what is the best way to take ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is not a plant that'south commonly used in the kitchen, so y'all may non be very familiar with it. However, information technology has received a good bit of attending for its health benefits when used as an herbal supplement: Ashwagandha promotes stress reduction and tin can help bring your torso into remainder.*

In this article, we discuss everything you lot need to know about this helpful herb—from its origins and history to its benefits and uses—so you can decide for yourself if Ashwagandha is right for you.

What is Ashwagandha?

The Ashwagandha establish (scientific name Withania somnifera) is a small evergreen shrub that is brusk and squat with velvety leaves and bell flowers that contain orange berries similar in appearance to modest tomatoes.

Ashwagandha root has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for at least i,500 years. In Sanskrit, the give-and-take "ashwa" means "horse," while "gandha" means "smell."

In other words, "Ashwagandha" translates roughly to "the scent and strength of a horse," alluding to its traditional use to back up vitality and a healthy libido.* In one case basis, the herb could be said to smell like a horse and was thought to impart the power of one, too.

Its species name, somnifera, means "sleep-inducing" in Latin. Somnifera indicates its traditional Ayurvedic use for supporting somnolence, or sleepiness.* Ashwagandha'south Hindi name is "asgandh," another nod to its potent odor that'south reminiscent of horse sweat.^iv,12

Origins of the Ashwagandha Herb

Ashwagandha is native to the Indian subcontinent, specifically the drier areas of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It also grows in parts of Africa, and it tin grow in temperate climates, including Western North Carolina, habitation to Gaia Herbs.

We abound Ashwagandha on our 350-acre Certified Organic farm in Brevard, North Carolina, and we too source it from India. We use the root of the plant in our herbal products, and we harvest Ashwagandha root in the autumn, when the plants' benign phytochemicals are at their peak.

We believe that the quality of an herbal supplement tin can only exist every bit good every bit the quality of the herbs that become into it.

This is why nosotros grow herbs for our products on our own farm, where we can cultivate them exactly the mode we want and permit each plant to flourish in the sun until the perfect moment to harvest.

Of grade, our farm tin't produce all of the wonderful herbs that we utilise in our products. And so, for the herbs and mushrooms that we cannot grow on our own farm or in the quantity that we need (such equally Ashwagandha), we turn to our network of organic and sustainable communities across the country and around the globe.

They allow united states of america to source herbs from where they grow best and where conditions are ideal to produce the highest possible level of botanical compounds.

To learn more about the herbs in your specific product, turn to meetyourherbs.com, the world'southward first herb traceability platform. Here, you'll discover the origin of your herbs; learn how they were grown, harvested, and extracted; and see validation of your product'southward level of purity and authority.

Ashwagandha as an Adaptogen

Ashwagandha is considered an adaptogen, meaning it promotes residual in many different systems of the body.*¹⁴

Adaptogens are herbs that encounter three specific criteria developed by Russian scientist N.V. Lazarez (who is best known for discovering other adaptogens such as Eleuthero and teaching renowned adaptogen research scientist State of israel Brekhman).

According to Lazarez, adaptogens accept to:

• Be nontoxic
• Reduce and regulate stress by helping the body adapt*
• Benefit overall well-being*

Ashwagandha meets all of these criteria.

The History of Ashwagandha in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda—the traditional medicine system of Republic of india—Ashwagandha is a rasayana, or a plant that promotes longevity, vitality, and happiness.*^8,12,14

Rasayanas are traditionally given to pocket-sized children and the elderly as tonics to support overall well-being.* The root is often dried and ground, then given as a pulverization mixed with ghee, honey, and milk, as Ashwagandha can often have a bitter gustatory modality. This warm beverage is ofttimes consumed earlier bedtime.¹²

Ashwagandha is included in Gaia Herbs Golden Milk to help back up a feeling of relaxation.* Our Golden Milk is an Ayurvedic cup of calm to aid support both your trunk and heed equally you sip your way into placidity.*

The formula is based on the traditional recipe that has been used for centuries and contains a delicious blend of Turmeric, Ashwagandha, Dates, Cardamom, and Vanilla. This powder can be mixed into any warm beverage—dairy milk, non-dairy milk, or fifty-fifty your cup of morning joe.

Ashwagandha is ane of the most usually used herbs for the Vata constitution, which is associated with air and space.

This herb is also used traditionally equally a tonic to support retentiveness, vitality, and healthy hormonal office, which supports balanced Vata energy.*^fourteen It is also used to back up sleep quality.*¹²

It should be noted that Ashwagandha impacts the Ayurvedic mind-body type called Sadhaka Pitta, which has an event on body and emotions.*

According to Divya Change, chef and possessor of Ayurvedic restaurant Divya'southward Kitchen, "If you are of loftier Pitta (fiery) constitution… taking Ashwagandha lonely in tablet or powder form volition be as well heating; you may experience hot flashes and irritation in your tum or liver."* ¹⁵

Ayurvedic practitioners recommend combining Ashwagandha with cooling herbs, such as Licorice, or mixing Ashwagandha with cooling foods, such as ghee, raw saccharide, milk, or rice.^sixteen

Ashwagandha Uses & Traditional Health Benefits

Ashwagandha has been extensively studied over its millennia of employ.

This herb offers back up like to the adaptogens Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) and Ginseng (both Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius) for a healthy stress response.* Considering of this, it is sometimes known as "Indian Ginseng," although it is unrelated to the Ginseng species.

Dr. Mary Bove, previously the Managing director of Medical Education at Gaia Herbs and currently a fellow member of the Gaia Herbs Scientific Informational Lath, considers Ashwagandha to be grounding, calming, and restoring.

As we've mentioned, Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that can assist your trunk in many ways, including:

• Adapting to stressful conditions*¹⁴
• Supporting the nervous system and the endocrine system*
• Supporting cardiovascular and immune health*^3,4,8,14

Allow's have a look at its traditional health benefits in more than item.

i) Stress and Anxiousness

Cortisol is a stress hormone released from the adrenals. It has evolutionarily helped the body to mobilize a "fight or flight" response to a perceived imminent danger, freeing up resources for a vigorous fight confronting an intruder or flight from danger.

Cortisol naturally follows a daily rhythm, rising in the morning time to assist mobilize the body's forces for the daily needs and lowering in the evening to allow the body to sleep and perform restorative processes.³

Between abiding deadlines, fiscal pressures, and a steady stream of negative news, the stress of modernistic human culture regularly activates the cortisol stress response, which can affect nervous system function.^3,iv

Ashwagandha has been shown to promote healthy levels of cortisol and smoothen out the body'due south stress response cycle.*

Because stress is an everyday occurance, helping the body better conform benefits every bodily system including the immune, cardiovascular, and nervous systems, likewise as the brain, muscles, and joints.*

Healthy cortisol output also supports the adrenal glands, which naturally allows the body to focus on reproductive wellness.^seven

Due to Ashwagandha's power to help the torso cope with stress in a healthy way, we've created an herbal supplement that contains only Ashwagandha.*

Gaia Herbs Ashwagandha Root is a customer favorite to help those dealing with ongoing stress detect balance and embrace serenity.* All you have to do is take one liquid capsule twice a day.*

And you tin residuum assured that our products are 100% vegetarian and tested to exist free of heavy metals, pesticides, and microbes. Our Liquid Phyto-CapsⓇ offer a concentrated liquid in the convenience of a capsule.

Another way to use Ashwagandha for stress back up is to take Gaia Herbs Adrenal Health® Daily Support, which is crafted with a synergistic alloy of adaptogenic and nervine herbs similar Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Holy Basil, and Schisandra.*

This formula helps sustain healthy energy and stress levels, support adrenal function, and maintain well-being.* Information technology's perfect for times when yous feel stressed, overworked, and overwhelmed.*

2) Nervous Arrangement

The nervous system impacts every breath, feeling, decision, and feel in our lives and is vital for overall health and well-existence.

Ashwagandha has been shown to support the structure and role of the nervous system, and it is besides considered to be a neurosupportive and nootropic herb.* Nootropic herbs are those that promote healthy cognitive function.*¹² You can read more about them here.

Ashwagandha supports good for you nervous organisation function by providing antioxidant back up and naturally supporting the pathways in the brain for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that's responsible for sustaining calmness and maintaining muscle tone.*^ii,seven,8

Ashwagandha likewise supports a calm and stable mood because information technology helps regulate natural cortisol rhythm, and then it has traditionally been used as a supplement for people coping with adrenal fatigue.*

3) Reproductive Health

In the endocrine system, the adrenals play a "starring" role; their functions are necessary for our survival while reproduction is non.

As such, the HPA centrality and the stress response are naturally connected to sperm product and fertility in men and hormonal rest and fertility in women.

The torso produces cortisol from the aforementioned precursors used to make reproductive hormones, and, nether stress, the body will preferably produce cortisol instead of testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.^7,14

Ashwagandha can assist by helping to maintain already healthy cortisol levels, so the body can gratis up those resources to exist used for reproductive hormones.*

4) Men's Health

In untrained healthy men performing resistance preparation for eight weeks, consuming Ashwagandha root showed that information technology supported good for you musculus strength and recovery.*^xiii

This may be because Ashwagandha promotes healthy levels of creatinine kinase, which reduces the natural muscle impairment that happens from practise and supports musculus recovery.*¹³

In men, Ashwagandha has also been shown to support a healthy stress response, salubrious sperm levels, and normal levels of testosterone.*^7,13

5) Fitness

Metabolically, Ashwagandha seems to have an overall anabolic action, supporting weight gain during the natural growth stage.*

Ashwagandha-fortified milk given to children has been shown to support a healthy weight, as well as healthy total plasma proteins and hemoglobin levels.*⁸ Information technology has also been shown to support normal lean body weight and fat-to-muscle ratios.*^10,13

Ashwagandha may also back up good for you fatty oxidation and support good for you blood glucose and blood lipid levels within already normal, healthy ranges.*^3,ten

six) Articulation Health

Ashwagandha root has been studied for its support of articulation health.* It has been shown in some studies to support occasional joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and discomfort in healthy men and women due to normal wear and tear.*^8,ix

This may be because, as shown in man studies, it seems to naturally mitigate levels of C-reactive protein.*ⁱⁱⁱ

If you lot're on the lookout for another herb to assist yous stay active and reduce occasional inflammation due to normal daily wear and tear, plough to Turmeric.* Read more than about this vibrant yellow herb here.

7) Sleep

A skilful night'south slumber is a key role of living a healthy life. Known for its grounding and recuperative properties, several studies have shown that Ashwagandha supports good for you sleep.^{two,3,four, 7, 10}

This is why Ashwagandha is included in some of our nigh popular supplements to back up sleep, including Gaia Herbs SleepThru® and Gaia Herbs Adrenal Wellness® Nightly Restore.*

Slumber Thru promotes restful sleep for occasional sleeplessness with soothing Jujube, Magnolia, and Passionflower.* It likewise contains Ashwagandha to provide adaptogenic support for a salubrious stress response.* After all, when you're stressed, slumber may non come hands.

With fifty-fifty more adaptogens, including Reishi and Cordyceps mushrooms, Adrenal Health® Nightly Restore also nourishes the adrenal glands, which influence the body'due south sleep patterns, stress response, and more.*

8) Allowed Health

Ayurvedic practitioners have long believed that Ashwagandha is ane of the near powerful herbs for immune arrangement back up for young and old alike.*

One animal written report found that Ashwagandha strengthened the immune systems of mice by promoting an increase in white blood cells.*²⁰

While more than studies are needed to substantiate Ashwagandha's role in immune support in humans, an increase in white claret cells of this type could, theoretically, help humans maintain their wellness longer.*

9) Center Health

Heart health is ane of the most-asked-about wellness concerns of the 21st century, and many people are looking for natural ways to support their center.

While more than studies are needed to substantiate Ashwagandha's benefits for centre health, preliminary enquiry suggests it may offering antioxidant support and other benefits for the eye.* Non to mention, helping the trunk cope with stress in a healthy way likewise helps the heart.*

How to Take Ashwagandha

As y'all can see, Ashwagandha is a powerful herb with many potential benefits. The only problem is that information technology's not especially tasty. Unlike succulent culinary herbs like Rosemary or Ginger, which are also used in supplements, Ashwagandha isn't a plant you'll want to cook with.

Instead, we recommend that you turn to potent herbal supplements.

Supplements With Ashwagandha

The easiest way to take Ashwagandha is through a supplement. We've mentioned several Gaia Herbs Ashwagandha products throughout this article, including:

• Ashwagandha Root
• Adrenal Health® Daily Support
• Adrenal Health® Nightly Restore
• Golden Milk
• SleepThru®

Here are some other Gaia Herbs formulas that contain this revered herb.

Thyroid Support

Our Thyroid Support contains a synergistic blend of herbs—including Ashwagandha and Schisandra—traditionally known to back up salubrious metabolic balance.* Bachelor in Liquid Phyto-Caps, Thyroid Back up offers a convenient way to help you stay feeling your best.*

Adaptogen Performance Mushrooms & Herbs

If you're an athlete or a weekend warrior, effort Gaia Herbs Adaptogen Performance Mushrooms & Herbs as a way to support healthy free energy levels.*

This unique formula contains Ashwagandha and Cordyceps to assistance combat the typical go-go-go lifestyle that makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to go tired and rundown.* Every bit with Thyroid Support, the Liquid Phyto-Caps make information technology piece of cake to become the Ashwagandha yous need to keep going.*

Everyday Adaptogen™ Mushrooms & Herbs Powder

If you want to add Ashwagandha to your balanced diet without taking a sheathing, try Gaia Herbs Everyday Adaptogen. The easy-to-mix powder can be added to a smoothie, dairy or non-dairy milk, or any other drink of your pick.

This combination of six adaptogens, including mushrooms and an energizing alloy of herbs, supports the health of physically agile individuals and is a elementary style to assistance you maintain peak performance.*

Ashwagandha and the Synergistic Approach

You lot tin can have Ashwagandha by itself, simply most Ayurvedic practitioners recommend using a synergistic approach.

"Synergistic" refers to the interaction or cooperation of two or more substances to produce a combined consequence that is greater than the sum of their carve up parts.

So, while y'all might experience benefits from Ashwagandha alone, the synergistic approach offers fifty-fifty more benefits when you take several herbs together.

That's why the bulk of our Ashwagandha products comprise complementary herbs such equally Cordyceps, Rhodiola, Holy Basil, and Schisandra.

Nosotros recommend consulting a certified Ayurvedic practitioner or an herbalist for more than details and personal recommendations.

Talk to Your Dr. About Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha can interact with other medications yous may exist taking, so it's of import to talk to your doctor before adding Ashwagandha to your nutrition.*

Additionally, Ashwagandha is a member of the nightshade family. If you are allergic to other members of the nightshade family—tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, or potatoes—you may potentially be allergic to Ashwagandha.

That said, considering most Ashwagandha supplements are made from the root of the plant rather than the berries, y'all may exist able to tolerate it better.*

Again, be certain to talk to your doc before adding Ashwagandha to your daily health routine.

Ashwagandha for Health and Wellness*

As we've explored in this commodity, Ashwagandha offers all sorts of potential health benefits like brain and cognitive support, stress support, energy support, immune support, and sleep support.*

And since this adaptogenic herb isn't one that you'll exist adding to your favorite recipes, you tin have a potent dose with herbal supplements like Gaia Herbs Ashwagandha Root, Adrenal Health® Daily Support, or Aureate Milk.

With all that Ashwagandha tin do for your body, it's a well-loved herb for health and wellness, and we think you'll love information technology, also.*

REFERENCES:

¹ Ahmad, Mohammad Kaleem, et al. Fertility and sterility (2010): 989-996.

² Andrade, Chittaranjan, Aswath A, et al. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 2000, 42 (3), 295-301.

³ Auddy, Biswajit, et al. J Am Nutraceutical Assoc (2008): 43-49.

^iv Chandrasekhar Yard, Kapoor J, & Anishetty South. Indian J Psychol Med, 2012 Jul-Sep; 34 (3): 255-262.

^v Choudary B., Shetty A., & Langade D. Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in salubrious athletic adults. Ayu 2015. Jan-Mar; 36(1): 63-68.

^six Dass, Vishnu. "Ayurvedic Herbology-East & West: A Practical Guide to Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine." Lotus Printing, Twin Lakes, WI.

⁷ Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, Ahmad MK et al. Prove-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2011, article ID576962, nine pages. Doi: 10.1093/ecam/nep138.

^viii Mishra, Lakshmi-Chandra, Betsy B. Singh, and Simon Dagenais. "Scientific basis for the therapeutic employ of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): a review." Alternative Medicine Review (2000): 334-346.

ix Ramakath GSH, Kumar CU, Kishan PV, & Usharani P. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2016 Jul-Sep; seven(3): 151-157.

¹⁰ Raut, Ashwinikumar, et al. "Exploratory report to evaluate tolerability, safety, and activity of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in salubrious volunteers." Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (2012): 111.

^eleven Sandu JS, Shah B, et al. Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Terminalia arjuna (Arjuna) on concrete performance and cardiorespiratory endurance in good for you young adults. Int J Ayurveda Res. 2010 Jul-Sep; 1(3): 144-149. Doi: x.4103/0974-7788:72485.

¹² Singh North., Bhalla M., de Jager P., & Gilca M. "An overview on Ashwagandha: A rasayana (rejuvenator) of Ayurveda." Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. (2011) 8(Due south):208-213.

^xiii Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi One thousand, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S. Examining the outcome of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle forcefulness and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. November 25, 2015;12:43. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0104-9.

¹⁴ Winston, David and Maimes, Steven. "Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief," Herbal Therapeutics. Rochester, Vt: 2007.

^fifteen "seven Questions Anybody Has Well-nigh Ashwagandha (& What It Really Does For Your Mood),"
https://www.cleanplates.com/know/nutrition/7-questions-ashwagandha-mood.

¹⁶ "Ashwagandha Ability,"
https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/ashwagandha-power.

¹⁷ "Hypoglycemic Action of Withanolides and Elicitated Withania Somnifera,"
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25796090.

^xviii "Exploratory Written report to Evaluate Tolerability, Rubber, and Activeness of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) in Healthy Volunteers,"
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23125505.

^xix "Ashwagandha,"
https://ascopost.com/problems/march-25-2018/ashwagandha.

²⁰ "Studies on Immunomodulatory Activity of Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) Extracts in Experimental Immune Inflammation," https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10616957.

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