Also known as Indian ginseng, ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen, because it is believed to assist the body to adapt to and manage stress.
And the herb is now also making waves among the modern-day health-conscious, with it being touted as the ultimate remedy to 21st century living.
What are the benefits of ashwagandha for men and should you try this nontoxic herb?
What Is Ashwagandha?
Dr. Jess Braid, a qualified medical doctor and co-founder of online health platform Adio, describes this root as “a wonderful, rejuvenating Ayurvedic herb.”
She told Newsweek: “Safe, gentle and powerful, it is now one of the most commonly used herbs by medical herbalists.
“Why? Because, like us, they find that it works! I find it a wonderful restorative and strengthener and have seen its benefit in hypothyroid patients.
“In my experience, it works slowly over weeks to months and is best taken daily.”
This sentiment is echoed by Kai Ali, a pharmaceutical scientist and Head of Formulation at Super Botanic.
He told Newsweek: “The roots of Ashwagandha contains several withanolides with various pharmacological activities.
“Some of these withanolides have been studied along with their synthetic analogues in over 200 documented medical studies that have studied the benefits of the Ashwagandha herb.”
What Are the Benefits of Ashwagandha for Men?
“Ashwagandha” is Sanskrit for “smell of the horse”, which refers to both the herb’s distinct odor and its anecdotal ability to increase strength, has been used by men for thousands of years for a variety of other apparent health benefits.
Ashwagandha is perhaps best known for its ability to reduce stress. It is classified as an adaptogen, a substance helping the body cope with stress.
Grayson Hart, Founder of online wellness site Puresport, suggests one of the most well-known possible effects of ashwagandha is its ability to “help reduce anxiety and stress levels.”
He told Newsweek: “Studies have shown that ashwagandha is capable of controlling stress mediators such as cortisol, Hsp70, and JNK-1.
“Another factor that contributes to ashwagandha’s ability to regulate stress is that it reduces how active the HPA axis is, which is another system that is responsible for regulating stress responses.”
Researchers continue to study ashwagandha’s efficacy in improving strength and muscle size, with one study concluding participants experienced a boost to both speed and strength.
Sebastian Pole, a herbalist and Co-founder of Pukka Herbs, told Newsweek: “Athletes and bodybuilders may find ashwagandha helpful in their healthy regimes.”
Kai Ali appears to agree, adding: “Ashwagandha root extract is valued for its ability to increase vitality, energy and cardio endurance.
“Ashwagandha increase energy by enhancing your body’s resilience to physical and mental stress.”
Clinical studies seem to suggest ashwagandha to helps reduce blood glucose levels and triglycerides, the most common type of fat found in the blood.
Kai Ali said: “This Ayurvedic ginseng can also support lowering a high blood pressure, its ability to reduce anxiety and stress, and to promote deep, restorative sleep is mainly responsible for this.
“In one study adults experiencing long-term (chronic) stress, Ashwagandha lowered levels of cortisol hormone over 60 days, with a higher dose (250 mg Ashwagandha twice a day) reducing circulating cortisol levels by 30.5 percent, compared with a 14.5 percent reduction at a lower dose (125 mg Ashwagandha per day) and a 4.4 percent increase in those on placebo.
“At the same time, blood pressure improved by 1.6/5.6 mmHg in those on the low dose, and by 3.3/6.4 mmHg in those on the higher dose, while blood pressure readings in those on placebo increased.”
Ashwagandha may also assist in improving cognition, memory and the ability to perform motor responses after instruction.
Ali said: “Ashwagandha is also known for its capability to boost memory and cognition and to protect brain health.
“It regulates neurotransmitters and receptors involved in memory function and also protects brain health from neurodegenerative disorders and stress.
“In one study, 50 healthy adults over 35 showed an immediate improvement in general memory, a spatial span was significantly improved.”
Scientists continue to take interest in ashwagandha’s supposed efficacy in improving sleep quality.
Ali said: “Clinical studies have found that Ashwagandha may help people fall asleep faster, spend more time asleep, and experience better sleep quality.
“There are many reasons why Ashwagandha may be responsible for promoting good sleep. Researchers have proposed that the triethylene glycol15 naturally present in the herb help aid sleepiness. Other researchers propose that Ashwagandha has GABA receptors16 help manage our sleep cycle.
“In one clinical study, patients with insomnia were given a dose of 300 mg Ashwagandha extract twice daily.
“The results showed significant shorter time falling asleep, improvement in sleep efficiency, and a significant improvement in sleep quality.”
Ashwagandha could well offer reproductive benefits for men, as administering ashwagandha to infertile men has shown to improve sperm quality significantly by rebalancing reproductive hormone levels.
Grayson Hart said: “There have been multiple studies about the effects that ashwagandha can have on men, including its ability to increase male fertility as well as the amount of testosterone that they have.
“One study showed that overweight men between 40 and 70 who took ashwagandha had increased testosterone over those who took placebos.
“It has also been shown to increase the sperm count level of men who have low fertility, but other studies in this review went on to mention that it can also increase sperm count in men with normal fertility.
“Unfortunately, scientists have also stated that higher-quality studies are required to determine whether the results are up to poor testing methods or not.”
How to Take the Supplement
Both Ashwagandha roots and berries can be consumed for their medical properties, but it is these days more commonly delivered in supplement capsules or in powder, tincture and tea form.
Dr. Braid suggests starting with an ashwagandha tea as a way to gently introduce it into diets and contribute to your hydration, which is key to overall health.
She said: “You can add 1tsp of dried sliced ashwagandha root to soups or add 1 teaspoon of powder to one cup of hot water and drink as a tea.
“Ashwagandha milk is made by adding one or two teaspoons of powder to two cups of milk, with an eight teaspoon of cardamom and half teaspoon of cinnamon.
“Heat the milk gently in a pan for 15 minutes, before adding honey to taste. This can be drunk daily.”
Is Ashwagandha Safe?
Ashwagandha is very safe and is consequently widely used and well-tolerated, with no known toxicity and very few side effects.
However, there are a few factors to be aware of before you should start taking it.
Dr. Braid said: “It is not recommended for anyone who suffers from hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid), as it can boost thyroid function.
“For patients taking digoxin, there is evidence it may interfere with the test that detects digoxin levels in the bloodstream, giving a false result.
“Animal studies show no signs of toxicity when used in pregnancy. Always consult with your medical practitioner or herbalist before taking natural supports in pregnancy.”
