The Most Calming Adaptogen

The Most Calming Adaptogen

Ashwagandha  (Withania somnifera) is considered one of the most powerful Ayurvedic  herbs, with a long tradition over thousands of years in traditional  medicine.
 

Its common name in Sanskrit refers to “the smell of a  horse”, as it emits a horse-like odor; it is also often ascribed to its  benefit of giving the strength and vigor of a stallion. As its species  name implies, Ashwagandha also helps to promote a good night’s sleep,  and is often thought of as the most calming of the Adaptogens.
 

Cultivated  throughout many Indian regions, it is also found the Middle East and  Africa. Ashwagandha has shrubby growth, up to about 2 feet tall with  tomentose branches and dull green elliptic leaves, producing an  orange-red fruit.
 

Ashwagandha is both an adaptogen and a  rasayana, an herb used to promote longevity. It is considered balancing  to Vata and Kapha doshas, with a warming quality. The clinical research  has been mounting for the uses of Ashwagandha, and it has exhibited both  mental and physical benefits through many body systems.
 

 Ashwagandha is mainly used as a dietary supplement to support cognition,  healthy cortisol and thyroid levels, and has benefits for the  endocrine, nervous and immune systems, heart health, and energy.
 

The main compounds of interest in Ashwagandha are the withanolides,  which are triterpene lactones, somewhat structurally similar to the  ginsenosides in Panax ginseng. However, there are other bioactive  constituents, including alkaloids (isopelletierine, anaferine) and  saponins.
 

Ashwagandha is available in many types of herbal  preparations, but a traditional one is to enjoy the root powder mixed in  with some milk before bedtime. In functional medicine, it is often  given before bed for people who have restless sleep due to stress.
 

In a recent systematic review, Ashwagandha was reported to decrease  cortisol secretion with no significant adverse effects in stressed  individuals. Scientific investigations have found Ashwagandha to exhibit  a number of activities in such areas as antistress, immunomodulatory,  smooth muscle relaxation, antioxidant, cardioprotection, cytokine and  blood sugar balance, and cognitive, weight management, respiratory, and  thyroid support.
 

In another recent review of Ashwagandha’s  effects on the endocrine system, the authors concluded that it “can have  a positive effect on the functioning of the endocrine system, including  improving secretory functioning of the thyroid gland, normalizing  adrenal activity and multidirectional improvement on functioning of the  reproductive system.”
 

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*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is  not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such  advice or treatment from a personal physician. 

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