Ashwagandha
Monograph · BAshwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Adaptogenic herb from Ayurvedic tradition. Withanolide bioactives modulate HPA-axis cortisol response, GABA-mimetic activity, and have RCT-supported anxiolytic + testosterone-modulating effects.
How it clearsHalf cleared in ~8h. Most (~96%) gone by ~2d.
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Standardized extracts (KSM-66 root, Sensoril root + leaf, Shoden) drive most published RCTs. Withanolide content (1-5%) is the active marker. Cortisol-reduction signal is reproducible — meta-analysis of 12+ RCTs at 300-600 mg/day shows ~25-30% serum cortisol reduction over 8 weeks. Testosterone signal is smaller + male-cohort-specific (~10-15% lift). Sleep-quality RCTs at 600 mg show modest but reliable PSQI improvement. Cohort consensus: subtle anxiolytic + sleep effect at 300-600 mg, evening-loaded dosing for sleep, morning for cortisol-management.
Documented hormonal pathway with strong mechanistic support. Response is not uniform — users with significant baseline deficiency feel signal earlier and more clearly than those near the normal range. If response feels subtle, that is often a baseline reading, not a compound failure.
Hyperthyroidism contraindication (ashwagandha can elevate T3/T4). Autoimmune contraindication (immunostimulant — caution in lupus, Hashimoto's, MS). Pregnancy contraindication (uterine-stimulant in animal models). Mood-blunting + emotional flatness reported at high doses (>1200 mg) chronic. Liver-injury case reports exist but are rare; most are formulation-specific or unverified. Iceland banned the supplement 2024 over hepatotoxicity case-report cluster — verdict still contested.
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Upload in /historyPer-claim grading. Each claim is graded independently — same peptide, different claims can carry different grades.
- BModerate evidence
Ashwagandha root extract reduces cortisol in stressed adults in RCTs
1 supporting referencesVerified 23d ago - BModerate evidence
Ashwagandha is graded in both Ayurvedic traditional and supplement frames
1 supporting referencesVerified 23d ago
External links to PubMed searches, ClinicalTrials.gov, and FDA materials. We do not host papers — we point at canonical sources.
- PubMedENREVIEWAcademic-fundedVerified 48d agoPratte MA et al. — Ashwagandha anxiety + stress meta-analysis (J Altern Complement Med 2014)
- PubMedENRCTIndustry-fundedVerified 48d agoLopresti AL et al. — KSM-66 ashwagandha RCT for sleep + anxiety (Medicine Baltimore 2019)
- PubMedENRCTIndustry-fundedVerified 48d agoLopresti AL et al. — Ashwagandha + testosterone in overweight men 40-70 (Am J Mens Health 2019 RCT)
DSHEA-classified dietary supplement in US. EU novel-food classification varies. Sold OTC.
Distilled themes from named communities — Reddit threads, forums, creator commentary. Not direct quotes; not clinical evidence. Useful for calibrating expectations against what real self-experimenters report.
Cohort consensus: subtle but reliable cortisol/anxiety lift within 2-4 weeks at 300-600 mg KSM-66. Evening dosing for sleep is the most-replicated protocol. ~10-15% report mood blunting / emotional flatness — discontinue if it appears. Standardized extract is non-negotiable; raw root powder dosing is unreliable.
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