Practitioners of Ayurveda, a traditional Indian medicine system, have been using the ashwagandha plant for thousands of years. Recently, another group has sparked a renewed interest in the plant: TikTok users. These social media users claim that the evergreen shrub, native to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, can enhance concentration and immune health, suppress emotions, and even reduce the effectiveness of birth control. While studies have identified some benefits of supplements derived from the plant, significant research gaps make it challenging to scientifically validate many of ashwagandha’s purported properties.
Science News is gathering reader inquiries about navigating our planet's changing climate. What do you want to know about extreme heat and its role in extreme weather events? “There is a wealth of scientific research on this topic,” says Yufang Lin, an integrative medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. However, “the studies have limited data.”
People commonly consume ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in various forms, such as powders, capsules, tablets, liquid drops, or gummies containing extracts from the plant’s roots, primarily to manage stress or improve sleep. Research indicates that the supplement can reduce perceived stress and anxiety levels, as well as lower cortisol, the stress hormone, compared to placebo treatments. In one study, participants reported a 44 percent reduction in stress, on average, after taking ashwagandha for 60 days. Some studies also suggest that it can help individuals fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and wake up less frequently, with greater benefits for those with insomnia.
Experts believe this could make the herb beneficial for those experiencing anxious, restless stress, such as students preparing for exams. Margaret Harris, a nutrition researcher at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, has investigated the effects of ashwagandha supplementation on college students and has used the supplement herself. “After about nine to 10 days, the intervention group began reporting, ‘I feel like I can accomplish everything I want to accomplish today,’” Harris recalls from one of her studies.
In addition to its effects on stress and anxiety, a limited amount of research suggests other benefits, including reduced blood sugar levels, enhanced physical performance and muscle strength, improved cognitive functions like memory and focus, and increased testosterone, sperm count, and sperm health in men. Ashwagandha’s beneficial properties may stem partly from compounds known as withanolides, which possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
However, experts clarify that ashwagandha does not dull emotions or reduce the effectiveness of oral birth control, contrary to claims made by some TikTok users. While occasional side effects such as excessive sedation, stomach pain, or loose stools have been reported, these are not common. The limited number of randomized, controlled studies investigating each claimed benefit, along with the small number of participants in these studies, leaves the confirmed benefits of ashwagandha uncertain.
“You’ll notice that many studies involve dozens of participants rather than hundreds or thousands,” says Denise Millstine, an integrative medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz. She emphasizes that more comprehensive studies with a larger participant pool are needed to make conclusive statements about ashwagandha’s efficacy.
Even the more extensive studies on ashwagandha’s stress and sleep benefits have had small sample sizes and lasted no more than three months, leaving experts uncertain about the long-term effects of sustained dosage. The experimental setups have also varied widely in dosage and type of preparation given to participants, making it difficult to determine the optimal amounts and forms of ashwagandha.
Most studies have focused on ashwagandha within the context of Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient Indian holistic healing practice. Millstine notes that while traditional Ayurvedic practices combine ashwagandha with other relaxants like chamomile, lemon balm, and rhodiola, many people today take the herb alone. Future research may benefit from comparing these two approaches.
Millstine emphasizes that this does not necessarily mean the plant is ineffective; it simply highlights the need for more research. “There is a lot of wisdom in tradition, so it shouldn’t be dismissed just because there is a lack of randomized controlled trials,” she says. This is particularly relevant given that ashwagandha is generally safe. While certain groups, such as pregnant individuals, should avoid high doses due to potential miscarriage risks, most people experience few side effects, according to Harris.
Experts caution that ashwagandha is not a miracle cure-all. It may take more than a supplement to alleviate severe anxiety or improve sleep if you are scrolling through social media late at night. In Lin’s practice, she collaborates with patients to develop better sleep, diet, mental health, and exercise habits to manage stress and fatigue. “Ashwagandha may be part of the solution,” Lin says. “But it should be used in the context of a patient’s overall well-being.”
