An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract
What this study found
Ashwagandha 240 mg daily for 60 days improved anxiety and stress outcomes, with the clearest between-group benefit on HAM-A compared with placebo. HAM-A fell by 41% over time (P < .001; between-group P = .040), while DASS-21 fell by 30% over time but was not significantly different from placebo (between-group P = .096). Morning cortisol decreased by 23% (P < .001; between-group P < .001) and DHEA-S decreased by 8% (P = .007; between-group P = .004), supporting an effect on stress-axis activity. In men, testosterone increased by 11% (P = .043), but the between-group difference was not…
- Study & population
- This was a placebo-controlled human intervention study conducted in healthy adults with mild stress in India.
- Intervention
- Ashwagandha standardized extract (Shoden) was given as 240 mg orally once daily after dinner for 60 days.
- Key limitation
- The active arm was small, with only 30 participants, limiting precision and generalizability.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Abstract Background: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) is a herb traditionally used to reduce stress and enhance wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate its anxiolytic effects on adults with self-reported high stress and to examine potential mechanisms associated with its therapeutic effects. Methods: In this 60-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study the stress-relieving and pharmacological activity of an ashwagandha extract was investigated in stressed, healthy adults. Sixty adults were randomly allocated to take either a placebo or 240 mg of a standardized ashwagandha extract (Shoden) once daily. Outcomes were measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale -21 (DASS-21), and hormonal changes in cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S), and testosterone. Results: All participants completed the trial with no adverse events reported. In comparison with the placebo, ashwagandha supplementation was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the HAM-A (P = .040) and a near-significant reduction in the DASS-21 (P = .096). Ashwagandha intake was also associated with greater reductions in morning cortisol (P < .001), and DHEA-S (P = .004) compared with the placebo. Testosterone levels increased in males (P = .038) but not females (P = .989) over time, although this change was not statistically significant compared with the placebo (P = .158). Conclusions: These findings suggest that ashwagandha's stress-relieving effects may occur via its moderating effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, further investigation utilizing larger sample sizes, diverse clinical and cultural populations, and varying treatment dosages are needed to substantiate these findings. Trial registration: Clinical Trials Registry—India (CTRI registration number: CTRI/2017/08/009449; date of registration 22/08/2017)