Is Ashwaganda worth the hype?

Popularly known as Ashwaganda, Withania Somnifera is a herb worth knowing. I have used it in clinical practice for years, issuing it acutely to patients who have what I call “chatty brain at 3am syndrome” but also to folks who are generally stressed. The feedback is always positive. Using Withania as an adjunct part of Naturopathic treatment brings even greater results.

To be stressed or not to be stressed? That is the Question.

Your stress journey is unique and inevitable. The inevitability is due to the stress response being a normal biological response. The activity of this response is mediated cognitive, emotional and environmental factors. Long term stress or extremely stressful events is one of the major contributors to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. High cortisol output from stress also has a huge effect on us physically, contributing to increased physical wear and tear, inflammation and poor sleep. This is why managing the impact of mental-emotional strain is essential.

To summarise, Withania’s role in stress management is by lowering excess cortisol output. It’s application in Anxiety is through stress management, but its role as an anxiolytic, means it can target these disorders in multiple ways. As a mind-chatter antagonist, Withania can assist with sleep by improving quality and quantity for those who wake up before the 8-hour mark.

In Herbal Medicine, good things come to those who wait

Clinical trials on Withania show efficacy after taking the extract for at least 8 weeks when used as an adaptogen and anxiolytic. That is not long in the herbal medicine world, especially when used to address chronic issues.  Results in studies are often measured by people self-reporting as well as measuring serum cortisol in the blood. Sleep is reported to be better quality while taking Withania. It is also important to keep in mind that it is a single herb working against a powerful and dominant biological process. Usually, an amalgamation of several herbs creates the most potency in herbal medicine. Using Withania on its own therefore may require patience.

Recent Research Insights on Withania

·        Shows potential to enhance efficacy of a breast cancer treatment drug

·        Testosterone boosting capability in men with fertility and/or sexual performance deficits

·        Supportive adjunct therapy to aid athletic performance

·        May stabilise blood glucose levels showing possible applications in Diabetes treatment.

Jo Knight

Naturopath, Herbalist, Nutritionist, Researcher & Educational writer.

Get in touch for a free 15-minute discovery call today!

joknight@purpletreetherapies.com.au

Research:

Durg, S., Bavage, S., & Shivaram, S. B. (2020). Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific evidence from experimental research to clinical application. Phytotherapy Research : PTR, 34(5), 1041–1059. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6589

Elzayat, E. M., Elsamahy, G. E., Mansour, G. H., El-Sherif, A. A., & Hassan, N. (2025). The Synergistic and Anticancer Potential of Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) Ethanol Extract as an Adjuvant with Doxorubicin in MCF7 Breast Cancer Cell Line. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention : APJCP, 26(3), 757–766. https://doi.org/10.31557/APJCP.2025.26.3.757

Fatima, K., Malik, J., Muskan, F., Raza, G., Waseem, A., Shahid, H., Jaffery, S. F., Khan, U., Zaheer, M. K., Shaikh, Y., & Rashid, A. M. (2024). Safety and efficacy of Withania somnifera for anxiety and insomnia: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Human Psychopharmacology, 39(6), e2911. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2911

Pandit, S., Srivastav, A. K., Sur, T. K., Chaudhuri, S., Wang, Y., & Biswas, T. K. (2024). Effects of Withania somnifera Extract in Chronically Stressed Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 16(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091293

Skrzypiec-Spring, M., Pokrywka, A., Kuliczkowska-Płaksej, J., Szeląg, A., & Bolanowski, M.

(2025). Withania somnifera and Trigonella foenum-graecum as ingredients of testosterone-boosting supplements: Possible clinical implications. Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine : Official Organ Wroclaw Medical University, 34(2), 295–303. https://doi.org/10.17219/acem/185743