Ashwagandha guide: Benefits, dosage, supplements & more

Ashwagandha, commonly used in Indian ayurvedic medicine, has traditionally been used to help almost everything, from arthritis to rheumatism. Some use it as a general tonic to increase energy, and improve overall health, while others use it to prevent illness in athletes and the elderly.¹

It's worth noting though, that ashwagandha is not recommended for use during pregnancy and lactation, plus if you’re taking medication, you always should consult with a healthcare professional before starting use.

So, what's the evidence to back up these so-called benefits that have been linked to using ashwagandha, or its KSM-66 extract? In this article, you’ll discover everything there is to know.

Ashwagandha is a small evergreen shrub that originates from parts of India, the Middle East, and Africa.¹ Its unusual name relates to the way it smells – ashwagandha roots smell like a horse, with ‘ashva’ meaning ‘horse’ and ‘gandha’ meaning ‘smelling like’ in Sanskrit.² 

The entire plant is harvested, dried, and ground down into a powder, which is sold as ashwagandha supplements.² The ashwagandha plant has been traditionally renowned by those who believe in Ayurvedic medicine as one of the most powerful herbs, which spans back thousands of years.¹ 

Typically, when people refer to ashwagandha, they're referring to the extract.

Ashwagandha has been used for many things over the last 3,000 years. 

Potential uses of ashwagandha that have been researched include effects on stress, sexual function and fertility, athletic performance, cognitive performance, pain, fatigue, thyroid function, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and tuberculosis. Initial findings for some of these conditions have been promising, but more robust clinical study designs are needed before confirming its benefits. 

Our video recap explains all the potential health benefits of ashwagandha, its history, and how to use it.

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, a natural agent that reportedly helps the body cope with stress according to this particular study.¹³ There is a lot of research on the potential effects of ashwagandha, but we still don’t know how it works on the body or if these effects would be seen in larger studies. 

One thing that is known is that ashwagandha also contains a large amount of Withanolides, which are one of the primary active ingredients in ashwagandha. The level of Withanolides, which are mainly found in ashwagandha roots, varies from one extract to the other.¹⁴

As with taking any supplement, it’s important that ashwagandha is taken in line with the manufacturer’s guidance. Ashwagandha is believed to be safe for most people to take, although its long-term effects are unknown.¹⁵ 

Typical doses, taken on a short-term basis, may cause mild to moderate side effects, such as headaches, sleepiness and stomach upsets.¹⁵ You should avoid taking it if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, taking certain medications, or have an autoimmune disease or if advised by your GP.

We hope you’re feeling more clued up about ashwagandha, especially when it comes to knowing what it’s used for and potentially, how to start using it yourself. 

Ashwagandha has been researched for a range of possible benefits, including reducing stress and fatigue, increasing testosterone in men, improving sexual well-being in all genders, reducing joint pain and helping with better quality sleep. More robust studies are needed to confirm the benefits of ashwagandha, we don't know if these effects would be replicated in larger studies, but for now, some preliminary research shows promising results and encourages further study.^5,6,7,8,9,12