Ashwagandha Benefits Backed by Science

Ashwagandha is also known as “winter cherry.”¹

The root has been used for millennia in Ayurvedic medicinal practices originating in India, where the plant is from. It has been taken elsewhere by humans and is also cultivated in other Himalayan areas, the Mediterranean region, Africa, Canary Islands, Cape of Good Hope, and Australia.

The effects of ashwagandha have been studied, and those findings are outlined below.

Chemical Makeup

The chemical constituents that interact beneficially with the human body are as follows:²

• Alkaloids
• Steroidal compounds
• Saponins
• Withanolides
• Amino acids
• High iron content

Exercise

Ashwagandha, also known as somnifera Withania of the Solanaceae family, and affectionately referred to as Indian ginseng as it is from India, is an adaptogen “recognized as a medicinal plant by the World Health Organization…”

A review study that included four separate experiments found that ashwagandha intake helps increase the effectiveness of strength training. People who take ashwagandha daily while they adhere to an exercise regimen experience bigger gains than exercisers who don’t take ashwagandha. The same review assessed ashwagandha’s efficacy on cardiorespiratory endurance, and, unsurprisingly, found that ashwagandha helps increase cardiorespiratory endurance in those who exercise.

What this means: Ashwagandha can enhance the effects of exercise.

Neurologically Beneficial

Ashwagandha can neutralize the toxic effects of beta-amyloid, a type of plaque that accumulates in grey matter of the brain during Alzheimer’s disease.³

In particular, withaferin A extract from the ashwagandha plant shows potential promise for reducing beta-amyloid accumulation. Not only that, but it also can help reduce inflammation in the brain.

It can potentially help those with Parkinson’s disease: In animal studies, ashwagandha extract has helped to improve function of the dopiminergic pathways and improve motor control.

It has shown promise in helping treat Huntington’s disease: In animal studies, administration of withaferin A isolate delayed the progression of Huntington’s disease and inflammatory processes, and improved their striatal function and their motor abilities by heat shock activation.

Compulsive Behavior

Compulsions and addictions can be life-altering and debilitating. There are two compulsive conditions that have been studied in conjunction with ashwagandha: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

People suffering from OCD can have intrusive and/or disturbing thoughts that they have no control over, and may have compulsions to do things they know are irrational, such as counting the cracks in the sidewalk, or turning the key in the lock a certain number of times before they open the door. Even though they know that the thoughts and compulsions they experience may not make sense, it is extremely difficult to resist them.

Withania somnifera was given to rats who exhibited OCD behaviors, which improved after the administration of this compound. The outlook is positive that it may have a beneficial effect for people who have OCD.

Antimicrobial Action

Bacteria:

Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce growth in Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Citrobacter freundi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus mutant, and Streptococcus sobrinus, P. Aeruginosa, and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. Michiganensis.

Fungi:

Ashwagandha inhibits Candida albicans.

Parasites:

Some studies have demonstrated efficacy of high concentration Withania somnifera extracts in treating malaria in mice.

Never skip the hospital if you are in danger from an infection.

Fertility and Sexual Health

In men with low sperm count, ashwagandha has been shown to increase semen volume, as well as sperm count and motility. Semen parameters also increase for men who don’t have any measurable fertility issues. Not only has it been shown to increase these parameters, but it has also been shown to increase antioxidant enzymes and vitamins A, C, and E in the semen plasma, as well as decrease lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl groups—a sign of good health and fertility. It also works to improve sexual functioning overall in men.

In a study for women, a high concentration extract of ashwagandha root provided “…improvement in sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and an increase in the number of successful sexual intercourses…” So, I’ll have what she’s having. Actually, from my own experience, it is an effective aphrodisiac.

Other Conditions

Ashwagandha is also useful in the treatment of:

• Huntington’s Disease
• Parkinson’s Diseas
• Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Insomnia*
• Stress
• Hypothyroidism

*Ashwagandha is a plant that generally helps with sleep issues over time, not immediately. To sleep tonight, consider a cup of chamomile.

Contraindications with Ashwagandha

In the following situations, ashwagandha should not be used, or it should be discussed with a doctor who is familiar with ashwagandha and its effects.

-Pregnancy or planning pregnancy (can cause miscarriage)
-In people with hyperthyroidism (exacerbates hyperhyroidism by increasing T3 and T4)
-In people with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (increases testosterone which progresses the cancer)
-With anything acting on GABA-A receptors (increases adverse effects of the drugs such as dizziness, etc.)
-May use CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 enzymes, which metabolize most drugs, so this may cause unexpected drug interactions
-With hypoglycaemic, hypotensive, or immunosuppressive drugs
-People with autoimmune diseases

Liver Damage?

If you engage in communities that discuss herbal practices, you will hear that there is a possibility of hepatotoxicity from ashwagandha use. As of 2021, there were five known cases of liver toxicity with ashwagandha determined as the cause. Three of these cases were from the same product from the same manufacturer. Although it is rare, liver damage is a real concern with ashwagandha use.

In Conclusion

The properties of ashwagandha outlined in this article are non-exhaustive. I highly encourage you if you are curious or considering using this plant to follow the links, do some searches, and read more about the research as well as the long history of the relationship we have with winter cherry! As always, this is for educational purposes only, and is not meant to replace advice or treatment from a health professional.

Footnotes

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10147008/#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20there%20has%20been%20a%20significant,sedative%20and%20adaptogenic%20effects%20and%20effects%20on%20sleep ↩︎
2. www.researchgate.net/publication/370838427_Benefits_of_Ashwagandha_supplementation_on_strength_and_endurance_exercise_a_narrative_review ↩︎
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10147008/#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20there%20has%20been%20a%20significant,sedative%20and%20adaptogenic%20effects%20and%20effects%20on%20sleep. ↩︎