How Ashwagandha Builds Resilience, Lowers Stress, Improves Sleep, and More
Resiliency is one of the most important qualities for having a good life. Everyone faces numerous challenges throughout their life, and the ability to bounce back from adversity allows opportunities to quickly move forward and consistently grow. This is a lot easier said than done, but using the right tools really can have a measurable impact on physical and mental strength. Ashwagandha is one of the most powerful natural herbs for boosting resiliency and reducing stress. It is one of the supplements I truly feel the most, and having gone periods without it, I really do notice the difference.
What is Ashwagandha?
Formally known as Withania somnifera, ashwagandha is an herb that has been used for thousands of years to treat stress and other ailments. It is highly respected in the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine. I can say confidently it is one of the most important herbs I use, and I have experienced a noticeable increase in well-being and resistance to stress. I have gone on and off ashwagandha over the past three years, but the past year I have been pretty consistent and never want to stop again.
Health Benefits of Ashwagandha
1. Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Stress is a constant part of human life. While it cannot be eliminated, it can be effectively managed to the point where it does not adversely impact one’s quality of life. Herbs like ashwagandha can play a major role in this, and the efficacy is backed up by strong scientific support. A 2019 double-blind, placebo-controlled study from a team of Australian and Indian researchers found that 240mg of ashwagandha extract daily for 60 days significantly reduced anxiety in the treatment group, and had a measurable impact on reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Another similar trial in 2019 found that 250mg and 600mg of ashwagandha extract daily for 8 weeks reduced stress and cortisol levels, as well as improved sleep quality. The higher dose exerted stronger effects. Yet another study which also used 600mg ashwagandha extract for 60 days demonstrated reduced stress and cortisol levels in the treatment group. Researchers noted the extract effectively improved resistance to stress.
Chronic stress is also associated with obesity, and in this context ashwagandha has also been shown to have beneficial impacts. A 2017 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in India found that 300mg ashwagandha twice daily for 8 weeks very significantly reduced stress and increased happiness. There were also significant reductions in cortisol levels and overall body weight. Specifically, weight decreased by about 5 pounds on average in the treatment group, compared to 2.5 pounds in the placebo group. Therefore, it is likely that ashwagandha can play a role in helping individuals achieve a healthy weight in addition to controlling weight.
The benefits of ashwagandha appear to derive in part from direct positive effects on the brain. A meta-analysis of 28 animal studies found that ashwagandha was able to inhibit oxidative stress-induced neurological abnormalities. It also “significantly restored the altered oxidative and other stress markers in different parts of rodent brain.”
2. Improving Mental Health
The impact of ashwagandha on mental health may extend beyond general anxiety. A 2016 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine followed patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who used 120mg/day of ashwagandha extract for six weeks. After treatment, there was an almost 50% reduction in symptoms, as measured by the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. Participants stayed on their conventional medicine, and researchers concluded ashwagandha “may be beneficial as a safe and effective adjunct to SSRIs in the treatment of OCD.”
Patients with schizophrenia and accompanying depression and anxiety could also benefit from ashwagandha. A 2019 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at University of Pittsburg Medical Center gave patients 1,000mg of ashwagandha extract for 12 weeks. Based on subscores from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, researchers concluded that the extract “may hold promise in the treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in schizophrenia.”
It is common for people to experience a decline in cognitive function as they age. A 2017 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in the Journal of Dietary Supplements evaluated the effect of 300mg ashwagandha twice daily for eight weeks on the performance of adults with mild cognitive impairment. As demonstrated by the Wechsler Memory Scale, the treatment group had significantly higher scores for logical memory, faces, family pictures, and verbal paired associates. Overall, there was better performance in immediate and general memory. There was also better improvement in sustained attention, executive function, and information-processing speed.
3. Normalizing Thyroid Function
Ashwagandha has often been prescribed for thyroid dysfunction, specifically hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid does not produce enough hormones. This leads to systemic effects like fatigue and weight gain. In a 2018 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, researchers showed that 600mg of extract effectively normalized measures of thyroid health (TSH, T3, and T4 hormones) after 8 weeks of treatment. Researchers concluded, “Treatment with ashwagandha may be beneficial for normalizing thyroid indices in subclinical hypothyroid patients.”
4. Boosting Physical Performance
Physical resilience is also important for living a healthy life and achieving one’s full potential. A 2015 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition analyzed the effect of 300mg ashwagandha twice daily for 8 weeks on young men who began a resistance training program Those in the treatment group had greater increases in muscle strength as measured by bench-press and leg-extension exercises. Furthermore, measurements showed a larger increase in the size of arm and chest muscles. Other benefits included reduced exercise-related muscle damage, greater increase in testosterone, and decrease in body fat percentage. It is certainly impressive that consistent ashwagandha dosing was able to produce such effects in just about two months.
Part of ashwagandha’s ability to enhance muscle strength may be related to its effects on testosterone, as it has been clinically shown to increase testosterone levels. The same trial also indicated ashwagandha could increase levels of a hormone called DHEA, which has been linked with anti-aging and anti-depressant effects, along with better skin health. While studies are inconclusive about the full utility of DHEA supplements themselves, it is quite possible that the boost ashwagandha provides to this hormone could be responsible for some benefits.
5. Improving Sleep
Sleeping well is absolutely critical for maintaining optimal health, but about 10% of people worldwide experience non-restorative sleep, which can lead to impaired physical and cognitive performance. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted by researchers primarily with the International Institute of Sleep Sciences in India found that 120mg of ashwagandha extract for 6 weeks effectively improved sleep quality in the treatment group. Several indices of sleep health, including total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and sleep latency all improved. As importantly, quality of life measures including physical, psychological, and environmental domains improved too. No adverse effects were reported, indicating that ashwagandha may be a safe and effective natural modality for helping people sleep better.
Future Promise
With further trials, there may be even higher-level applications which are appropriate for ashwagandha. For example, a 2019 review article described how ashwagandha extracts have demonstrated inhibitory properties against numerous types of cancer cells, including brain, lung, breast, prostate, colon, and ovarian cancers. While it is far too soon to say whether ashwagandha works in humans, it may be a reasonable herb to incorporate into integrative cancer treatments due to its proven abilities to modulate stress and anxiety.
How to Use Ashwagandha
The clinical evidence is clear that ashwagandha can significantly influence health, especially various measures of mental health. As stated, I consider it one of the most important supplements I use, as I can truly feel its positive impact on my life. I’ve also noticed that over the past couple years, advertisements for various ashwagandha supplements have seemed to increase, so it’s possible that more people are beginning to learn how valuable this herb really is. I take two dropperfuls of ashwagandha tincture, once in the morning and once at night, and that’s enough for me to feel its effects! You can also take capsules if desired, which is what my mom does as she finds it easier that way.
