Neuro & Mental Health, Stress Management
Ashwagandha: Benefits, Weight Loss, Side Effects & Usage – Inlifehealthcare
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a medicinal herb used in Ayurveda, of India. Its root has a horsey smell (in Sanskrit, ashva means “horse” and gandha means “smell”) and is said to confer the strength and potency of a horse.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen (a substance that helps the body adapt to stressors). It is best known for its anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties: it can lower cortisol levels and may mitigate stress-induced insomnia, depression, and immunosuppression.
It can also reduce low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), improve physical performance in both sedentary people and athletes, and maybe help treat Alzheimer’s disease, though the more human evidence is needed before supplementation can be recommended specifically for Alzheimer’s.
More research is also needed to determine ashwagandha main mechanism of action.