Dr. Lin shares some of the reasons people use ashwagandha and what the research says about them.
Stress, sleep and anxiety
There’s some scientific evidence suggesting ashwagandha may help lower stress and improve sleep.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says, “Research shows that some ashwagandha preparations may be effective for insomnia and stress. However, evidence is unclear about its effects on anxiety.”
Still, ashwagandha has been provisionally recommended as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder by some professional organizations. That includes a task force of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) and the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT).
“The idea is that ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which are plants that can reduce the amount of cortisol (stress hormone) your body releases,” Dr. Lin reports. “Less cortisol can mean you feel less stressed mentally, and it can lessen the physical effects of stress. That could potentially help with things like headaches, high blood pressure, weight management and more.”
Male fertility
The NCCIH says, “There is some limited evidence that suggests that taking ashwagandha for 2 to 4 months may increase testosterone levels and sperm quality.”
That’s based, in part, on a 2017 literature review. The authors called the findings “promising” but noted that further studies were needed.
Other uses
