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Ashwagandha, a popular herb in Ayurveda, is renowned for its adaptogenic properties. It's used to combat stress, anxiety, and boost overall vitality. According to Ayurveda, it balances the Vata and Kapha doshas, making it beneficial for various body types. It also aids in managing conditions like arthritis, fatigue, and low libido. Traditionally, it's consumed as a powder, extract, or infused in warm milk. Ashwagandha is a natural remedy that aligns with Ayurvedic principles to restore harmony and well-being in the body, making it a valuable herb in holistic health practices. In Sanskrit, "Ashwagandha" means "smell of the horse," which may be a reference to the herb's pungent aroma or to its purported strength-enhancing properties. Withania somnifera is the scientific name for this plant, although you may know it better by the labels "Indian ginseng" or "winter cherry."
While this herb is renowned for its remarkable qualities, recently, nutritionist Amita Gadre posted a video on her Instagram to uncover the reality behind this Ayurvedic herb. Let's take a quick look at Ashwagandha's health claims. Here is what she says in her video:
It helps you to reduce stress levels and anxiety
“A typical dosage recommended is 240 milligrams, and it has been shown that people feel less anxious and helps them to drop their stress. But a word of caution- It has also been shown that the same people who took ashwagandha to manage their stress and anxiety reported listlessness or lack of finding joy in what they used to enjoy earlier or not wanting to do anything at all”, clears Amita Gadre.
Reduces cortisol levels and improves exercise performance
Amita says, “Very few studies have shown that ashwagandha drops cortisol levels and even fewer studies have shown any real impact in ashwagandha changing than exercise performance, all other conditions being equal.”
It helps you to sleep
“Yes, ashwagandha has been successfully used by some people to sleep better. We do note of caution here. A lot of people have also experienced and reported side effects like dizziness, listlessness, and extreme fatigue throughout the whole day,” highlights the nutritionist.
Increased testosterone levels increased sexual function, increased fertility, and significant muscle gain Amita emphasizes that further extensive research is necessary before before we can safely recommend it to anyone.
Lowers blood sugar and fat
In another report, a couple of small clinical studies found that ashwagandha can help lower blood glucose levels and lipids, which are the most common type of fat in the blood. In one study, the effects of ashwagandha on blood sugar were compared to those associated with medications used to treat type 2 diabetes.
