Ashwagandha has been used for centuries and its many benefits are still being discovered

Ashwagandha is basically a shrub that grows in North America, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and parts of Africa. It has been used for centuries by natives of these areas, as well as transported to many other countries via early trade routes, and was a highly valued medicine. Early civilizations saw the ashwagandha benefits primarily in the areas of treatment for inflammation and fever, as well as infection prevention. Indian health practitioners today promote many additional benefits, and ashwagandha supplement is now commonly used the world over for far more purposes. Another name for ashwagandha is “winter cherry.” It grows best in dry climates and soils and can get as high as 5 feet. Flowers of the plant are green or yellow, and there are red berries as well. The Sanskrit meaning of the word ashwagandha is “horse sweat,” probably because the root smells particularly strong.

Specific ashwagandha supplement benefits

Based upon early civilization’s use and a multitude of studies since then, ashwagandha supplement now has a wide variety of benefits for a multitude of physical improvements and disease prevention. The following is a relatively common list of ashwagandha benefits, although by no means complete:

1. It can promote relaxation and relief of stress, without causing fatigue. For this reason, many people use ashwagandha supplement as they cope with everyday work stressors.
2. Some of the chemicals in ashwagandha are powerful antioxidants, chasing free radicals that enter the body from food, water, and air which are known carcinogens. The extract assists in the more effective elimination of free radicals.
3. Ashwagandha supplement has been shown to enhance sexual feelings and performance. For this reason, it is often called a natural “passion drug.”
4. Ashwagandha benefits include the inhibition of some human tumors, particularly of the lung, colon, nervous system and breast, using the leaf extract. This claim resulted from actual studies on humans who used ashwagandha.
5. More recently ashwagandha extract has been used in the treatment of specific mental disorders, to include anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, manic depression, paranoia and schizophrenia, with beneficial effects.
6. Ashwagandha supplement is now being used as a treatment for mental aging, particularly as a memory booster. It appears to repair synapses and to stimulate new ones.
7. Ashwagandha extract is used as a health supplement for physical fitness, especially by athletes. Because it does not cause fatigue, it is valuable as a general relaxation promoter, allowing athletes to perform with less anxiety.
8. Ashwagandha has proved beneficial in the treatment of anemia, causing the body to retain more iron
9. Ashwagandha supplement is proving effective in treatment of arthritis
10. Early use of ashwagandha extract for prevention of infections seems to be confirmed by more recent studies which indicate that both red and white blood cell counts increase with its use

Recommended dosage can vary with overall weight and size

The amount of ashwagandha extract to consume may vary from one to two 250 milligram capsules daily. Some experts suggest that it be taken in these doses for a two-three week period followed by a week of no intake. An alternative is to take it 3-4 times a week as opposed to every day.

Ashwagandha side effects appear to be minimal at this time

There are no known dietary restrictions on those who use ashwagandha extract, as there often are with other herbal supplements. As well, side effects have been largely non-existent. In one case, a woman who clearly used far more than the recommended dosage for a prolonged period of time developed a thyroid condition in which the thyroid gland produced too much of its hormone, affecting the body in many ways. Once she ceased to use ashwagandha extract, the problem dissipated. This condition was repeated in studies using animals, in which the same problem developed.

In summation, there appear to be a multitude of benefits from the use of ashwagandha supplement

While the verdict is still out on some of the potential benefits of using ashwagandha extract as an herbal supplement, there are enough known benefits to encourage individuals to add it their regular herbal supplement regimen. Obviously, the dosage should not exceed that which is recommended, and, as always, pregnant and nursing women should check with their own physicians.