Ashwagandha Review: Resist the Stress & Anxiety, Commence the Horseplay

Factoid: Ashwagandha translates to “smell of horse” from Sanskrit, associating the herb with stallion strength. (Also, it smells like horse.)

Summary: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Review

Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic adaptogen, traditionally revered for its holistic support of bodily health, prized today for its anti-stress, anti-anxiety benefits.

One of its key benefits is its anti inflammatory properties, with studies suggesting ashwagandha may help reduce inflammation and defend against ailments related to inflammatory processes.

Research suggests the herb possesses significant nootropic protection against anxiety disorders & neurodegenerative conditions, yet some recreational users complain of the anxiolytic being too sedating. YMMV.

Ashwagandha is widely available as a dietary supplement, and the ashwagandha supplement is a popular choice for stress and anxiety management in modern health practices.

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I never quite understood the phrase “horsing around.”

Horses are strong, active, hard-working creatures.

Quit horsing around and get back to work makes no sense. Horsing around is hard work. Frankly, the more I think about it, the more I’m outraged & offended: Humans sit on their asses on their horses, while the horses carry them from A to B.

The hard-working horses are oppressed by the greedy, lazy humans. Point of fact, it’s the humanplay, not the horseplay, that we need to quit.

And as far as I know, the best way to quit the humanplay is to supplement the smell of horse: Ashwagandha.

Introduction to Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, also known as Withania somnifera or Indian ginseng, has been a cornerstone of traditional Indian medicine for centuries.

This revered root, famous for its distinctive aroma and robust health benefits, is celebrated for supporting both physical and mental health.

The ashwagandha root extract is packed with powerful steroidal lactones, compounds that are thought to drive its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Today, ashwagandha is a popular dietary supplement, available in everything from capsules and powders to herbal teas. Modern research backs up what ancient healers suspected: ashwagandha can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep quality, and even boost physical performance.

Whether you’re looking to manage stress, enhance your workouts, or simply support your overall well-being, ashwagandha root offers a natural, time-tested solution.

How Ashwagandha Is Supposed to Work

Given its Ayurvedic origins, Ashwagandha is often viewed as a mythical Indian wonder plant, a supernatural herbal elixir revered for its supposed holistic support of mind, body, & spirit. Modern herbalism essentially holds the same viewpoint:

Whether you’re supplementing cognitive enhancers, testosterone boosters, stress reducers, or sleep aids, there’s a good chance an ashwagandha supplement—commonly available as root powder or extract—has made an appearance in your supplementary diet.

Ashwagandha does it all. It’s essentially the herbal equivalent of an all-around good guy

Or all-around good horse?

Smell this

Ashwagandha stands among the adaptogenic ranks of rhodiola, holy basil, & ginseng, given its well-demonstrated benefits.

Notably, research supports the use of ashwagandha supplement for managing chronic stress, with studies showing its ability to lower stress levels and cortisol in individuals experiencing ongoing stress.

While there’s a myriad of biopathways affected by ashwagandha, in this review I’m focusing solely on those involved in the plant’s nootropic aspect.

On that note, ashwagandha’s cognitive altering mechanisms include:

Activation of GABA Receptors

The primary mode of many anxiolytic herbs & adaptogens often involves some level of influence on the brain’s GABA receptors.

Many herbal anxiety treatments, including ashwagandha, have been evaluated in clinical trials for their potential to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve psychological well-being.

Typically, when neuronal activity is excessively high, or stimulated, gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) sedates the mind into a calmer, sustainable state.

If GABA activity is unusually low, brain activity runs excessively high, leading to a slew of anxiety, stress, & sleep malfunctions.

Ashwagandha is believed to help by enhancing GABA receptor activation, highlighting a sedative aspect of ashwagandha’s anti-anxiety, anti-stress bioactivity.

Ashwagandha has also been studied for its effects on generalized anxiety disorder, with research suggesting benefits for individuals experiencing symptoms similar to GAD. More on Anti-Anxiety Nootropics.

Antioxidant Protection

Oxidative stress is an issue of both body & mind, particularly in the development of neurodegeneration.

In animal models, ashwagandha has demonstrated significant protection against stress induced gastric ulcers & glutathione peroxidase impairment.

(Glutathione peroxidase being a key antioxidant agent in the body.)

Ashwagandha’s antioxidant activities have been linked to the plant’s bioactive glycowithanolides constituents.

Ashwagandha Benefits

Ayurvedic health exists in the balance of Vata, Pitta, & Kapha.

One of the primary advertised benefits of ashwagandha is its adaptogenic resistance to stress, particularly in its promotion of a calm, relaxed mindset and its stress relief effects.

In fact, some view its relaxation-inducing effects as an effective sleep aid, occasionally edging into sedative territory (which is why certain nootropic enthusiasts avoid this herb for day-time use).

In addition to these benefits, ashwagandha is also known to support energy levels and mental clarity by reducing fatigue and enhancing focus.

Bodybuilders & older men appreciate this herb for its testosterone enhancing aspects, playing into the “horse-like” virility mythology of its name, while both genders may also appreciate the herb’s advantages on sexual health.

Clinical studies have also shown that ashwagandha can improve cognitive function, supporting memory and overall neurological health.

Researchers Have Suggested Ashwagandha Might:

Reduce anxiety in anxiety disorder

We’re looking at a double-blind, placebo-controlled study here, in which 39 adults diagnosed with anxiety disorder were administered either 500 mg ashwagandha extract or placebo daily for 6 weeks.

Compared to other anxiety treatments, ashwagandha was evaluated for its effectiveness in reducing anxiety symptoms and improving psychological well-being.

Throughout the trial, ashwagandha doses were altered to either curb side effects or increase efficacy, with reductions in anxiety and stress levels appearing around the week 2 mark.

By week 6, ashwagandha demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety and stress levels as compared to placebo, leading to the conclusion that “this ethanolic extract of Withania somnifera has useful anxiolytic potential and merits further investigation.”

Improve mental health & life quality in moderate-to-severe anxiety

In this randomized, controlled trial, adults with moderate-to-severe anxiety were divvied into two intervention groups:

• Naturopathic Care (NC) – standard psychotherapy w/ deep breathing
• Psychotherapy Intervention (PT) – deep breathing w/ dietary counseling, multivitamins, & 300 mg ashwagandha standardized to 1.5 withanolides

The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Short Form 36 (SF-36), Fatigue Symptom Inventory (FSI), and Measure Yourself Medical Outcomes Profile (MY-MOP) were employed to measure changes in anxiety, mental health, & quality of life.

Results indicated improvements in both groups, with participants in the ashwagandha group experiencing significant stress relief.

The researchers concluded that “Withania somnifera, a multi vitamin, dietary counseling and cognitive-behavioral therapy appears to be safe and effective, with benefit over standardized psychotherapy in the treatment of mild to severe generalized anxiety.”

Enhance resistance to stress & cortisol levels

To evaluate the efficacy & safety of ashwagandha on stress & anxiety, this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study administered either 600 mg ashwagandha or placebo daily for 60 days to 64 adults experiencing chronic stress.

On all stress assessment measures, including stress hormone cortisol levels, the ashwagandha group showed significant improvements in stress levels over the placebo group. No serious adverse effects were reported.

The conclusion: “Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.”

Ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder

60 euthymic subjects (which I just learned means “a normal, non-depressed, reasonably positive mood”) with DSM-IV bipolar disorder were enrolled in this 8-week study, in which they received either 500 mg ashwagandha (WSE) or placebo daily in addition to medications used in maintenance of bipolar disorder.

Compared to placebo, the ashwagandha group demonstrated significant benefits for 3 cognitive tasks—digit span backward, Flanker neutral response time, and the social cognition response rating of the Penn Emotional Acuity Test—indicating improvements in cognitive function.

Despite the preliminary status of the test’s results, the researchers concluded: “Given the paucity of data for improving cognitive capacity in bipolar disorder, WSE offers promise, appears to have a benign side-effects profile, and merits further study.”

Ashwagandha for ADHD

Ashwagandha is frequently recommended for ADHD, despite a lack of evidence for this.

While one study has demonstrated significant improvement in attention, cognition, and impulse control, the concurrent administration of other ingredients confounded the results.

With that in mind, ashwagandha certainly doesn’t hurt ADHD therapy, but nothing yet suggests that the herb sufficiently alleviates symptoms as a standalone nootropic. More on ADHD Nootropics.

Physical Performance

If you’re looking to channel some serious horsepower in your workouts, ashwagandha might be your new training partner.

Traditionally used to boost stamina and vitality, ashwagandha root extract has caught the attention of modern athletes and researchers alike.

Recent studies show that supplementing with ashwagandha can improve endurance, strength, and recovery in healthy adults.

For example, one placebo controlled study found that taking 600 mg of ashwagandha daily for eight weeks led to significant gains in aerobic capacity and faster recovery times compared to placebo.

A broader review of multiple trials echoed these findings, highlighting improvements in strength, power, and overall physical performance.

So, whether you’re hitting the gym or just trying to keep up with life’s demands, ashwagandha could help you go the extra mile—no horse required.

Sleep Quality

Struggling to get a good night’s rest? Ashwagandha might help you catch those elusive Z’s.

Research suggests that ashwagandha root extract can enhance sleep quality, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. In a 10-week randomized controlled trial, participants who took 300 mg of ashwagandha twice daily reported falling asleep faster, enjoying longer total sleep time, and experiencing fewer nighttime awakenings compared to those on placebo.

Another study found that a daily dose of at least 600 mg for eight weeks delivered the best results for restful sleep and improved sleep onset.

While the science is promising, it’s worth noting that studies use different methods to measure sleep, and not all report on long-term safety. Still, if you’re seeking a natural way to support better sleep quality, ashwagandha could be a gentle, effective option.

How to Take Ashwagandha

• Retail ashwagandha typically ranges from 400 mg to 1,000 mg daily dosage. Ashwagandha is available as root powder as well as extract, and some products specify the amount of root powder equivalent used in their formulation.
• Clinically, successful ashwagandha trials have centered around 300 to 600 mg daily dosages, often in high-concentration extract form derived from root powder.
• The two ashwagandha extracts I’m most familiar with are KSM-66 & Sensoril capsule supplements. Both are clinically studied to improve anxiety & vigor, yet KSM-66’s 5% extract is believed to be less sedating than Sensoril’s potent 10%. When choosing an ashwagandha supplement, it’s important to select a high-quality product with proven efficacy and positive user experiences. Either way, both extracts are backed by generally positive customer reviews.

Ashwagandha Supplements and Root Extract

Navigating the world of ashwagandha supplements can feel overwhelming, but a few key tips can help you choose wisely.

Ashwagandha root extract is available in capsules, powders, and even herbal teas, but not all products are created equal. Look for supplements that use standardized ashwagandha root extract, which ensures a consistent level of withanolides—the active compounds responsible for many of ashwagandha’s health benefits.

Reputable brands will often have their products certified by third-party organizations like NSF or ConsumerLab, giving you extra peace of mind.

As with any dietary supplement, it’s important to follow the recommended ashwagandha dose and consult your healthcare provider, especially if you have underlying health conditions or take prescription medications.

With the right product and guidance, ashwagandha supplements can be a safe and effective addition to your wellness routine.

My Experience with Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a groovy herb.

Admittedly, I was first notified of this herb’s pro-testosterone, pro-libido functions before learning of its cognitive benefits.

To this day I attribute the adaptogen primarily to male health, even though the herb is beneficial to female health as well.

Regardless, I can attest to the herb’s anxiolytic I-don’t-give-a-f*ck benefits.

While it takes a fairly hefty dose to achieve acute relaxation & calm (and I only do this when I’m acutely stressed & anxious), I find that I’m generally mellow when supplementing moderate daily amounts of ashwagandha over a couple weeks or so.

Some redditors have complained of the herb oversteering into apathy & anhedonia territory.

Personally, I’ve never experienced these side effects (quite the opposite), but I often stack my ashwagandha with rhodiola, bacopa, & holy basil.

Could be confounding variables in my experience, hmm?

Either way, I say yay to ashwagandhay.

Is Ashwagandha a Good Nootropic?

Ashwagandha is a good nootropic, a good testosterone booster, a good sex enhancer, a good performance enhancer, a good sleep aid, and it can help boost energy levels and support mental clarity.

There are various justifications for supplementing this herb.

Calm cognition is just one of them.

Having said that, I don’t view ashwagandha as a mythical superplant.

I don’t even view it as an anti-anxiety cure-all, which is why I stack it with other adaptogens: To attack stress & anxiety through multiple biopathways, and to maximize its stress relief properties—not just through the sedating GABAergic pathway.

My recommendation: Find a potent ashwagandha extract and stack it with other energizing adaptogens (e.g. rhodiola). Then let the horseplay commence.