{"id":133889,"date":"2024-09-13T15:12:26","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T15:12:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/13\/can-taking-ashwagandha-supplements-improve-health\/"},"modified":"2024-09-13T15:12:26","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13T15:12:26","slug":"can-taking-ashwagandha-supplements-improve-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/13\/can-taking-ashwagandha-supplements-improve-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Can taking ashwagandha supplements improve health?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sciencenews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/090924_sc_ashwagandha_feat.jpg?fit=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Can taking ashwagandha supplements improve health?\" title=\"Can taking ashwagandha supplements improve health?\" \/><\/div> \r\n<br><br><div style=\"clear:both\">\n<style><![CDATA[\n.subscribe-cta {\n  color: black;\n  margin-top: 0px;\n  background-color: #EDD695;\n  background-size: cover;\n  padding: 20px;\n  border: 1px solid black;\n  border-top: 5px solid black;\n  clear: both;\n}\n\n.centered {\n  text-align:center;\n  margin:auto;\n}\n\n]]><\/style>\n<!-- \/wp:html -->\n\n<!-- wp:group {\"className\":\"subscribe-cta\"} -->\n<div id=\"subscribeConversion\" class=\"wp-block-group subscribe-cta\"><!-- wp:heading {\"textAlign\":\"center\",\"style\":{\"typography\":{\"fontSize\":\"2em\"}}} -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:2em\">Extreme Climate Survey<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"align\":\"center\",\"style\":{\"typography\":{\"fontSize\":\"1.1em\"}}} -->\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:1.1em\"><strong><em>Science News <\/em>is collecting reader questions about how to navigate our planet&#8217;s changing climate.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:1.1em\">What do you want to know about extreme heat and how it can lead to extreme weather events?<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:spacer {\"height\":\"20px\"} -->\n\n<!-- \/wp:spacer -->\n\n<!-- wp:buttons {\"className\":\"centered\",\"layout\":{\"type\":\"flex\",\"justifyContent\":\"center\"}} -->\n\n<!-- \/wp:buttons --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:group -->\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of scientific research studies on it,\u201d says Yufang Lin, an integrative medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. But \u201cthe studies have limited data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People often take ashwagandha (<em>Withania somnifera<\/em>) in the form of powders, capsules, tablets, liquid drops, or gummies containing extracts of the plant\u2019s roots to help with stress or sleep. And research does show that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2210803321000142\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the supplement can alleviate perceived stress and anxiety<\/a>, as well as reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, compared with placebo treatments.\u00a0 In one study, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3573577\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">subjects rated their stress 44 percent lower<\/a>, on average, after taking ashwagandha for 60 days. Some studies also suggest it can help people fall asleep a few minutes faster, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0378874120331585?via%3Dihub#sec3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sleep up to 25 minutes longer<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1389945720301246?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wake up in the night up to 12 minutes less<\/a>, with greater gains for insomniacs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Experts say this could make the herb useful for those experiencing anxious, jumpy types of stress, like a student dreading an exam. Margaret Harris, a nutrition researcher at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1089\/jmf.2022.0042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">has studied the effects<\/a> of ashwagandha supplementation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/10.1089\/jmf.2022.0040\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">on college students<\/a> and has taken the supplement herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAfter about nine to 10 days, the people in the intervention group started saying, \u2018You know, I feel like I can \u2026 accomplish everything I want to accomplish today,\u2019\u201d Harris says, recalling one of her studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to studies of ashwagandha\u2019s impacts on stress and anxiety, a small pool of research reports other benefits in people such as <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/ptr.6589?saml_referrer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reducing blood sugar<\/a>, enhancing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8006238\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">physical performance<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4658772\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">muscle<\/a> strength, boosting cognitive functions like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8632422\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">memory<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/ptr.6552\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">focus<\/a>, and increasing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6438434\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">testosterone<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30466985\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sperm count and sperm health<\/a> in men. Ashwagandha may derive some beneficial properties in part from compounds called withanolides, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as far as experts know, ashwagandha doesn\u2019t dull emotions or render oral birth control less effective, as some TikTok creators have said \u2014 though experts note there are occasional cases of users feeling too sedated, or having stomach pain or loose stool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the limited number of randomized, controlled studies investigating each touted use \u2014 and the limited number of subjects in each study \u2014 leaves ashwagandha\u2019s confirmed benefits unclear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ll see with a lot of the studies that there are dozens of people [studied] as opposed to hundreds or thousands of people,\u201d says Denise Millstine, an integrative medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz. Making more conclusive statements about what ashwagandha can do, she says, would require more studies with \u201cenough subjects involved to demonstrate power and not just chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even the more plentiful studies into ashwagandha\u2019s stress and sleep benefits have had small sample sizes and lasted no more than three months, meaning experts don\u2019t know the impacts of sustained dosage over longer periods. Experimental setups have also varied widely in dosage and type of preparation given to participants, making it difficult to know which amounts of which extracts are best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most studies have also examined ashwagandha in the context of Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient Indian practice based on holistic healing. Millstine notes that while traditional botanical medicine practices like Ayurveda combine ashwagandha with other relaxants like chamomile, lemon balm and rhodiola, many people today take the herb by itself, so future research may benefit from comparing the two approaches<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>None of this necessarily means the plant isn\u2019t helpful, Millstine says \u2014 only that more research is needed. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of wisdom in tradition, so that shouldn\u2019t be thrown out the window just because there [is] a lack of randomized controlled trials.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s especially true given that ashwagandha is generally safe, she adds. While certain groups should steer clear \u2014 notably pregnant people, since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2210803321000142#bib0260\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">high doses can lead to miscarriage<\/a> \u2014 for most people, \u201ca lot of the studies are showing that it doesn\u2019t really pose a lot of side effects,\u201d Harris says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just keep in mind the plant isn\u2019t a miracle cure-all, experts say. It may take more than a supplement to ease your mind if you have severe anxiety, or to help you sleep if you\u2019re scrolling social media late at night. In Lin\u2019s practice, she works with patients to develop better sleep, diet, mental health and exercise habits to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencenews.org\/article\/people-work-burnout-depression-wellness'\">manage stress and fatigue<\/a> (<em>SN: 2\/21\/23<\/em>). \u201cAshwagandha may be a piece of the puzzle,\u201d Lin says. But \u201cyou have to use it in [the] context of how a patient\u2019s doing overall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/div><div id=\"\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"article-footer__feedback___sNXjz\">Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencenews.org\/article\/mailto:feedback@sciencenews.org\">feedback@sciencenews.org<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencenews.org\/permission-republish\">Reprints FAQ<\/a><\/p>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<div class=\"article-footer__citations___wiYwh\">\n\t<h3 class=\"article-footer__citations-heading___6rnra\">Citations<\/h3>\n\t\n<p>J. O\u2019Conner <em>et al<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/10.1089\/jmf.2022.0040\">The impact of ashwagandha on stress, sleep quality, and food cravings in college students: quantitative analysis of a double-blind randomized control trial<\/a>. <em>Journal of Medicinal Food<\/em>. Vol. 25, December 2022, p. 1086. doi: 10.1089\/jmf.2022.0040.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>C. Baker <em>et al<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1089\/jmf.2022.0042\">The perceived impact of ashwagandha on stress, sleep quality, energy, and mental clarity for college students: qualitative analysis of a double-blind randomized control trial<\/a>. <em>Journal of Medicinal Food<\/em>. Vol. 25, December 2022, p. 1095. doi: 10.1089\/jmf.2022.0042.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>K. Gopukumar <em>et al<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8632422\/\">Efficacy and safety of ashwagandha root extract on cognitive functions in healthy, stressed adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study<\/a>. <em>Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine<\/em>. Published online November 30, 2021. doi: 10.1155\/2021\/8254344.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>K. Chandrasekhar, J. Kapoor and S. Anishetty. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3573577\/\">A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults<\/a>. <em>Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine<\/em>. Vol. 34, July\u2013September 2021, p. 255. doi: 10.4103\/0253-7176.106022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A.L. Lopresti and S.J. Smith. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S2210803321000142\">Ashwagandha (<em>Withania somnifera<\/em>) for the treatment and enhancement of mental and physical conditions: A systematic review of human trials<\/a>. <em>Journal of Herbal Medicine<\/em>. Vol. 28, August 2021, 100434. doi: 10.1016\/j.hermed.2021.100434.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>D.A. Bonilla <em>et al<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8006238\/\">Effects of ashwagandha (<em>Withania somnifera<\/em>) on physical performance: systematic review and bayesian meta-analysis<\/a>. <em>Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology<\/em>. Vol. 6, March 2021, p. 20. doi: 10.3390\/jfmk6010020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>D. Langade <em>et al<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0378874120331585?via%3Dihub#sec3\">Clinical evaluation of the pharmacological impact of ashwagandha root extract on sleep in healthy volunteers and insomnia patients: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study<\/a>. <em>Journal of Ethnopharmacology<\/em>. Vol. 264, January 10, 2021, 113276. doi: 10.1016\/j.jep.2020.113276.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A. Deshpande <em>et al<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S1389945720301246?via%3Dihub\">A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha (<em>Withania somnifera<\/em>) extract on sleep quality in healthy adults<\/a>. <em>Sleep Medicine<\/em>. Vol. 72, August 2020, p. 28. doi: 10.1016\/j.sleep.2020.03.012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>S. Durg, S. Bavage and S.B. Shivaram. <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1002\/ptr.6589\"><em>Withania somnifera<\/em> (Indian ginseng) in diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific evidence from experimental research to clinical application<\/a>. <em>Phytotherapy Research<\/em>. Vol. 34, May 2020, p. 1041. doi: 10.1002\/ptr.6589.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Q.X. Ng <em>et al<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/ptr.6552\">A systematic review of the clinical use of <em>Withania somnifera<\/em> (Ashwagandha) to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction<\/a>. <em>Phytotherapy Research<\/em>. Vol. 34, March 2020, p. 583. doi: 10.1002\/ptr.6552.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A.L. Lopresti, P.D. Drummond and S.J. Smith. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6438434\/\">A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study examining the hormonal and vitality effects of ashwagandha (<em>Withania somnifera<\/em>) in aging, overweight males<\/a>. <em>American Journal of Men\u2019s Health<\/em>. Vol. 13, March \u2013 April 2019. doi: 10.1177\/1557988319835985.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>S. Durg, S.B. Shivaram and S. Bavage. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30466985\/\">Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis<\/a><\/em>. <em>Phytomedicine<\/em>. Vol. 50, November 15, 2018, p. 247. doi: 10.1016\/j.phymed.2017.11.011.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\t<aside class=\"sn-conversion rich-text rich-text--with-sidebar\"><!-- wp:html -->\n<style><![CDATA[\n.donate-box {\n  border-top: 7px solid red !important;\n  border: 1px solid #ffcccb;\n  margin-top: 50px;\n  background-color: #fdfbf2;\n  padding: 20px;\n}\n.from-nature-index__heading___AhgOe {\n  display: none;\n}\n]]><\/style>\n<!-- \/wp:html -->\n\n<!-- wp:group {\"className\":\"donate-box\"} -->\n<style><![CDATA[\n.from-nature-index__heading___AhgOe {\n    display: none;\n}\n]]><\/style>\n<div id=\"donateConversion\" class=\"wp-block-group donate-box\"><!-- wp:paragraph {\"align\":\"left\",\"style\":{\"typography\":{\"fontSize\":\"1.1em\"}}} -->\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\" style=\"font-size:1.1em\">\nWe are at a critical time and <mark><strong>supporting climate journalism is more important than ever.<\/strong><\/mark> Science News and our parent organization, the Society for Science, need your help to strengthen environmental literacy and ensure that our response to climate change is informed by science.\n \n<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\" style=\"font-size:1.1em\">\nPlease\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencenews.org\/subscribe1-print-digital?key=9MENDTEST&amp;utm_source=end-of-article&amp;utm_medium=site&amp;utm_campaign=non-sub-control\">\nsubscribe to <em>Science News<\/em> and <strong>add $16<\/strong><\/a> to expand\nscience literacy and understanding.\n<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:spacer {\"height\":\"10px\"} -->\n\n<!-- \/wp:spacer --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:group --><\/aside><\/div>\r\n<br>\r\n<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencenews.org\/article\/does-ashwagandha-improve-health\">Source link <\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Extreme Climate Survey Science News is collecting reader questions about how to navigate our planet&#8217;s changing climate. What do you want to know about extreme heat and how it can lead to extreme weather events? \u201cThere are a lot of scientific research studies on it,\u201d says Yufang Lin, an integrative medicine specialist at the Cleveland [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133890,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sciencenews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/090924_sc_ashwagandha_feat.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[606],"tags":[107365,649,4207,47167],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133889"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133889"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133891,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133889\/revisions\/133891"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}