Ashwagandha: India’s Oldest Superherb

There are over 400,000 different species of plants that share space with us on earth. Only 18,000 of which are used as medicine.^[1]Kew, R. B. G. (2016). The state of the world’s plants report–2016. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Archaeological evidence suggests we’ve been using plants as medicine for the last 60,000 years, so we’ve had plenty of time to discover what works and what doesn’t.

Throughout history, there have been a few species that have risen above the rest time and time again as valuable plant medicines.

Ashwagandha is a perfect example of one of these herbs.

It’s been used to treat hundreds of medical conditions, promote longevity, and even improves our ability to resist stress. To this day, ashwagandha is considered one of the most well-rounded herbal supplements on earth.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a member of the tomato family.

The root is used to treat a wide range of conditions, mainly involving convalescence (weakness). It’s used traditionally to treat cardiovascular disease, weakness, fatigue, cancer, anemia, insomnia, infertility, and poor memory and concentration.

Ashwagandha is an ancient herb, with references dating as far back as 3000 years in India. It has since spread all over the world and has become a common supplement for enhancing human health.

Ashwagandha is most commonly referred to as an adaptogen.

What are Adaptogens?

Traditional medical systems around the world each have their unique take on how the body works and how medicine is distributed. What nearly all systems have in common, however, is the idea that some plants don’t treat a specific condition, rather, they boost the bodies ability to recover from the inside out.

In modern terms, we call these plants adaptogens.

In traditional Chinese medicine, this is referred to as a tonic herb, which includes well-known herbs like ginseng and reishi.

In Ayurveda, these are called Rasayanas, of which Ashwagandha is considered the queen.

In modern terms, and adaptogen is defined as any herb or substance that improves the bodies ability to resist stress.

In this instance, we’re not referring to the stress you feel sitting in traffic. Stress refers to anything that forces the body away from homeostasis (balance).

When we’re unable to maintain this balance, we become sick.

How Stress Makes Us Sick

Stress is a lot more complicated than its made out to be, and there are many different types of stress the body can experience. The most common response to stress, however, is the release of a hormone known as cortisol.

Cortisol is essentially what causes the “fight or flight” response.

It changes our metabolism by forcing sugar into the bloodstream to give us a boost of energy. It also speeds up our heart rate and increases our blood pressure to get more blood into our muscles. It’s responsible for turning down all organ systems that aren’t immediately necessary (such as the digestive, immune, and renal systems).

In short durations, this is a useful reaction. It helps us either fight our way out of a difficult situation or escape it entirely by running away.

If we’re stressed for too long, as is common with the modern workforce (high workloads, tight schedules, financial insecurity, etc), it can have profoundly negative effects on our health.

Long term stress can suppress our immune system, change the balance of our metabolism, and disable our digestive function. The results include chronic fatigue, allergies and autoimmunity, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

How Ashwagandha Works

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen in every sense of the word. It improves the bodies’ response time to changes in the environment, allowing us to resist any stressors that come our way, whether it’s emotional stress or physical stress.

For this reason, it’s used alongside other herbs in traditional medicine for a multitude of different conditions.

In modern herbalism, it’s used to ameliorate the negative effects that come along with our highly stressed lifestyles. When we work until exhaustion everyday and suffer from financial and relationship stresses, it doesn’t take long before we hit the wall and burn ourselves out.

This is exactly what ashwagandha is used for in the modern era. It tones the bodies adrenal glands, improves our immune function, and helps our body return to its ideal balance.

Ashwagandha and Anxiety

Ashwagandha has both direct and indirect effects on the human brain. It offers profound benefits on some of the more serious manifestations of stress, including anxiety.

In a double blind, placebo controlled study involving 39 patients suffering from anxiety, ashwagandha was shown to significantly reduce both the severity and frequency of anxiety attacks after 6 weeks.^[2]Andrade, C., Aswath, A., Chaturvedi, S. K., Srinivasa, M., & Raguram, R. (2000). A double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of the anxiolytic efficacy ff an ethanolic extract of withania somnifera. Indian journal of psychiatry, 42(3), 295.

Ashwagandha and Cortisol

Ashwagandha has been shown through numerous animal and human testing to reduce cortisol levels. In mice, it was shown to maintain normal cortisol levels despite being subjected to high stress activities (forced swimming).^[3]Sharma, S., Dahanukar, S., & Karandikar, S. M. (1985). Effects of long-term administration of the roots of ashwagandha and shatavari in rats. Indian drugs, 29, 133-139.

In humans, a daily dose of 125 mg Ashwagandha extract was shown to reduce cortisol, CRP (a measure for inflammation), and blood pressure in chronically stressed participants.^[4]Singh, N., Singh, S. P., Nath, R., Singh, D. R., Gupta, M. L., Kohli, R. P., & Bhargava, K. P. (1986). Prevention of urethane-induced lung adenomas by Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal in albino mice. International journal of crude drug research, 24(2), 90-100. The patients in this particular study also reported objective improvements in anxiety and perception of stress.  

Ashwagandha and Metabolism

Ashwagandha also has an effect on our metabolism, which comes to no surprise when you consider the fact that our metabolism is a key element of homeostasis.

Our nervous system uses our metabolism to dial in our internal body temperature and energy levels. Any issues in how we control our metabolism can lead to significant health problems long-term.

One of the best ways to measure how our metabolism is working is by looking at blood sugar levels. High blood sugar is a clear indication that our body is losing control over our metabolic balance. It involves a dysfunction of several organ systems including the liver, intestines, pancreas, and brain.

Eventually, this will lead to more serious problems like diabetes and heart disease.

Ashwagandha has been shown to offer significant improvements in this system. One study showing a 12% reduction in blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics.^[5]Andallu, B., & Radhika, B. (2000). Hypoglycemic, diuretic and hypocholesterolemic effect of winter cherry (Withania somnifera, Dunal) root. Indian J Exp Biol. 38, 607-609.

Other Proven benefits of Ashwagandha

There have been many different studies on Ashwagandha over the years, including:

• • Reduces tumour size in mice ^[6]Singh, N., Singh, S. P., Nath, R., Singh, D. R., Gupta, M. L., Kohli, R. P., & Bhargava, K. P. (1986). Prevention of urethane-induced lung adenomas by Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal in albino mice. International journal of crude drug research, 24(2), 90-100.^[7]Devi, P. U., Sharada, A. C., Solomon, F. E., & Kamath, M. S. (1992). In vivo growth inhibitory effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on a transplantable mouse tumor, Sarcoma 180. Indian journal of experimental biology, 30(3), 169-172.^[8]Devi, P.U., Sharada, A.C., Solomon, F.E. In vivo growth inhibitory and radiosensitizing effects of withaferin A on mouse Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. Cancer Lett 1995;95:189-193.
  • Protects the brain from oxidative damage ^[9]Bhattacharya, S. K., Satyan, K. S., & Chakrabarti, A. (1997). Effect of Trasina, an Ayurvedic herbal formulation, on pancreatic islet superoxide dismutase activity in hyperglycaemic rats. Indian journal of experimental biology, 35(3), 297-299.
  • Modulates immune function (increases when underactive, reduces when overactive) ^[10]Ziauddin, M., Phansalkar, N., Patki, P., Diwanay, S., & Patwardhan, B. (1996). Studies on the immunomodulatory effects of Ashwagandha. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 50(2), 69-76.
  • Increases white blood cell production ^[11]Davis, L., & Kuttan, G. (1998). Suppressive effect of cyclophosphamide-induced toxicity by Withania somnifera extract in mice. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 62(3), 209-214.
  • Reduces symptoms of insomnia and hyperactivity ^[12]Malhotra, C. L., Mehta, V. L., Das, P. K., & Dhalla, N. S. (1965). Studies on Withania-ashwagandha, Kaul. V. The effect of total alkaloids (ashwagandholine) on the central nervous system. Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology, 9(3), 127.
  • Regulates thyroid function ^[13]Panda, S., & Kar, A. (1997). Evidence for free radical scavenging activity of Ashwagandha root powder in mice. Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology, 41, 424-426.

Final Thoughts On Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is one of the most popular herbs in history.

It was included as a Rasayana (adaptogen) in some of the oldest medicinal texts ever discovered, primarily in the Ayurvedic medical system of India.

It has since spread outwards from India and is now a standard medicinal herb used around the world by professionals and the general public alike.

Ashwagandha is popular for its ability to regulate homeostasis (balance) and reduce stress levels.

While living in a world full of deadlines and high expectations, both at work and in your personal life, ashwagandha remains one of the most useful herbal supplements of the modern era.