The Benefits of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an ayurvedic herb that has been used for centuries for its various health benefits related to mental health, cognitive health, and energy. The herb has been steadily gaining popularity today as more consumers look for a solution to their stress and anxiety issues. According to www.marketresearch.com, in 2019 the United States Ashwagandha extract market size was increased to $10.48 million, and it will reach $16.48 million in 2026.
Healthline.com lists health benefits of Ashwagandha as: helping to reduce stress and anxiety; boosts athletic performance; reducing symptoms of some mental health conditions; helping to boost testosterone and increase fertility in men; reducing blood sugar levels; reducing inflammation; improving brain function, including memory; and improving sleep.
Furthermore, according to Beth Lambert, CEO, Herbalist & Alchemist (Washington, NJ), Ashwagandha can normalize endocrine, nervous, and immune functions and supports the natural inflammatory response system, helping to prevent muscle wear due to oxidative stress. It is a calming adaptogen.
Cheryl Myers, chief of scientific affairs and education at EuroPharma, Inc. (Green Bay, WI), added, “According to a common anxiety measurement scale, [Ashwagandha] decreased anxiety scores by 41 percent, reduced related depression scores by 30 percent and reduced cortisol levels in men by 22 percent and in women by 25 percent.” The researchers, according to Myers, found that Ashwagandha achieved these results in four different ways: “through the HPA Axis [(Ashwagandha may regulate how much cortisol and DHEA we generate in response to stressors)]; by stopping oxidative damage; by reducing inflammation; [and] by working directly with brain chemistry [by influencing GABA and serotonin activity].” Furthermore, according to Myers, “Studies have also found that Ashwagandha protects the brain cells from injury, preserves coordination and the brain’s processing ability even when sleep deprived and increases levels of glutathione, one of the body’s most important natural antioxidants.” Clinical research has also shown that Ashwagandha may also slow the decline of memory and mental functions as people get older, as well as improve working memory and reaction time, Myers stated, “including in individuals who are struggling with bipolar disorder, which can take a toll on the ability to focus and concentrate.
Myers also mentioned a clinical study that found Ashwagandha to restore healthy thyroid activity in eight weeks. “The botanical boosted endurance and increased the lungs’ ability to bring in oxygen to fuel red blood cells, and [increased] the heart’s ability to pump those red blood cells to the muscles in the body.
Trends/Market Demand
“There’s been a lot of chatter about Ashwagandha given today’s high stress levels,” said Lambert. “Even Saturday Night Live included it in a bit! Because it helps rejuvenate stressed out people, it’s gotten a lot of social media discussion.” Since it has a long history of safe use and is effective for many people, consumers keep coming back to it, she continued. “It really does seem to help when people are depleted, exhausted, and stressed. And it’s beneficial for both people and animals.
Herbalist & Alchemist has seen an increased demand for Ashwagandha, both in formulas and by itself. “Life is stressful, and everyone experiences stress. We all know stress, in addition to being uncomfortable, undermines normal immune function, which is not what anyone wants,” explained Lambert. “Now that the role adaptogens play in helping the body manage stress has become common knowledge, it makes perfect sense that the best known adaptogen would be in very high demand.”
Herbal Nutrition’s Ashwagandha is the perfect dosage at 1300mg and has black pepper for better uptake and delivery. Learn more about our Ashwagandha product here.