Benefits of Ashvagandha
- Ashwagandha promotes physical fitness and vitality - A great adaptogenic herb, it is considered beneficial for athletes and also those who are less physically active. In a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 57 young male participants were put through 8 weeks of resistance training. Muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, serum testosterone levels and muscle recovery were measured. In the double blind, placebo controlled study, it was found that the group that was given Withania somnifera extract supplemention, had an increase in muscle mass and strength compared to the control group. 4
- Ashwagandha relieves day to day stresses - Its action in lowering cortisol hormone concentrations is considered useful in reducing immunosuppression caused by stress.
- Ashwagandha is a strong rejuvenative - due to its adaptogenic and anti-oxidant properties.
- Ashwagandha promotes sound sleep - Its sleep inducing properties have earned it the latin name of Withania somnifera (sleep-bearing). While its active somnogenic components remain unidentified, it has been found that one of its components (triethylene glycol) induced significant amount of non-rapid eye movement sleep. 1
- Ashvagandha supports brain functions - Ashwagandha has long been used in traditional ayurvedic medicines to promote memory functions. Animal studies now show that it also has neuroprotective properties that may be useful in prevent brain aging related conditions.2
- Ashvagandha supports the body's normal inflammatory response - Studies have shown that it has properties that can modulate immune response by the regulation of cytokines cascades3
- Ashvagandha is considered a powerful aphrodisiac.
- Ashwaganda herb has been considered useful as an adjuvant during chemotherapy. Its ability to promote relaxation and reduce fatigue helps to ease treatments.
Directions for taking Himalaya Ashvagandha
1 or 2 capsules twice daily with meals. Allow several weeks for long lasting benefits. Natural products treat not just the symptoms but the body as a whole and take time for absorption and results.
Ashvagandha Facts:
Botanical Name: : WITHANIA SOMNIFERA
Family Name: : SOLANACEAE
Common Name: : WITHANIA, WINTER CHERRY, INDIAN WINTER CHERRY, INDIAN GINSENG, ASHWAGANDHA
Part Used : Root, Leaves
Ashvagandha is cultivated throughout drier parts of India. It is a plant in the same family as the tomato. It grows as a stout shrub that reaches a height of five feet (170 centimeters). Ashwaganda bears yellow flowers and red fruit which are berrylike in size and shape. It is Tonic, Abortifacient, Astringent, Deobstruent, Nervine, Aphrodisiac and Sedative. It is official Indian Pharmacoepeia. It is popularly known as Indian Ginseng. It gives vitality and vigour and helps in building greater endurance.
Ashvagandha in Sanskrit means " smelling like a horse ", probably originating from the odor of its fresh root which resembles that of a sweaty horse. Ashvagandha is a well known anti-stress herb. The species name
somnifera means "sleep-bearing" in Latin, indicating it was considered a sedative, but it has been also used for sexual vitality and as an adaptogen. It is also popularly known as Indian Ginseng. Active ingredient are withanolides, similar to ginsenosides of Asian ginseng.
Ashvagandha in Ayurveda:
Ayurveda makes mention of Ashvagandha in the teachings of sage Punarvasu Atreya which goes back to over 4000 years. Ancient Ayurvedic texts including the Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas praise Ashvagandha as a tonic especially for emaciation in people of all ages including babies and enhancing the reproductive function of both men and women. It has also been used for inflammations and as a major tonic to counteract the ravages of aging and promote youthful longevity. Some of its other traditional uses have been as a mild purgative for chronic constipation and for the treatment of swollen glands.
Ashwagandha is ushan virya in potency, has laghu (light) and tickt (penetrating) properties. Contains tickt, katu and madhur rasa. As it is ushan virya in potency, it acts as vata suppressant. Therefore relieves from all the illness caused by vata dominance. Also because of its hot potency, it opposes the rise of kapha therefore it also acts in suppressing increased and unbalanced kapha dosha. Root is found to contain biochemical like cuseohygrine, anahygrine, tropine, and anaferine etc. it also contains glycosides, withenolide with starches and amino acid.
Ashvagandha Side Effects
Ashvagandha is generally considered safe when taken in the prescribed dosage.
Ashvagandha Drug Interactions
Ashvagandha helps to keep blood pressure normal so if you are taking blood pressure medication, use precaution which using Ashwagandha.
Ashvagandha helps to maintain blood sugar levels so use special precaution if you are taking diabetes medication.
Ashvagandha supports the body's immune system so if you are taking medications for auto-immune diseases then use precaution
Ashwagandha can increase thyroid hormones. So if you have thyroid issues or use thyroid medications, use special precaution
Pure Ashvagandha from Himalaya Herbals
Himalaya Ashvagandha is from the renowned Himalaya Herbals brand endorsed by over 250,000 doctors worldwide and used by customers in over 60 countries. Himalaya Herbals products have been researched clinically and standardized to guarantee bioequivalence. Bioequivalence refers to ensuring that the product on the market is equivalent to the one on which clinical trials were successfully conducted. Himalaya Herbal Healthcare uses chromatographic fingerprinting, one of the most sophisticated standardization techniques, to ensure consistent quality and performance
Ashvagandha Research and Clinical Studies
Ashvagandha has been subjected to many studies that show its benefits in relaxation and rejuvenation. Research papers on Ashwagandha's benefits on mental activity and cognition are available online
References:
Himalaya Herbals Company
Pub med
1PLoS One. 2017 Feb 16;12(2):e0172508. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172508. eCollection 2017.
Triethylene glycol, an active component of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaves, is responsible for sleep induction.
Kaushik MK, Kaul SC, Wadhwa R, Yanagisawa M, Urade Y.
2Journal of Nutritional Science. 2017 Oct 18;6:e54. doi: 10.1017/jns.2017.48. eCollection 2017.
In vitro screening of neuroprotective activity of Indian medicinal plant Withania somnifera.
Singh M, Ramassamy C.
3Pharmacognosy Magazine. 2017 Jan;13(Suppl 1):S90-S94. doi: 10.4103/0973-1296.197709. Epub 2017 Apr 7.
Effect of a Novel Ashwagandha-based Herbomineral Formulation on Pro-inflammatory Cytokines Expression in Mouse Splenocyte Cells: A Potential Immunomodulator.
Trivedi MK, Mondal SC, Gangwar M, Jana S.
4. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2015 Nov 25;12:43. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0104-9. eCollection 2015.
Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial.
Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S.
Other Fitness Products