A standardized Ashwagandha root extract alleviates stress, anxiety, and improves quality of life in healthy adults by modulating stress hormones: Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Summary & key facts

Researchers ran a carefully controlled 60-day trial where about 54 healthy adults with mild to moderate stress or anxiety were randomly given either a daily Ashwagandha root tablet or a placebo. The Ashwagandha tablets were 500 mg each and contained about 2.5% active compounds called withanolides plus a small amount of piperine to help absorption. People taking Ashwagandha showed bigger drops in perceived stress and anxiety scores and reported better quality of life than those on placebo. They also did slightly better on tests of multitasking and concentration, and had lower morning cortisol (a stress hormone) and higher urinary serotonin (a mood-related chemical). Blood safety tests stayed

Key facts:

• Fifty-four adults were enrolled and 50 finished the 60-day study that compared daily Ashwagandha tablets to a placebo.
• The Ashwagandha tablet was 500 mg and delivered about 12.5 mg of active withanolides each day, plus a small amount of piperine to help absorption.
• People taking Ashwagandha had larger improvements in self-reported stress and anxiety scores than people taking the placebo.
• Quality of life scores improved more in the Ashwagandha group than in the placebo group over the 60 days.
• On computerized thinking tests, the Ashwagandha group showed better multitasking, better concentration, and faster decision times than the placebo group.
• Morning salivary cortisol, a hormone linked to stress, fell more in the Ashwagandha group while urinary serotonin levels rose more compared to placebo.
• Other blood markers the researchers measured, like nitric oxide and markers of oxidative stress, did not change differently between groups.
• No serious safety problems were reported and routine lab tests stayed within normal ranges for people taking Ashwagandha.
• The study only included people with mild to moderate symptoms and lasted two months, so we cannot assume the same effects for people with severe anxiety or for longer use.
• Some of the paper’s authors are employees of the company that makes the Ashwagandha product, which is an important limitation to consider.

Abstract

The results of the study suggest that ARE with 2.5% withanolides can effectively improve stress and anxiety by reducing cortisol and increasing serotonin in healthy individuals with mild to moderate symptoms.

Topics

Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions Phytochemicals and Medicinal Plants

Categories

Complementary and alternative medicine Health Sciences Medicine

Tags

Alternative medicine Anxiety Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Cognition Insomnia Internal medicine Medicine Pathology Pharmacology Piperine Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Placebo Psychiatry Randomized controlled trial Sleep quality Spatial memory Working memory

Substances

Other

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Anxiety or worry Difficulty focusing Lack of energy or motivation Poor sleep