High-Concentration Ashwagandha Root Extract has Broad Stress-Reducing Effects

by | Jan 26, 2021 | 2019, Ashwagandha, Botanicals, Sleep, Stress

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Ashwagandha, at both 250 and 600 mg/day doses, significantly decreased perceived stress scores and improved sleep quality in participating subjects compared to controls.

ashwagandha - botanicalsIn the Ayurvedic system of medicine, Ashwagandha is one of the most versatile and potent herbs 1. This adaptogen is well known for its anti-inflammatory effects, but also demonstrates other valuable health benefits, such as neurocognitive improvement, the ability to regulate sleep, and mood-enhancing properties 2-4. Ashwagandha even shows favorable effects on endocrinological balance and cardiorespiratory endurance 5,6. Over recent years, this medicinal herb has drawn particular attention for its ability to mitigate symptoms of stress and anxiety related to a range of conditions, both in human and animal subjects 7,8. Despite its well-documented prophylactic role in stress reduction 9, there is still insufficient data on the efficacy of Ashwagandha extract at varying dosages. To better understand the dose-response relationship associated with Ashwagandha in the context of stress management, researchers carried out a study 10 published in Cureus (2020) testing the effects of high vs. low-concentration Ashwagandha extract on self-reported stress, serum cortisol levels, and sleep quality in a group of healthy adults.

A total of 58 healthy participants (aged 18 to 55 years) were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which they were assigned to ingest 250 mg (low-dose group) or 600 mg (high-dose group) of Ashwagandha root extract or 250 mg of a starch placebo once daily for 8 weeks. At baseline, Week 4, and Week 8, stress levels were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and serum cortisol, a biomarker of physiological stress, was measured based on collected blood samples. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) was administered to examine anxiety levels at baseline and at 8-week-follow-up, and sleep quality was assessed using a seven-point sleep scale.

While both low-dose and high-dose Ashwagandha intake was associated with significant decrease in mean PSS from baseline to follow-up, the high-dose (p < 0.001) produced greater improvement in PSS than the low-dose (p < 0.05) by the end of treatment. Similar trends were detected for serum cortisol and sleep quality, wherein treatment with high-dose Ashwagandha proved to be more effective in reducing cortisol levels (p < 0.0001) than low-dose (p < 0.05) and in improving sleep (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). Finally, although HAM-A scores did not show significant diminishment with low-dose Ashwagandha, at a dose of 600 mg/day, Ashwagandha was associated with significant improvement in anxiety scores by the end of the study (p < 0.0001).

Findings from the present trial corroborate the clinical efficacy of Ashwagandha as an anxiolytic, stress-reducing nutraceutical supplement, underscoring the therapeutic benefits of supplementation at higher vs. lower concentrations. While both doses of the Ayurvedic adaptogen generally outperformed placebo, the higher concentration of Ashwagandha was more effective in improving subjective stress levels, serum cortisol concentrations, and quality of sleep. Moreover, unlike the lower dose of Ashwagandha, the 600 mg dose also resulted in significant reduction of anxiety. Thus, based on a comparative evaluation of dosage efficacy, present findings suggest maximal stress reduction with a high-concentration Ashwagandha root extract. Study limitations to consider include a relatively short study duration, a limited sample size, and the failure to include additional biochemical and physiological parameters, such as measures of serotonin and other stress hormones. In the future, it would be critical to replicate findings in study participants carrying a clinical diagnosis of anxiety and to compare the long-term performance of low-dose vs. high-dose Ashwagandha.

Source: Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, et al. Adaptogenic and anxiolytic effects of Ashwagandha root extract in healthy adults: a double-randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study. Cureus. 2019; 11(12): e6466. DOI: 10. 7759/cureus.6466.

© Copyright 2019 Salve et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 3.0.

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Posted January 26, 2021.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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