What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is also known as Indian ginseng (Ashwagandha), winter cherry, and sleep hypnotic. Although its scientific name is "Ashwagandha", it is actually an authentic medicinal herb native to India and can be found everywhere. Ashwagandha is recognized to have significant antioxidant and immune-enhancing effects. In addition, Ashwagandha is also used for hypnosis.
Ashwagandha Effects
Ashwagandha contains alkaloids, steroid lactones, withanolides and iron. Alkaloids have the functions of sedation, analgesia and lowering blood pressure. Withanolides have anti-inflammatory effects and can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. It can also be used for chronic inflammation such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, reduce leucorrhea, improve sexual function, etc., and also help the recovery of chronic diseases. The application in Indian medicine is just like the application of ginseng in Chinese herbal medicine. It can improve vitality. In Indian herbal treatment, it is mainly used to nourish and strengthen the body, especially when overworked or mentally fatigued, to restore energy, and has a significant effect on chronic fatigue syndrome.
May help reduce stress and anxiety
Ashwagandha is best known for its ability to reduce stress. It is classified as an adaptogen, a substance that helps the body cope with stress. Ashwagandha may help control stress mediators, including heat shock protein (Hsp70), cortisol, and stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK-1).
It also reduces the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a system in the body that regulates stress responses. Research suggests that ashwagandha supplements may help relieve stress and anxiety.
In a small study with 58 participants, people who took 250 or 600 mg of ashwagandha extract for 8 weeks had significantly lower levels of perceived stress and the stress hormone cortisol, compared to those who took a placebo.
May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Limited evidence suggests that ashwagandha may have some benefits for people with diabetes or high blood sugar. A review of 24 studies, including five clinical studies in people with diabetes, found that treatment with ashwagandha significantly reduced blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin, blood lipids, and markers of oxidative stress. The reason may be that certain compounds in ashwagandha - including one called withaferin A (WA) - have potent antidiabetic activity and may help stimulate cells to absorb glucose from the blood. However, current research is limited, and more well-designed studies are needed.
What happens when a man takes ashwagandha?
Participants experienced a 10-22% increase in testosterone levels. Another small study of 57 men found that taking 600mg of ashwagandha extract for eight weeks increased testosterone levels by nearly 15%. Therefore, it's likely that ashwagandha may help increase testosterone levels in certain individuals.
