1. Bonilla, Diego A et al. “Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on Physical Performance: Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis.” Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology vol. 6,1 20. 11 Feb. 2021, doi:10.3390/jfmk6010020
The findings of this comprehensive systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis revealed that Ashwagandha supplementation was more efficacious than placebo for improving variables related to strength/power, cardiorespiratory fitness and fatigue/recovery in healthy men and female. In fact, the probability of at least a small effect size on physical performance favoring subjects supplemented with Ashwagandha is very high (>95%). However, more comparable studies in exercisers/athletes are needed to derive a more stable estimate of the true underlying effect of the consumption of this aqueous herbal extract in trained individuals.
2. Pérez-Gómez, Jorge et al. “Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on VO2max: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrients vol. 12,4 1119. 17 Apr. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12041119
Ashwagandha supplementation might improve the VO2max in athlete and non-athlete people. The analyzed studies used oral administration of Ashwagandha which varied between 2 and 12 weeks with intakes between 300 to 1000 mg/day.
3. Wankhede, Sachin et al. “Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition vol. 12 43. 25 Nov. 2015, doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0104-9
This study reports that Ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass and strength and suggests that Ashwagandha supplementation may be useful in conjunction with a resistance training program.
4. Tandon, Neeraj, and Satyapal Singh Yadav. “Safety and clinical effectiveness of Withania Somnifera (Linn.) Dunal root in human ailments.” Journal of ethnopharmacology vol. 255 (2020): 112768. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.112768
Root of the Ayurvedic drug W. somnifera (Ashwagandha) appears a promising safe and effective traditional medicine for management of schizophrenia, chronic stress, insomnia, anxiety, memory/cognitive enhancement, obsessive-compulsive disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, type-2 diabetes and male infertility, and bears fertility promotion activity in females adaptogenic, growth promoter activity in children and as adjuvant for reduction of fatigue and improvement in quality of life among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
5. Salve, Jaysing et al. “Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study.” Cureus vol. 11,12 e6466. 25 Dec. 2019, doi:10.7759/cureus.6466
Ashwagandha is a medically important herb and has a proven impact on human health. The findings from this study suggest that eight weeks supplementation of aqueous Ashwagandha root extract was associated with a significant reduction of stress levels in individuals and improved the overall quality of life. Hence, the use of this herb as a supplement for stress and anxiety management could be an excellent alternative option.
6. Lopresti, Adrian L et al. “An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” Medicine vol. 98,37 (2019): e17186. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017186
The findings from this study support the positive anxiolytic effects of a novel Ashwagandha extract taken for 60 days at a dose of 240?mg daily. Statistically significant, between-group differences were confirmed by 1 mood measure (HAM-A), while a strong positive trend was observed for the DASS-21 measure. The Ashwagandha extract was well-tolerated with no reported significant adverse effects. Supplementation was associated with a reduction in cortisol and DHEA-S, and a positive, although nonsignificant trend of increased testosterone in men.
7. Gannon, Jessica M et al. “Effects of a standardized extract of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on depression and anxiety symptoms in persons with schizophrenia participating in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.” Annals of clinical psychiatry : official journal of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists vol. 31,2 (2019): 123-129.
Research findings suggest that Withania somnifera (WSE), or Ashwagandha, may hold promise in the treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in schizophrenia. While the mechanism of its clinical efficacy requires more exploration, the data suggest.
8. Lopresti, Adrian L et al. “A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males.” American journal of men's health vol. 13,2 (2019): 1557988319835985. doi:10.1177/1557988319835985
Findings from this study demonstrated that 8 weeks of supplementation with an Ashwagandha extract (Shoden beads, 600 mg daily delivering 21-mg withanolide glycoside) was associated with significant improvements in salivary DHEA-S and testosterone, but not cortisol and estradiol, in healthy males aged between 40 and 70 years. Furthermore, supplementation had no significant effect on symptoms of fatigue, vigor, or sexual or psychological well-being.
9. Choudhary, Dnyanraj et al. “Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions.” Journal of dietary supplements vol. 14,6 (2017): 599-612. doi:10.1080/19390211.2017.1284970
Ashwagandha may be effective in enhancing both immediate and general memory in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as well as improving executive function, attention, and information processing speed.
10. Cheah, Kae Ling et al. “Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” PloS one vol. 16,9 e0257843. 24 Sep. 2021, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257843
Ashwagandha extract appears to have a beneficial effect in improving sleep, both subjectively and objectively, in adults. As it seems to be a relatively safe intervention, it can be considered an option in improving sleep until new evidence is available. Ashwagandha extract with a dosage =600 mg/day and treatment duration =8 weeks seem more effective.
