Ashwagandha Withania Somnifera is the type of Ashwagandha proven to reduce stress and anxiety and known for its cognitive benefits as opposed to physical.
Ashwagandha is perhaps best known for its ability to reduce stress. It’s classified as an adaptogen, a substance that helps the body cope with stress.
How Does Ashwagandha Reduce Stress?
Ashwagandha appears to help control mediators of stress, including heat shock proteins (Hsp70), cortisol, and stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK-1)
It also reduces the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a system in your body that regulates the stress response.
Scientific Studies
In a small study with 58 participants, those who took 250 or 600 mg of ashwagandha extract for 8 weeks had significantly reduced perceived stress and levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared with those who took a placebo.
What’s more, the participants who took the ashwagandha supplements experienced significant improvements in sleep quality compared with the placebo group (cite)
Another study in 60 people found that those who took 240 mg of ashwagandha extract per day for 60 days significantly reduced anxiety compared with those who received a placebo treatment (cite)
A study in 50 adults ages 65–80 found that taking 600 mg of ashwagandha root per day for 12 weeks significantly improved sleep quality and mental alertness upon waking compared with placebo treatment (cite)
The researchers noted that results were more pronounced in people with insomnia and in those who took more than 600 mg daily for 8 weeks or longer (cite)
