A sacred herb, Ashwagandha (also called Indian Ginseng) has been used for thousands of years for both medical and religious purposes. This article will explain how Ashwagandha works, its side effects and how it can be used.
KAMPALA | LIFESTYLE UGANDA — Ashwagandha (also called Indian Ginseng) is a sacred herb that has been used as a medical and religious tool for thousands of years. People today know it as an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body adapt to its changing environment.
Ashwagandha has been shown to relieve stress, support weight loss, and improve immunity. It has also been shown to reduce the effects of chronic stress and enhance immune response.
This article will provide you with more information on how ashwagandha works and how you can use it.
What is ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is a rhizome-based adaptogen. It comes from the Rhizome of Gimbutasana, a herb of ash tree species.
The stems of this herb contain sugars, amino acids, and minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
It is a root or rhizome-based herb. The rhizome is similar to a woody stalk with white or green bud-like flowers.
It grows underground and uses other plants’ root systems to survive. It is harvested before flowering to protect it from frost and animals. The root contains a hard substance called a corm.
Ashwagandha’s medicinal uses
Ashwagandha is a valuable herb for both traditional and modern medicine.
It is a plant with potential use as a stress buster, natural diuretic, and digestive aid.
Withania somnifera is generally available in powdered form or can be added to water to make tea or a juice.
Research has suggested that ashwagandha may reduce the effects of stress and manage the body’s stress response in:
- treating psychiatric conditions
- reducing blood pressure
- boosting energy levels
- promoting healthier skin and hair
- reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Ashwagandha and diabetes
Research suggests that ashwagandha may help in managing blood glucose levels. In 2018, a study found that ashwagandha helped manage blood glucose levels in people with diabetes.
The researchers found that Withania somnifera improved glucose tolerance, reduced the inflammation of the body, and increased insulin sensitivity.
It is also effective in controlling blood glucose levels and improving insulin sensitivity in people who are pre-diabetic or have been diagnosed with the condition.
This research may help scientists develop more effective diabetes treatments, and the finding suggests that Withania somnifera may also help to control high blood sugar levels.
Ashwagandha and fibromyalgia
A recent study in 2017 found that ashwagandha may help to manage chronic pain.
A 2017 study also found that the plant may reduce the effects of stress and help people manage fibromyalgia symptoms.
The researchers took a sample of lymphocytes and tested their response to the winter cherry, rifaximin, a drug that helps destroy the fibromyalgia-causing bacteria, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAPT), and 5HTP.
The researchers found that the mixture of ashwagandha, rifaximin, and 5HTP improved the activity of fibromyalgia-fighting white blood cells.
Ashwagandha and weight loss
Another 2017 study suggested that winter cherry might help to manage obesity and chronic fatigue.
A 2012 study found that ashwagandha may help weight loss by increasing levels of serotonin.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates the appetite and feelings of fullness. This research supports the idea that the root may help regulate the hypothalamus, which is responsible for making serotonin.
Research has suggested that a lack of serotonin in the hypothalamus is one of the main reasons why people with chronic fatigue often have reduced energy levels.
Works on Alzheimer’s disease
A 2018 study found that winter cherry improved cognitive performance in healthy older adults.
Results showed that older adults with low levels of cognitive performance performed better after ashwagandha treatment.
Helps in depression
A 2018 study looked at whether it may help people with major depression. The researchers gave older adults either a placebo or ashwagandha and evaluated them at three different time points.
The study found that participants with lower levels of emotional functioning were more likely to report improvements after taking it.
Ashwagandha for insomnia
A 2017 study found that two weeks of taking ashwagandha helped reduce symptoms of sleep disorders.
The researchers enrolled 75 people with insomnia and randomly assigned them to take either ashwagandha or a placebo.
The evergreen shrub was taken twice daily for two weeks and then the participants either continued taking the evergreen shrub or took a placebo for a further two weeks.
At the end of the two weeks, both groups of participants found that they were sleeping for about the same amount of time.
Used for inflammatory bowel disease
A 2017 study found that ashwagandha may help to control the gut bacterial balance in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
The researchers gave half of the participants in the study ashwagandha powder, which was mixed into their food every day for 12 weeks.
The participants who took the it also had a doctor-prescribed probiotic, called SCN9A, every day for 12 weeks.
At the end of the study, there was no difference in the number of bacteria that were linked to a better digestive process and a lower risk of digestive problems.
People with IBD often have an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. The researchers note that they found no evidence of this effect with the combination of ashwagandha and probiotics.
Researchers found that ashwagandha may help improve gut bacteria after 12 weeks of treatment, with a probiotic supplement as an additional treatment.
Ashwagandha as a treatment for cancer
Ashwagandha has also been studied as a treatment for cancer. A 2013 study looked at how Withania somnifera affected people’s response to chemotherapy.
The researchers took a group of people with advanced cancer, some who had received a placebo and some who had taken ashwagandha twice daily for three months.
At the end of the study, all participants who took ashwagandha were cancer-free, which was a finding that surprised the researchers.
A 2018 study found that ashwagandha improved cognitive performance in healthy older adults.
Results showed that older adults with low levels of cognitive performance performed better after ashwagandha treatment.
Ashwagandha as a dietary supplement
A 2011 study found that the Indian Winter cherry worked as an antioxidant when people were exposed to short-wave infrared radiation.
This could help protect against the damage done to the body from the radiation that they receive from their cell phones.
Changes in blood sugar levels
Research in children showed that it reduces high blood sugar levels.
A 2010 study found that taking ashwagandha reduced blood sugar levels, which may reduce the risk of diabetes.
The researchers found that people who took Indian Winter cherry for one week had a blood sugar level that was 2.7 percent lower than that of people who took a placebo.
This difference was small, and the researchers do not believe that it is enough to reduce diabetes risk, as they suggest that the improvement in blood sugar levels maybe because of the anti-inflammatory effects of the plant.
A 2021 study, which is yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, found that ashwagandha did not reduce blood sugar levels.
The researchers say that more research is needed on people with diabetes to see if it can be beneficial to them, but they do not believe that it should be used for that purpose.
Ashwagandha can interact with some medicines, so always check that any medications that you are taking and any supplements that you are using are safe for you before taking them.
Other supplements
Research into the effects of this Indian Ginseng supplements has shown that there is some evidence to support the use of ashwagandha as a natural treatment for the following conditions:
- nerve damage
- pain associated with arthritis
- prostate problems
- infertility
- stress management
Ashwagandha side effects
One short-term study in people with insomnia found that ashwagandha caused constipation. The researchers suggest that the starchy foods in some types of curdled milk may have been the cause of the constipation.
Indian Ginseng can cause side effects, which can include:
- high blood pressure
- irritability
- fatigue
- depression
- confusion
- diarrhea
- nutrient deficiencies
- allergic reactions
- sleepiness
- tiredness
- digestive problems
Effect on the immune system
Ashwagandha and probiotics may be beneficial for maintaining a healthy immune system.
Research has found that ashwagandha may strengthen the body’s natural defense system, helping to prevent an allergic reaction or a cold.
However, more research is needed into this effect.
A 2017 study has found that people who take this Indian Ginseng for 3 weeks had lower levels of inflammatory molecules. This is a result of ashwagandha helping to reduce levels of some blood sugar-regulating hormones that increase the inflammation that causes the body to flare up with pain, skin conditions, and diarrhea.
Acts as a treatment for cancer
Ashwagandha has also been studied as a treatment for cancer.
A 2013 study looked at how the evergreen shrub affected people’s response to chemotherapy. The researchers took a group of people with advanced cancer, some who had received a placebo and some who had taken the winter cherry twice daily for three months.
At the end of the study, all participants who took it were cancer-free, which was a finding that surprised the researchers.
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