How Much Ashwagandha Per Day Should I Take?

Quick Health Scoop

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a small plant grown in India, the Middle East and Northern Africa
• The roots and leaves of this herb have long been used in Ayurvedic medicine to help support stress relief†
• Withanolides are the main active compounds in Ashwagandha, and the potency of the herb depends on the % of withanolides used in the product [1]
• When looking for an Ashwagandha supplement, look for products with standardized herb preparations to ensure consistency and potency of the active compound
• Nature Made® offers two clinically studied standardized forms: KSM-66® Ashwagandha and Sensoril® Ashwagandha
• How much Ashwagandha per day you should take depends on whether the product contains standardized Ashwagandha and the percent of withanolides per serving

Ashwagandha is an herb long used in Ayurvedic medicine to support stress resilience. It is recognized today through clinical studies for its ability to help reduce stress.†

Sounds good, but how much Ashwagandha should you take to support stress relief? †

The amount of Ashwagandha per day you should take really depends on the standardization of the herb and what percentage of withanolides (the active compound) is present per serving. That sounds like a lot to understand, but once you know about withanolides and how they are standardized, deciding on the best Ashwagandha supplement for you should be easier. As always, you’ll want to first talk with your healthcare practitioner to determine if taking an Ashwagandha supplement will fit your needs.

Now on to the details. First, let’s learn a little bit more about this herb.

Learn More: Ashwagandha Benefits

What is Ashwagandha Used For?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera, commonly referred to as Indian Ginseng or Winter Cherry) is a perennial shrub grown in India, the Middle East and northern Africa. The roots and leaves have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. This herb works as an adaptogen, helping the body gradually adapt to stressors. How do adaptogens like Ashwagandha work? Think of an adaptogen like exercise. You train your body with exercise and over time, you become less tired and feel stronger. When you train your body with adaptogens, over time, you are better able to manage stress and feel more resilient. †

As a supplement, Ashwagandha helps restore balance to the adrenals by reducing perceived stress and support healthy serum cortisol levels. It also helps reduce occasional anxiousness.†

Learn More: Causes of Stress & How the Body Reacts

What Dosage for Stress and Occasional Anxiety?†

The Ashwagandha dosage to help reduce stress, and the dosage to help reduce occasional anxiety, depends on the Ashwagandha extract being used and if the active compound, in this case withanolides, has been standardized. An herbal supplement with a standardized herb ensures consistency and potency of the active compound.†

Therefore, before we talk dosage, we need to know why the amount of Ashwagandha’s primary bioactives (withanolides) is important in providing any health benefit. †

What is a standardized herb?

The roots (and leaves) of Ashwagandha have many bioactive compounds, but the bioactives that have been clinically studied are a group called withanolides.[2] These bioactives help give Ashwagandha its adaptogenic properties, and most of the research shows that it’s a  concentration of withanolides that provides the most benefit to the body.[1] †

When the roots of wild Ashwagandha plants are ground into a powder, the concentration of withanolides is low. However, when the plant is cultivated, the level is higher. This led to methods of cultivating the plant and concentrating the levels of withanolides to create standardized Ashwagandha extracts that are more potent than other preparations.[3]

Many generic Ashwagandha root powder products do not list the withanolide content per serving. And since it’s not standardized, a generic Ashwagandha powder may provide inconsistent levels of withanolides across servings. To ensure that an herb provides a standard potency across dosages, the withanolides are concentrated and standardized into either an Ashwagandha root extract or Ashwagandha root and leaf extract. Many Ashwagandha supplements are standardized to contain between 5% – 10% withanolides, depending on the extract used.

Nature Made® uses two clinically studied forms of Ashwagandha that are standardized to a percentage of withanolides per serving: KSM-66® Ashwagandha and Sensoril® Ashwagandha. These extracts are different in make-up and concentration, which creates different dosage amounts, so the Ashwagandha dosage you should take depends on which extract is being used in the product. Don’t worry, we break down both forms of Ashwagandha below.

What is KSM-66® Ashwagandha and how much should I take?

KSM-66® Ashwagandha is a concentrated extract using the roots of the Ashwagandha plant. This extract is standardized to 5% withanolides and has been clinically studied to help reduce stress when taken at a dosage of at least 300mg per day.

What about taking Ashwagandha to support occasional sleeplessness? KSM-66® Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that works with your body over time to help support sleep quality when taking 300 mg per day, and it works with your body over time to help you fall asleep and help improve sleep quality when taking 600 mg per day.†

Nature Made® Ashwagandha gummies provide 150 mg of KSM-66® Ashwagandha root extract per gummy for a total Ashwagandha dosage of 300 mg per day for two gummies to help calm and reduce stress.†

What is SENSORIL® Ashwagandha and how much should I take?

Sensoril® Ashwagandha is an extract that uses the roots and leaves of the Ashwagandha plant and is more concentrated than a standard Ashwagandha extract (it’s standardized to 10% withanolide glycosides). This form of Ashwagandha is clinically studied to reduce stress and occasional anxiousness at a dosage of 125 mg per day.†

Nature Made® offers Ashwagandha capsules with 125 mg of Sensoril® Ashwagandha root and leaf extract to reduce stress. Additionally, Nature Made® Wellblends™ Calm & Relax capsules blend Sensoril® Ashwagandha with Magnesium to reduce stress and relax the body. Nature Made® Wellblends™ Calm Mind & Body™ capsules blend Sensoril® Ashwagandha, Magnesium and GABA to relax the mind and body, and Nature Made® Multi + Ashwagandha capsules provide daily nutritional support plus stress relief.†

The Bottom Line

Ashwagandha is a plant long revered in Ayurvedic medicine as an adaptogen to help the body adapt to stressors. The roots and leaves are often used in extracts as they contain active ingredients called withanolides. When given at clinically-studied dosages, Ashwagandha reduces stress.†

Thinking of taking Ashwagandha? Whether you prefer an Ashwagandha powder, Ashwagandha tablets or Ashwagandha capsules, you first need to check the label for the type of Ashwagandha extract being used to see if it’s standardized to ensure potency and consistency of the active ingredient. The two standardized and clinically-studied Ashwagandha extracts used by Nature Made® are KSM-66® Ashwagandha and Sensoril® Ashwagandha. As for how much Ashwagandha per day you should take? Well as we just learned, it all depends on the type of extract being used! Make sure you are following the dosing instructions on the label so that you receive the correct dosage to support stress relief. However, before you begin Ashwagandha supplementation, you should discuss your needs with your healthcare practitioner to help determine the best Ashwagandha supplement for you.†

Learn More About Supporting Your Stress:

• How To Cope With Stress
• How are Sleep, Stress & Immune System Health Connected?
• Supporting a Healthy Mood

KSM-66® is a registered trademark of Ixoreal Biomed Inc.

Sensoril® 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. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. 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 and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-262. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.106022.
2. Singh G, Sharma PK, Dudhe R, Singh S. Biological activities of Withania somnifera. Ann Biol Res. 2010;1:56–63.
3. Auddy, Biswajit & Hazra, Jayram & Mitra, Achintya & Abedon, Bruce & Ghosal, Shibnath. (2008). A Standardized Withania Somnifera Extract Significantly Reduces Stress-Related Parameters in Chronically Stressed Humans: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Journal of American Nutraceutical Association. 11. 50-56.