The disadvantages of Ashwagandha are that it can cause digestive upset, may make one sleepy, long-term safety is unknown, the quality of extracts is variable, and it may not be suitable for some individuals. These limits are important to the consumer and the developer of the products.
What Are the Most Common Downsides of Taking Ashwagandha?
Digestive Discomfort: It is reported that some individuals experience nausea, loose bowel movements, or stomach upset. The tolerance is different for each individual and formula.
Daytime Drowsiness: Drowsiness or sleepiness may be a problem if the supplement is taken during the day, before work or before driving. Daily routines differ.
Other Potential Safety Issues: Ashwagandha has been reported to cause adverse events, including liver-related issues, in some people. Risk by frequency and extract-specific risk is still unknown.
Personal Suitability: Caution is advised in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and in some cases, when used with certain medicines. Some individual guidance might be required.
Why Does Ashwagandha Extract Quality Matter?
Plant-Part Differences: Root extracts and root-and-leaf extracts have different phytochemical profiles (- Plant-Part Differences). Labels should designate the material used.
Extraction Variability: Variability in extracts due to alteration of the composition by solvents, extraction ratios, and processing steps. Marker Limitations: The standardisation with the percentages of withanolide does not automatically indicate suitability or safety, but rather a description of the limitations of the markers.
Supplier Documentation: The supplier's documentation is more important than promotional claims, and includes identity checks, contaminant limits, and batch certificates.
Can Taking Too Much Ashwagandha Be a Downside?
Serving-Size Confusion: A label that indicates Extract per Capsule is not the same amount as is given with the daily dose. This is especially important in multi-unit packs.
No Universal Intake Level: Research employs varying formulations and study time periods - No UIL. The amount of a substance that is studied in one experiment is not readily translatable to another extract.
Stacked Products: When there is Ashwagandha in both the capsule and a gummy/powdered mix, the combination of the two could potentially lead to an even higher cumulative dosage.
More is not always better: An additional loading can lead to higher exposure and may also cause the taste (undesirable) or processing (undesirable) problems without added value.
What Are the Downsides of Long-Term Ashwagandha Use?
Limited Observation Periods: Most of the human studies are done over a period of weeks or months. This does not mean such questions as "What happened if it was used continuously for several years?" can be answered.
Different Populations: Results from selected healthy adult volunteers may not reflect experiences with older adults or individuals with specific health concerns.
Inconsistent Reporting: Different studies report side effects in different ways, and list different extracts, making it hard to compare the safety of different studies.
Changing Routines: Exposure is more difficult to measure as people change brands, doses, and/or combinations of supplements over time.
How Can Formulation Choices Affect Ashwagandha Supplements?
Capsules and Tablets: Flowability, moisture uptake, and content uniformity still need to be tested in concentrated extracts for small-sized capsules and tablets.
Gummies: Acidity, heat, and water activity can all make it tricky to retain ingredients. The product profile is also affected by sweeteners and flavors.
Powder Blends: Can be difficult to achieve uniformity and taste from strong botanical notes and particle separation.
Multiple Active Ingredients: Serving calculations and compatibility evaluations and explanations to consumers are more complex with combination formulas.
What Should Supplement Brands Check Before Using Ashwagandha?
Evidence Boundaries: Do not make generalizations for all ingredients of Ashwagandha that are currently available on the market.
Quality Checkpoints: Verification of the botanical identity, microbiological specifications, relevant contaminants, and marker results with appropriate methods.
Shelf-Life Support: Assess the levels of markers that have been retained and the physical product quality under realistic storage conditions, instead of just by their proposed expiry date.
Market Requirements: Check the status of ingredients, allowed language, warnings, and labeling regulations in each target market.
What's the downside of taking ashwagandha?
There are not only short-term drawbacks to using Ashwagandha, but also long-term ones. There are unknown and potential risks of long-term effects, potential interactions, extract-to-extract differences, and inconsistent product formulations, all of which impact the evaluation of supplements. Rather than relying on the assumption that a familiar botanical is necessarily appropriate for everyone, a responsible approach will include transparent ingredient information, careful design of the serving, appropriate safety information, and quality testing.
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FAQ
1. What are the disadvantages of taking Ashwagandha every day?
In some individuals, daily use can lead to digestive problems or drowsiness. Another major drawback is the lack of long-term safety data. All of these factors should be taken into account when deciding on individual tolerances, extract composition, and serving size.
2. Can Ashwagandha make you feel tired during the day?
Yes. Some Ashwagandha supplements are said to cause drowsiness. Individual differences vary, and products marketed to relax may not be appropriate for daytime use.
3. Is 600 mg of Ashwagandha too much?
Not necessarily, but without knowing what kind of extract it is, how it was standardized, and individual circumstances, 600 mg can't be evaluated. While equal weight dosages may provide similar amounts of exposure to Ashwagandha, different extracts can have varying concentrations of withanolides, meaning that the same weight of different extracts will not provide the same amount of exposure.
4. What are the risks of taking Ashwagandha for a long time?
There's not enough information regarding the long-term use of this product. Some short-term studies indicate low toxicity, but do not provide the necessary data for long-term use or for all populations.
5. Do Ashwagandha Gummies have the same downsides as capsules?
Both forms may have safety issues surrounding Ashwagandha. Gummies, however, have additional formulation ingredients like sweeteners, acids, and gelling agents. Capsules tend to have fewer ingredients and can also have different concentrations of extract and/or amounts of contents per capsule.
6. How can consumers identify a quality Ashwagandha supplement?
Check ingredient lists for clarity, as well as the standardised marker information, the declaration of the extract amount, transparency with regard to botanical plant parts, and the reliable documentation from the manufacturer that is available. Independent quality testing ensures extra confidence in product specifications.
References
1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2024, September 5). Ashwagandha: Science and safety. National Institutes of Health.
2. Office of Dietary Supplements. (2023, December 4). Ashwagandha: Is it helpful for stress, anxiety, or sleep? - Consumer fact sheet. National Institutes of Health.
3. Vaidya, V. G., Gothwad, A., Ganu, G., Girme, A., Modi, S. J., & Hingorani, L. (2024). Clinical safety and tolerability evaluation of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha) root extract in healthy human volunteers. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 15(1), 100859.
4. Akhgarjand, C., Asoudeh, F., Bagheri, A., Kalantar, Z., Vahabi, Z., Shab-bidar, S., Rezvani, H., & Djafarian, K. (2022). Does ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research, 36(11), 4115–4124.