Ashwagandha: an update
I am indebted to NutraIngredients-Europe for this collection of articles on the trendy herbal supplement, ashwagandha.
Ashwaganda is one of those supplements said to do wonders for stress and anxiety (of which we all have lots these days) and sleep (also a common problem).
The Ashwagandha plant is native to India, northern Africa, and the Middle East—but is now grown around the world. While the whole plant is cultivated, the root and leaf are used in extracts. Ashwagandha is a traditional herb long used for its adaptogenic properties to help your body adapt to stressors. Adaptogens are plants that facilitate your body’s ability to adapt to stress.
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says
Ashwagandha appears to be well tolerated for up to 3 months of use. However, the efficacy and safety of long-term ashwagandha use over months or years for stress, anxiety, or sleep is not known. In addition, ashwagandha may have potential adverse effects on the liver and thyroid and might not be safe for people with prostate cancer or those who are pregnant or nursing.
What is especially interesting are the contradictory views of this supplement. Some see benefits. Others see risks.
The purported benefits
- Study: Ashwagandha effectively relieves chronic stress: Standardized root and leaf aqueous ashwagandha extract safely and effectively reduces stress in chronically stressed people, according to a new study…. Read more
- Ashwagandha intake linked to memory and attention benefits: Acute and repeated supplementation with liposomal ashwagandha may boost select cognitive effects, including memory, attention, vigilance and reaction time in healthy adults, says a new study…. Read more
- Review reveals benefits of ashwagandha on ‘inflammaging’: A new synthetic review on ashwagandha (Withania somnifera, or WS) has underlined the herb’s potential for treating ‘inflammaging’—persistent low-grade inflammation linked to aging…. Read more
The risks
- French agency warns ashwagandha unsafe in specific populations: The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has warned against the use of ashwagandha in a number of specific populations, making it likely operators will be advised to use label warnings…. Read more
- European food safety report ‘taking pot shots’ at popular botanicals: A working group of 26 member states has published a report suggesting the need to ban or restrict 12 ‘critical’ ingredients such as ashwagandha, curcumin, maca and substances like melatonin…. Read more
The debate
- AHP responds to claims of ashwagandha abortifacient effects: The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) has responded to the growing number of European authorities reporting ashwagandha as an abortificient, arguing they have incorrectly cited the WHO monograph and AHP review…. Read more
- Ashwagandha concerns branded pure ‘horse s**t’: On-trend herb thrives despite authority unease: While ashwagandha investment and innovation is surging, some European authorities are showing signs of safety concern, leading industry experts to criticize a spread of “complete misinformation” across the continent…. Read more
- UK launches ashwagandha safety consultation as Indian experts step up defense: Ashwagandha suppliers are being urged to invest in defense as the UK Food Safety Agency (FSA) launches a consultation into the herb and Indian experts refute safety concerns…. Read more
Comment
I, as you undoubtedly have guessed, am a supplement skeptic. If European agencies are warning against it, I vote for avoiding it, especially if you are in one of the risk categories: pregnant or breastfeeding women, people under the age of 18, and those with endocrine disorders (particularly dysthyroidism and hyperandrogenism), liver or heart problems or undergoing treatment with a central nervous system depressant action.
Supplement sellers can fight back all they like; I urge caution.
