The Effects Of Ashwagandha On Stress Aand Anxiety

From the Withania somnifera plant, also called Indian ginseng. Used in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine) for its health properties, one of the most important natural remedies of all. Let’s discover the effects of Ashwagandha on stress and anxiety.

The effects of Ashwagandha

Many people use it against stress, without really knowing why it helps improve anxiety states, or how to use it to relax. So let’s expand on the subject to find out everything about the anti-stress properties of Indian ginseng!

–The effects of stress on the body

Each organism reacts differently to stress, with more or less tolerance, and with differences between chronic stress or occasionally stressful situations. We can therefore see symptoms as varied as:

• Overwork (burn out)
• Chronic fatigue and nervous exhaustion
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Loss of libido
• Memory loss
• Weight gain
• Lack of concentration
• Depressed state
• etc.

Conversely, a reduction in stress and a state of serenity brings a certain number of benefits to the body, for example:

• Easy and restful sleep
• Better immune system
• Active sexual activity
• Feeling of energy
• Balanced nervous system
• Boosted intellectual functions
• etc.

The benefits of ashwagandha

the Effects of ashwagandha on stress and anxiety

Ashwagandha is famous for reducing stress and anxiety, with a relaxing and calming effect, acting as a mood stabilizer.

A study by the neuropsychiatry department of Asha Hospital in Hyderabad, India, was carried out on 64 people suffering from chronic stress. The administration of ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in the symptoms of stress, anxiety and insomnia due to the nervous state of the patients.

Studies have shown that consuming ashwagandha significantly reduces levels of tribulin (anxiety marker) in the brain, and blood cortisol (stress marker).

Cortisol is a hormone often called stress hormone, which, in cases of stress or danger, is produced by the adrenal glands to allow the body to better resist stress. It is useful, but its level must remain low and balanced so as not to cause chronic stress.

–Effects on depressive states

A study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bangalore, India, on concentrated extracts of ashwagandha, showed an anxiolytic effect.

The results made it possible to highlight the action of one of the compounds present in the root, tryptophan, an essential mineral acid, neurotransmitter of serotonin, an essential hormone also called the well-being hormone.

Other studies point in the same direction, each time helping to combat depression and having anxiolytic properties. However, their number is still too limited to draw firm and definitive conclusions.

–Adaptogenic action

Ashwagandha is a plant with adaptogenic properties, which therefore provides overall balance, helping to cope with physical and psychological stress.

We speak of an adaptogenic plant when it is capable of inducing a state of general increased resistance, making it possible to counterbalance stress signals and adapt to exceptional effort. It therefore has a normalizing action on numerous organs or physiological functions, that is to say, it brings our functions back to a happy medium by calming states of hyperfunction, stimulating states of weakness, and allowing the body to adapt to different types of stress.

How to consume ashwagandha?

It can be consumed in many ways, in powder, roots, capsules, etc. The powder is the most recommended.

–Ashwagandha powder

It is generally recommended to consume 3 to 5 g of ashwagandha powder per day. A preventive treatment generally lasts 30 to 40 days, followed by a 10-day break before possibly renewing it, without however exceeding 4 treatments per year. Some recommend up to 3 months of treatment.

You can take the powder directly in a glass of water, fruit juice, yogurt, etc.

In India, it is customary to mix Ashwagandha powder in whole milk and sweeten with honey. You can also prepare a drink that has become fashionable, moon milk, which mixes milk, coconut oil, spices, and ashwagandha. It is a comforting Ayurvedic drink, which helps promote sleep thanks to ashwagandha.

For people who do not like the flavor of Indian ginseng, it is possible to buy neutral capsules and fill them with the powder.

–Other forms of ashwagandha

Whole ashwagandha roots are used as a decoction, generally with 10 g of dry roots per 500 ml of water. Drink one to two cups per day between meals or in the evening.

For other forms, whether capsules, tablets, standardized extracts, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for optimal use.

Usage precautions

• Respect the recommended dosages carefully, so ashwagandha has very few unwanted side effects. If in doubt, consult a doctor.
• An overdose of ashwaganda can increase the activity of GABA, a neurotransmitter likely to lengthen reflex time and transiently reduce motor and intellectual faculties. It can also cause some mild digestive problems.
• As a precautionary principle, its use is contraindicated in pregnant and breastfeeding women and in children under 16 years of age.

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I hope you enjoyed this overview of the effects of Ashwagandha on stress and anxiety and found it useful. Comment down below what you think of this shrub. Have you ever tried it? If yes, please share with us your experience.

Looking forward to reading your comments, sending you love and positive energy!!!