Ask the Expert: Ashwagandha Supplementation

By Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN
April 2019

Q: Some of my clients are thinking about taking ashwagandha supplements for conditions such as inflammation and daily stress. What exactly is ashwagandha, what are its purported benefits, and is there scientific merit to these claims?

A: Withania somnifera, which goes by the common names ashwagandha, Indian ginseng, or winter cherry, is a common herb used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, typically to improve energy levels, overall health, longevity, and a variety of other conditions. Some research on ashwagandha has been conducted on animals or in vitro, but few human studies have been done, resulting in limited evidence of anti-inflammatory and antistress benefits.

Claims

Ashwagandha means “the smell of a horse” in Sanskrit (the root is known for smelling like a horse) and is traditionally said to confer “the power of a horse” upon consumption. It’s used as a Rasayana, a type of herb believed to promote physical and mental youthfulness and expand happiness, and typically is given to small children and middle-aged and older adults to increase longevity. Many Rasayana herbs, including ashwagandha, are adaptogens, purported to help the body cope with daily stress and adverse effects of physical, chemical, and biological agents.1 Ashwagandha also is used to reduce pain; treat rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and epilepsy; enhance the function of the brain and nervous system; improve memory; and promote sexual and reproductive balance.

There are more than 35 chemical constituents of ashwagandha that have been isolated, and many have been studied, including bioactive components such as alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and withanolides.2 It’s also a good source of iron.

Research

Ashwagandha is touted for its anti-inflammatory properties to provide relief for those with rheumatoid arthritis. In a three-day study published in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, researchers gave powdered ashwagandha root to rats orally one hour before administering an inflammation-promoting injection. Compared with placebo, ashwagandha considerably reduced inflammation based on serum protein markers in the blood.3 Another study published in the same journal looked at the anti-inflammatory effects of ashwagandha also in rats. Based on radiological exam, rats that were orally administered powdered ashwagandha root for 15 days showed significant reductions in paw swelling and bone degeneration changes compared with rats given a hydrocortisone placebo.4

Antistress effects of ashwagandha were evaluated in rats swimming in cold water (ie, exposed to a stressor). Rats given an alcohol extract from defatted ashwagandha seeds dissolved in saline could tolerate the stressor longer, demonstrating a swimming time double that of mice administered saline solution alone.5 A 2012 prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of 64 human subjects with a history of chronic stress demonstrated substantially lower serum cortisol levels in those who took one capsule of ashwagandha root extract twice a day for 60 days compared with placebo.6