Unlock the Shocking Secrets of Ashwagandha: 7 Mind-Blowing Health Benefits You Never Knew! Discover how this ancient herb can transform your life, boost your energy, reduce stress, and more. Are you ready to uncover the hidden power of Ashwagandha? Click to reveal the astonishing truth now! 

Ashwagandha, an evergreen shrub found in Asia, Africa and Europe, has been used in the traditional Indian medicine system, Ayurveda, for thousands of years. Supplements containing ashwagandha are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. thanks to potential health benefits like reducing anxiety and stress and improving sleep. In fact, the market value of ashwagandha products is estimated to grow to $2.5 billion by 2031, according to Allied Market Research^[1].

Read on to learn about ashwagandha, including seven research-supported health benefits, as well as its potential side effects and suggested dosages. Always consult a health care professional before adding any supplement to your wellness regimen.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha, or Withania somnifera, is an adaptogen, explains Myles Spar, M.D., a double board-certified medical expert in personalized and performance medicine, as well as a Forbes Health Advisory Board member. Adaptogens are active compounds or plant extracts that enhance the body’s stability against physical load, potentially reducing stress, normalizing metabolic function and increasing cognitive and physical function.

“[Ashwagandha and other adaptogens] help calm the nervous system without making people feel tired,” notes Dr Spar. “It’s not sedating, it just helps the nervous system stay balanced in the face of stress,” he says.

Most ashwagandha supplements used in research and available for purchase are made with extracts from the roots and leaves of the plant. While available in many forms, ashwagandha can be consumed in capsules, gummies, teas or powders stirred in shakes and food.

7 Research-Backed Health Benefits of Ashwagandha

Though often touted for potential stress-relieving properties, ashwagandha’s benefits may extend further, according to Jill Stocker, D.O., a specialist in age management medicine and hormone optimization and a Forbes Health Advisory Board member. “[Ashwagandha] affects cortisol balance, inflammation, sex hormone imbalance, brain health, muscle health” and more, she says. And, while additional research is needed to fully understand how ashwagandha may improve health, limited research indicates it may have a positive effect on certain conditions.

1. May Relieve Stress and Anxiety

One of the most commonly referenced benefits of ashwagandha is its potential to relieve stress and anxiety.

Some small clinical trials support using ashwagandha to help with these conditions. For example, in a 2023 study in Medicine featuring 54 participants, researchers determined that 500 milligrams of ashwagandha root extract administered over 60 days resulted in meaningful improvements on the perceived stress, generalized anxiety disorder and quality-of-life scales. Researchers also noticed a decrease in cortisol and an increase in serotonin among participants, two hormones directly responsible for stress response and mood regulation^[2].

In 2024, a similar study of 60 participants taking 60 to 120 milligrams of ashwagandha over 60 days yielded a 59% decrease on an anxiety rating scale, and a decrease of up to 62% on the perceived stress scale. Chemically, cortisol levels dropped by approximately 66%, indicating reduced stress impact on the body^[3].

“The biggest misconception [about ashwagandha] is that people think it is too calming, like a benzodiazepine (sedative), but it’s calming in a different way,” says Dr. Spar, explaining the supplement’s effect on anxiety. As such, its effects may be more subtle than some users may expect.

While small in their sample sizes, both of these recent studies show a decrease in stress-related systems while taking ashwagandha. However, this herb may not work for everyone, and individuals interested in trying an ashwagandha supplement should speak with a health care professional.

2.  May Improve Sleep Quality

As ashwagandha may promote calm, researchers have studied the supplement’s effect on sleep as well. A 2021 analysis of five controlled trials totaling 400 participants determined there was a small but significant impact on sleep quality, especially among individuals with insomnia, who took at least 600 milligrams of ashwagandha per day for at least eight weeks^[4]. In 2020, researchers in an 80-participant study found ashwagandha root extract significantly improved sleep quality for individuals with and without insomnia across an eight-week period^[5].

While more research with larger sample sizes over longer durations is necessary, these studies suggest taking ashwagandha may promote more restful sleep for those with trouble sleeping.

3. May Have Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Dr. Stocker refers to inflammation as the root of all diseases, and limited research indicates ashwagandha may have anti-inflammatory effects.

In a 2022 study of150 participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), researchers found anti-inflammatory signals, such as decreased neutrophil count and slightly increased nitric oxide levels, appeared when individuals took 250 milligrams of ashwagandha capsules over 12 weeks^[6]. In our daily lives inflammation can commonly result in holding onto weight or a feeling of heaviness in the body. Dr. Stocker suggests Ashwaghanda may help alleviate this sensation to some degree.

Preliminary studies as recent as 2024 suggest ashwagandha’s anti-inflammatory properties may have a positive impact on the treatment of conditions such as asthma, but much deeper research on this subject is required.

4. Might Support Heart Health

According to a 2024 report from the American Heart Association, a person dies from heart disease every 34 seconds in the United States, correlating to approximately 2,552 heart disease-related deaths each day^[7]. While the literature is limited, some evidence suggests ashwagandha may improve certain aspects of heart health in healthy, active adults.

One measurement used to determine heart health is cardio-respiratory endurance (VO2max), the body’s ability to transport and utilize oxygen. It’s regarded by many experts as the best indicator of an athlete’s physical capacity. As part of a four-study research analysis released in 2020, analysts noted higher doses of ashwagandha had a greater impact on athletes’ VO2max measurements. Additionally, its high safety profile may allow the plant to be a viable supplement to support cardiovascular fitness^[8].

Similarly, a 2023 study found a 9.5% increase in VO2max in male participants taking ashwagandha and a 7% increase in female participants across an eight-week period when dosed with 600 milligrams per day. The researchers note that, while the study’s findings were small, the results may still be clinically relevant in determining ashwagandha’s impact on heart health^[9].

5. May Improve Sexual Function in Women

Ashwagandha may also present exciting opportunities for women experiencing sexual concerns, such as low sex drive. In a 2025 study featuring 62 healthy women, participants experienced a measurable increase in sexual desire and desire-satisfaction scores when taking 600 milligrams of ashwagandha per day across eight weeks^[10]. These results are consistent with a 2022 study of 80 women, which found marked increases in desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm and sexual satisfaction when participants took 600 milligrams of ashwagandha per day^[11].

6. May Boost Testosterone in Men

Just as ashwagandha may increase sexual satisfaction in women, research suggests this might also be true for men. In the previously referenced 2024 study that indicated ashwagandha’s ability to reduce anxiety, researchers note male participants who took 120 milligrams of ashwagandha per day saw testosterone levels rise by as much as 33% across 60 days of testing^[12].

These findings roughly compare to a 2019 study in which 57 adult men saw an 18% increase in testosterone while taking just 21 milligrams of ashwagandha per day^[13]. Preliminary science has also attempted to link ashwagandha intake to boosts in sperm count as well, but more in-depth research is necessary.

7. May Aid Alertness, Memory and Recall

“Ashwagandha helps with overall energy levels, but in a way that doesn’t cause overstimulation,” says Dr. Spar, and preliminary studies support this claim. In a 2024 clinical trial, 59 participants who took 225 milligrams of ashwagandha over 30 days saw improvement in word recall, mental reaction time and cognitive test scores^[14]. Similar results were observed in a 2021 study featuring 125 participants who took 300 milligrams ashwagandha over 90 days; significant improvement was seen across memory recall and in pattern recognition^[15].

In fact, the researchers involved with the 2024 trial suggest a few of the other benefits referenced above may indirectly assist with these apparent cognitive boosts. For example, if taking ashwagandha makes you less stressed, anxious and more alert, you may perform better under the pressure of a cognitive test. If inflammation in the brain is lessened as a result of taking ashwagandha, its functioning might improve^[16].

How to Use Ashwagandha

Both Dr. Stocker and Dr. Spar agree a dosage of approximately 500 milligrams of ashwagandha per day should be suitable for most individuals interested in trying the supplement . Lifestyle changes, such as healthy eating, meditation and physical activity, are important aspects to improving overall health and longevity, but ashwagandha acts as “a great helper, or adjunct, to [lifestyle changes] when we can’t quite fit all of them in at once,” says Dr. Stocker.

Risks and Side Effects of Ashwagandha

Available research indicates ashwagandha has a fairly high safety profile, but some minor risks and side effects exist, including nausea and negative drug-to-drug interactions with blood thinners, antidepressants and some diabetes medications.

Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn’t take ashwagandha, as the supplement has not been proven safe for this population. Thyroid and blood pressure levels should also be monitored to maximize safety, according to Dr. Stocker. Always ask a health care professional before adding an ashwagandha supplement to your daily routine.