Ashwagandha May Reduce Anxiety and Stress

Known as a multipurpose herb and “rejuvenator” used in ancient Ayurvedic¹ and Chinese medicine for thousands of years, ashwagandha² (Withania somnifera) is a plant native to India with a host of bioactive functions.

Ashwagandha is one of the few true adaptogenic herbs that helps your body adapt to stress³ by balancing your immune system,⁴ metabolism, and hormonal systems.⁵ As noted in the medical review, “Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha)”:⁶

“Studies indicate ashwagandha possesses anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antistress, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hemopoietic, and rejuvenating properties. It also appears to exert a positive influence on the endocrine, cardiopulmonary, and central nervous systems … Toxicity studies reveal that ashwagandha appears to be a safe compound.”

While some adaptogens are stimulants in disguise, this is not the case with ashwagandha. It can give your morning exercise a boost, yet when taken before bed it can help you get a good night's sleep as well. It's also capable of “intelligently” upregulating or downregulating your adre­nal cortisol as needed, which makes it a valuable adjunct against stress and anxiety.

Ashwagandha has shown to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety

In one placebo-controlled clinical trial,⁷ published in 2012, volunteers with a history of chronic stress who took 300 milligrams (mg) of a highly concentrated full-spectrum ashwagandha extract twice a day for 60 days reported significant reductions in stress, compared to controls who received a placebo.

While the perceived stress scale (PSS) scores in the control group declined by a modest 5.5% over the 60 days, the treatment group receiving ashwagandha had a 44% reduction in PSS scores. And, as reported by the authors:⁸

“Furthermore, the decrease in the stress measure over the study period of 60 days was considerably higher in the Ashwagandha group than in the placebo group … In the Ashwagandha group, by Day 60 there was a significant reduction in scores corresponding to all of the item-subsets:

76.1% for the ‘Somatic' item-subset, 69.7% for the ‘Anxiety and Insomnia' item-subset, 68.1% for the ‘Social Dysfunction' item-subset, 79.2% for the ‘Severe Depression' item-subset.

In contrast, in the placebo control group, the corresponding reductions in scores were much smaller: 4.9%, 11.6%, –3.7% and –10.6%, respectively. As can be readily seen, the difference is at least 58 percentage points and as high as 89 percentage points.”

Blood testing also revealed the cortisol levels of the treatment group decreased by an average of 27.9% after 60 days of supplementation, while the placebo group had a reduction of just 7.9%. In conclusion, the researchers stated:⁹

“The findings suggest that high-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life. High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract can be used safely as an adaptogen in adults who are under stress.”

Other studies showing antianxiety benefits of ashwagandha

Similar results were found in a 2009 study,¹⁰ in which patients diagnosed with moderate to severe anxiety lasting longer than six weeks who were treated with 300 mg of ashwagandha root for three months reported “significantly decreased” symptoms compared to those undergoing standard psychotherapy.

Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) scores decreased by 56.5% in the Ashwagandha group after 12 weeks of treatment, compared to 30.5% in the psychotherapy group. According to the researchers:

“Significant differences between groups were also observed in mental health, concentration, fatigue, social functioning, vitality, and overall quality of life with the [naturopathic care] group exhibiting greater clinical benefit.”

A systematic review¹¹ of five human trials published in 2014 also concluded that treatment with ashwagandha “resulted in greater score improvements (significantly in most cases) than placebo in outcomes on anxiety or stress scales.”

However, while all five studies supported this conclusion, the authors noted that “Current evidence should be received with caution because of an assortment of study methods and cases of potential bias.”

A fourth study,¹² this one published in 2015, found “empirical evidence to support the traditional use of [ashwagandha] to aid in mental process engaging GABAergic signaling.” According to the authors:

“Our results provide evidence indicating that key constituents in [ashwagandha] may have an important role in the development of pharmacological treatments for neurological disorders associated with GABAergic signaling dysfunction such as general anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances, muscle spasms and seizures.”

Main bioactive compounds in ashwagandha

Flavonoids and other compounds are the active ingredients that give ashwagandha its many powerful properties. These include but are not limited to:

The many health benefits of ashwagandha

If you suspect ashwagandha might be beneficial for other ailments beside anxiety and stress, you'd be absolutely correct. It's not considered one of the most important herbs in Ayurvedic medicine for nothing. Importantly, a number of studies have shown it can treat several diseases and disorders better than medications, without all the side effects.

For example, studies show ashwagandha has antitumor and blood production (hemopoietic) capabilities, and benefits the cardiopulmonary, endocrine and central nervous systems, all “with little or no associated toxicity.”²¹ Ashwagandha has also been shown to:^{22,23,24,25,26,27,28}

Possible side effects and contraindications of ashwagandha

While generally safe, well-tolerated and nontoxic, side effects can still occur. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center cites case reports showing side effects from ashwagandha may include:

• Nausea, headache, stomach irritation and loose stools
• Drowsiness
• Overactive thyroid
• Burning, itching, and discoloration of skin/mucous membrane
• Irregular heartbeat, dizziness

While ashwagandha appears to be beneficial for thyroid problems, if you have a thyroid disorder, use caution and consult with your doctor, as you may need to tweak any medications you're taking for it. Ashwagandha is also contraindicated⁶⁰ for, and should not be used by:

• Pregnant women, as it may induce abortion
• Breastfeeding women, as it may have an effect on your child
• People taking sedatives, as ashwagandha may augment the sedative effects

Beware of adulterated ashwagandha products

Needless to say, making sure you're getting a high-quality product is of utmost importance. To ensure effectiveness, I recommend using 100% organic ashwagandha root, free of fillers, additives, and excipients.

Ashwagandha oil⁶¹ is another form of ashwagandha that offers a wide variety of medicinal and practical uses. It's usually mixed with other essential oils (or diluted in a safe carrier oil). Ashwagandha oil has antioxidant properties and may be used for topical pain relief for those with arthritis and rheumatism.

Unfortunately, adulterated ashwagandha products have been found on the market, so buyer beware. A bulletin⁶² by the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program reveals many ashwagandha root powders and root extracts manufactured in India are being adulterated by adding leaves, stems and aerial parts of the plant, without declaring this on the label.

In some tests, up to 80% of products were found to be adulterated in this manner. The fraudulent addition to undeclared plant material is a cost-saving strategy that results in an inferior product with questionable efficacy. The take-home message is, when buying ashwagandha, it's worth doing your homework to make sure you're getting a quality product.

Addressing anxiety without drugs

Getting back to anxiety, it's important to realize there are many ways to address this now pervasive problem.⁶³ Ideally, drugs would be your last resort, not your first, as many can cause other severe problems.

While genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events play a role in the development of anxiety disorders, stress is a common trigger. Anxiety is a normal response to stress, but in some people, the anxiety becomes overwhelming and difficult to cope with, to the point that it affects their day-to-day living.⁶⁴

A number of other situations and underlying issues can also trigger or exacerbate anxiety. This includes but is not limited to the following, and addressing these issues may be what's needed to resolve your anxiety disorder. For more information about each, please follow the links provided:

Read more great articles at mercola.com