Ashwagandha for Stress Relief

Written By Courtney McMahan, RD

What is it?

Ashwaganda, also known as Indian Ginseng, is a medicinal herb that has been used for thousands of years in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. It comes from an evergreen shrub that grows in Asia and Africa.  

It falls into a class of supplements known as “adaptogens.” This means that it is typically used for the purported benefit of helping the body adapt to stress.

What is it used for?

Ashwagandha is most commonly used to relieve stress and anxiety, and there is some evidence that it may be beneficial for this (1, 2). It is believed that it does this through regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis; this axis contributes to the body’s homeostasis and controls a large portion of our response to stress, energy metabolism, and neuropsychiatric function. Ashwaghanda also appears to be a potent antioxidant, meaning it has the potential to decrease inflammation in the body. There is also some evidence that ashwagandha may reduce cortisol levels, which is our body’s main stress hormone. One study also showed that Ashwagandha may help with weight loss in adults who are under chronic stress. Additionally, some research shows that it may improve sleep quality and duration.

What are the main drawbacks?

While Ashwagandha has shown promise for improving the body’s response to stress, more research is needed. Many of the studies up to this point have been on animals, on a small number of human participants, or over a short duration of time. To get a true picture of its benefits and its safety over the long term, we need studies that are done on a larger number of people over several months or years.  

Should I try it?

If you are battling chronic stress, Ashwagandha could be a beneficial addition to your supplement routine. However, it cannot make up for poor sleep, nutrition, and exercise habits; so to see any benefits from it, it has to be taken in conjunction with other healthy habits.

If you do decide to try Ashwagandha, be sure to mention it to your doctor to ensure there are no interactions with any medications you are taking. Additionally, ensure that you are buying from a supplement company that adheres to third-party testing. Because supplements are unregulated by the FDA, it is crucial to choose products that are tested to show that they contain what they claim to contain in the right amounts and to confirm that there are no harmful additives like heavy metal