Ashwagandha

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Common Names

• Ashwagandha
• Indian ginseng
• Winter cherry

For Patients & Caregivers

Tell your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you’re taking, such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and natural or home remedies. This will help them manage your care and keep you safe.

What is it?

Ashwagandha is a popular herb used in traditional Indian medicine (Ayurveda) for stress relief and to improve general health. It can help you relax and reduce swelling.

Some lab studies show that it can slow the growth of cancer cells, but this effect has not been observed in humans.

What is it used for?

Ashwagandha is used:

• To treat cancer
• To treat diabetes
• To reduce fatigue (feeling more tired or weak than usual)
• To reduce joint pain
• To reduce stress
• To reduce anxiety (strong feelings of worry)

It’s generally safe to use ashwagandha in food and tea. However, talk with your healthcare providers before taking supplements or higher amounts of ashwagandha. Supplements are stronger than the herbs you would use in cooking.

Ashwagandha can also interact with some medications and affect how they work. For more information, read the “What else do I need to know?” section below.

What are the side effects?

Side effects of using ashwagandha may include:

• Nausea (feeling like you’re going to throw up)
• Headache
• Drowsiness
• Stomach irritation
• Diarrhea (loose or watery stool)

What else do I need to know?

Don’t use ashwagandha if you’re pregnant because it may cause abortion (end your pregnancy).
Talk with your doctor if you have hormone-sensitive prostate cancer because ashwagandha may increase testosterone levels. This can interfere with your treatments.

Ashwagandha may increase the drowsiness effects of some prescription medications so talk with your healthcare provider before taking it.