Ashwagandha Benefits: How The Herb Helps Reduce Stress†

Quick Health Scoop

• The ashwagandha plant is native to India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, its roots and leaves are used in extracts and powder. 
• Used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha has long been studied for stress relief^† 
• While generally safe for most people, Ashwagandha should not be used by women who are pregnant or nursing
• When choosing an Ashwagandha supplement, look for standardized herb preparations to ensure consistency and potency of the active ingredient.

If you’re dealing with stress (and who isn’t these days), you may have heard that Ashwagandha is good for stress relief support. Long revered in Ayurvedic medicine, this small plant grows in India, the Middle East, and northern Africa. Ashwagandha – also known as Withania somnifera - has been used for centuries for its adaptogenic properties to help your body adapt to stress. An adaptogen is a natural substance that helps the body handle stress. While the whole plant is cultivated, the root and leaf are used in extracts and powders.^†

Ashwagandha Health Benefits

Ashwagandha has a long history of traditional use as an adaptogen to help your body adapt to stressors that you may encounter day to day. Clinical studies have shown that Ashwagandha reduces stress and lowers cortisol levels in the blood, a hormone produced during times of stress.^1,2 These studies used concentrated standardized Ashwagandha extract. Using a standardized herb ensures consistency and potency of the active compound (in the case of Ashwagandha, the withanolide glycosides).^†   

How Much Ashwagandha Should I Take Per Day?

Generally, it’s safe to use the Ashwagandha powder or root in food and tea. If you prefer to take an Ashwagandha supplement, make sure you choose a standardized extract (should be provided on the Supplement Facts label) to ensure consistency and potency of the active compounds of the herb. Our Nature Made Ashwagandha supplements all use concentrated, standardized extracts that have been clinically studied to reduce stress.^† If you are wondering how much Ashwagandha you should take per day, we recommend following the Suggested Use on the label. Our Nature Made Ashwagandha supplements, such as our Nature Made Ashwagandha capsules*, Nature Made Calm & Relax*, and Nature Made Calm Mind & Body**, are all formulated with clinically studied Ashwagandha* at the clinically studied amount.

The Bottom Line

Ashwagandha is a traditional herb long revered in Ayurvedic medicine as an herb supporting stress resilience. It is recognized today through clinical studies for its ability to help reduce stress.^†

An extract of the roots and leaves of the Ashwagandha plant can be used in supplements. Talk with your doctor before taking a supplement to see if it’s right for your needs. And if you’re pregnant, you should not take Ashwagandha.

Continue to check back on the Nature Made blog for the latest science-backed articles to help you take ownership of your health.

Learn More About Stress:

• What Causes Stress?
• Tips on How to Reduce Stress
• How to Support a Healthy Mood

* SENSORIL® Ashwagandha is clinically studied to help reduce stress ‡†

**KSM-66® Ashwagandha is clinically proven to reduce stress, and is standardized to ensure consistency and potency

‡ Sensoril® is clinically studied to reduce cortisol and perceived stress.† Sensoril® is protected under U.S. Patent No. 7,318,938 and CA Patent No. 2,508,478, and is a registered trademark of Natreon, Inc.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References 

1. Pingali U, Pilli R, Fatima N. Effect of Withania somnifera on mental stress induced changes in hemodynamic properties and arterial wave reflections in healthy subjects. Current topics in nutraceutical research. 2013; 11:4, 151-158
2. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. “A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress ... in adults.” July 2012. Accessed on: March 30, 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/
3. The Department Of Defense Dietary Supplement Resource. “What is ashwagandha in dietary supplements used for?” January 16, 2020. Accessed on: March 30, 2021. https://www.opss.org/article/ashwagandha-dietary-supplement-products