Herbal supplements 1 - Ashwagandha
The wide variety of herbal supplements will confuse. This series of posts looks at the evidence for common recommendations.
Ashwagandha for sleep, cognition and anxiety
The areas of potential use: sleep, stress, anxiety. Possibly to aid cognition in over 50’s
How does it work?
Probably via GABA-ergic pathways and/ or suppressing ACTH and thus cortisol levels. GABA, is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces overall brain signal levels. Studies in rodents show increased GABA activity in the central nervous system (CNS) and deeper sleep by promoting delta waves and increasing non-REM sleep duration
[1].
For stress and anxiety Human Studies show a potential cortisol-lowering effect.
A 60-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the stress-relieving and pharmacological activity of an ashwagandha extract [240 mg of a standardized ashwagandha extract (Shoden) once daily ] in stressed, healthy adults
[2]
There was a 40% reduction in morning cortisol after 60 days of use and a significant reduction in the Hamilton Anxiety scale.
For Sleep, what is the data?
A Meta-Analysis on Sleep Benefits reviewed five RCTs (double-blinded, placebo-controlled)
[3]. There were modest effects on overall sleep duration.
