming ashwagandha during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended. “We don’t have enough data to make a safety judgment,” she explained.

Soumianas added that it’s important to stick to recommended doses. “Don’t think that taking more is always better for you.”

As with any medicine, be responsible when taking ashwagandha. “Don’t assume that anything natural is safe,” says Soumianat. Side effects are more likely to occur if you take supplements in large amounts or for a long period of time.

Finally, Blackford said ashwagandha is not a go-to when it comes to stress relief. “If If someone comes to me with stress or anxiety, I will first try to find out what factors are causing it. ”

Think about your stress coping skills, sleep habits (sleep is a great way to reduce stress, Blackford adds), exercise patterns (another stress reliever), and community connections. .

“[Ashwagandha is] Just one tool. When people focus on one thing, it’s one approach, one herb, one medicine, I always get a little worried,” Blackford said. “If you focus too much on one thing, you lose the wholeness of all the other influencing factors and you won’t get meaningful long-term change.”