Ashwagandha has become one of them. internet favorites It’s a supplement, but does that mean it’s worth incorporating into your daily health routine?
This botanical supplement has several reported health benefits, from reducing stress and improving mental health to improving fertility and lowering blood sugar levels.
Ashwagandha’s benefits sound appealing, but it’s important to take the supplement safely. As with any medication or supplement, you should make sure you are taking the right dose and the right frequency before adding ashwagandha to your regimen.
And in general, ashwagandha should not be taken long-term.
Most literature suggests that ashwagandha should be used for about three months, but with continued observation, it may be possible to take it for a year or even longer. Dr. Ryan Barisha functional medicine physician in the Department of Integrative Medicine at Henry Ford Health.
“There’s a lot of variation in that,” he said. health.
Here’s what experts have to say about ashwagandha’s effects on the body, why it’s unsafe for long-term use, and who should avoid the supplement.
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Also known as Withania somnifera Indian ginseng, or ashwagandha, is a small evergreen shrub native to Africa, India, and the Middle East.
It can be used in cooking and tea, and can be taken as a supplement to further enhance its effects. It is an important herb in traditional alternative medicine Ayurveda.
“Ashwagandha is a well-known and widely used plant. [or] Herbs in the Indian Medical System” Dr. Ikhlas Khansaid the director of the National Natural Products Research Center at the University of Mississippi. health In a statement.
“Its exact function is unknown, but it is used as an adaptogen,” he said.
Adaptogens, such as ashwagandha, are plant compounds that are said to help the body adapt to or resist stressors related to physical, mental, or another health condition.
More than just being used to relieve stress and anxiety, some studies have linked ashwagandha use to a variety of health benefits, including protection from cancer, diabetes, cognitive issues, and inflammation. I am. Ashwagandha may also help with muscle building, infertility, and sleep disorders.
Barish added that ashwagandha may help balance hormones, especially for people with an underactive thyroid, and may also be helpful in certain weight situations.
While there may be some outlandish claims about ashwagandha, most research supports the plant’s anti-stress, neuroprotective, and other health benefits.
Barish said it is generally considered “safe and effective.”
However, more studies are needed to confirm some clinical information.
“Ashwagandha has been used traditionally, but specific dosage and safety evaluations still need to be done,” Khan said.
Dosage varies depending on the formulation of each ashwagandha supplement, so determining how much ashwagandha you should take can be a little complicated.
“Root extracts such as KSM, Shoden, and Sensoril Ashwagandha contain higher amounts of bioactive compounds called withanolides.” Lacey Dunn, RD, LD, CPTauthor of A Women’s Guide to Hormone Harmony said the owner of UpliftFit Nutrition and NourishWell Nutrition. health.
Ashwagandha supplements with a higher percentage of withanolides will be more potent than those with a lower percentage, Barish explained.
“We don’t really know what exactly the percentage per milligram is,” he said. “Because a lot of these companies don’t disclose it. It’s hard to know the dosage.”
Not only do ashwagandha supplements vary in efficacy, but there is also a wide range in how many milligrams a person takes each day.
One review found that across studies, participants were instructed to take a minimum of 120 milligrams (mg) and a maximum of 1,250 mg of ashwagandha daily.
“The average dose shown in studies is about 600 mg per day.” Nicole Ybarra, RDsaid the nutrition coach and founder of Altitude Nutrition and Fitness. health. “Depending on the amount per capsule of the supplement, it can be taken in one or two divided doses.”
In Barish’s experience, the ashwagandha supplements he sees typically range from 200 mg to 700 or 800 mg per tablet.
In general, taking more ashwagandha doesn’t mean you’ll get more benefits, and the ideal dosage will vary from person to person, Dunn said.
The amount of time you should take ashwagandha also varies from person to person.
While other supplements such as vitamin D can be taken frequently throughout life, this is not the case with ashwagandha, Barish explained.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, ashwagandha is safe to take for short periods of time, up to three months. The group said there was insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about long-term safety.
Although ashwagandha is generally considered safe for most people, it can be dangerous if you have certain conditions or if you take too much.
“Taking too much ashwagandha can cause drowsiness, especially if you take high doses or highly concentrated extracts,” Dunn said. “In some women, it may increase beard growth in those who are sensitive to increased testosterone levels. Some complaints from overdosing also include gastrointestinal upset and fatigue.”
Hepatotoxicity from ashwagandha consumption has been rarely reported, including a February case report of a patient who reported taking ashwagandha for a year before becoming ill.
Additionally, some people should not take ashwagandha due to medications they are taking or underlying medical conditions.
“Drugs that interact with ashwagandha include antidiabetic drugs, antihypertensive drugs, immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants, and thyroid drugs,” Ibarra said.
Ashwagandha can stimulate the immune system, so people with autoimmune diseases should avoid the supplement, and people with already overactive thyroids should also avoid taking it, as it can further boost thyroid function. It shouldn’t, Barish and Dunn said.
Because of the variability in ashwagandha’s effects on the body, dosage options, and possible side effects, it is important that people take the supplement safely and, if possible, under the guidance of a healthcare provider. Experts agreed that this is important.
“Everyone should be careful when consuming plants and remember that these products are supplements, not medicines,” Khan said. “Tell your doctor if you are taking prescription drugs or supplements.”
