Ashwagandha benefits are well-known.
For thousands of years, people have taken ashwagandha to reduce stress, boost energy, and sharpen focus.
Ashwagandha, which means ’smell of the horse’ in Sanskrit, alludes to both the herb’s aroma and its potential for boosting power.
Withania somnifera is its scientific name, although it is commonly referred to by several other names, such as ‘Indian ginseng’ and ‘winter cherry’.
Ashwagandha is a tiny shrub with yellow blooms that is indigenous to Southeast Asia and India.
I’m sure you must have heard about this amazing herb before.
Let’s get to know how ashwagandha benefits you with your health-related concerns.
Table of Contents
Ashwagandha Benefits for Females
To focus on just a few of ashwagandha benefits, we are going to focus on its capacity to enhance female health. Let’s take a closer look:
1. Acts as an Anti-aging Agent
When it comes to aging, stress is the worst enemy.
Age, stress, and disease are all closely correlated with elevated levels of cortisol, the catabolic stress hormone.
Chronically high levels of cortisol can catabolize skin tissue, resulting in old, weak, and wrinkle-prone skin.
Additionally, cortisol might inhibit the metabolism, resulting in tiredness, lethargy, and impeded regeneration. Cortisol is one of the main causes of cognitive decline since it is extremely harmful to the brain and catalyzes the epidermis.
Fortunately, reducing the synthesis of this hormone is one of Ashwagandha’s key advantages. According to studies, ashwagandha can lower cortisol levels by up to 20% in just 60 days.
2. Improves Menopause and PMS
A progesterone deficit is directly linked to the symptoms of PMS and menopause. Numerous issues arise in the female body when progesterone levels are low and estrogen levels are high.
This hormonal imbalance causes hot flashes, mood swings, bloating/cramping, headaches, bleeding problems, and other symptoms.
A progesterone deficiency contributes to these symptoms in a variety of ways.
Briefly, hormonal imbalances due to PMS and menopause worsen metabolism, impede blood flow throughout the body, and increase the activity of stress hormones.
On the bright side, ashwagandha can ease PMS and menopausal symptoms by influencing the endocrine system and increasing progesterone production. Studies have even revealed ashwagandha supplementation to lessen signs like hot flashes, mood swings, and anxiety.
3. Ashwanghada Benefits with Improved Libido
Ashwagandha is a powerful herb for increasing libido. It boosts sexual satisfaction and promotes conception.
In one study, it was discovered that women who were supplemented with ashwagandha saw significant increases in arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and overall sexual pleasure.
4. Fertility Health
Stress, illness, and age significantly decrease the production of the hormone responsible for regulating fertility, progesterone.
There are two main ways that ashwagandha supports healthy fertility.
As discussed above, it decreases cortisol, a powerful opponent of progesterone and fertility health. Stress ‘kills the mood’ because of this.
On the other hand, ashwagandha also directly increases the synthesis of progesterone, the hormone associated with conception and pregnancy.
5. Lowers Prolactin
Overproduction of prolactin by the pituitary results in hyperprolactinemia. Because prolactin is boosted by estrogen, women are more likely to develop this illness.
Several health conditions, particularly those that appear to affect women more frequently, such as osteoporosis, hypothyroidism, migraine headaches, PMS, infertility, PCOS, breast cancer, and hair loss, are linked to high prolactin levels.
This herb reduces prolactin levels, which can help with symptoms of various metabolic stress-related conditions, even if you do not have hyperprolactinemia.
Ashwagandha Benefits for Males
Ashwagandha benefits are for men, as well. Let’s have a look:
1. Boosts Testosterone
Testosterone is the hormone that influences male sexual drive.
Ashwagandha supplements increase testosterone and male fertility.
In studies, DHEA-S, a sex hormone involved in the production of testosterone, increased by 18% in response to the ashwagandha supplement. Additionally, those who took the herb had testosterone levels that were 14.7% greater than those who took a placebo. They also reported feeling more energetic and less tired.
Another study found that testosterone levels were five times higher in guys who took ashwagandha while lifting weights than in males who did not, leading to improved strength and muscular mass.
Read more about low testosterone symptoms.
2. Enhances Sexual Pleasure
Ashwagandha increases the production of nitric oxide in the bodies of males. The supply of blood to the genitals also increases. So, guys can benefit from ashwagandha powder.
Studies show that ashwagandha reduces stress, which affects sex drive, and relaxes the body enough to boost desire and pleasure. Ashwagandha tablets help men by increasing testosterone levels and enhancing sexual drive and desire.
3. Improves Athletic Performance
According to Ms. Anam Wajid, a qualified nutritionist, ashwagandha benefits you with enhanced physical performance, including strength. It boosts the oxygen used during exercise.
4. Increases the Sperm Count
Ashwagandha increases male desire, therefore it stands to reason that sperm counts will rise.
In a study, a group of males received ashwagandha pills over 90 days. The findings showed that sperm counts increased by 167% in men who used ashwagandha supplements. Moreover, it improved sperm concentration and motility in men with low sperm counts.
5. Helps with Erectile Dysfunction
One of the causes of erectile dysfunction may be stress and anxiety. Due to its part in controlling cortisol levels, ashwagandha can reduce stress. Reduced stress improves libido function and makes it easier to cope with early ejaculation.
6. Increases the Sperm Motility
The capacity of the sperm to travel freely is referred to as sperm motility. It is a prerequisite for having a strong sex drive since it is just as important as sperm count.
Ashwagandha aids in the healthy sperm swimming at a speed of 25 micrometers per second.
Reduced motility lowers a woman’s likelihood of becoming pregnant. Ashwagandha is beneficial for the male reproductive system and can increase sperm motility, sperm count, and semen quality, according to research.
General Health Benefits of Ashwagandha
Apart from the enhanced sexual health of both men and women, ashwagandha benefits your health and overall well-being as well, e.g:
1. Relieves Stress and Anxiety
Perhaps the most well-known benefit of ashwagandha is its capacity to reduce stress. It dramatically lowers an individual’s stress and anxiety levels.
Moreover, ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which is a substance that aids the body in coping with stress. This lessens the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates your body’s stress response.
Read about breathing exercises to relieve stress and anxiety.
2. Lowers Blood Sugar
Males with diabetes or high blood sugar levels can benefit from ashwagandha powder.
Treatment with ashwagandha dramatically reduces oxidative stress indicators, blood lipids, HbA1c, insulin, and blood sugar levels.
Ashwagandha contains powerful anti-diabetic ingredients such as Withaferin A. This encourages the bloodstream’s glucose to be absorbed effectively by your cells.
3. Sharpens Focus and Memory
Ashwagandha may aid in enhancing mental acuity, memory, and the capacity for effective motor responses following instruction.
It may reduce your reaction times during cognitive and psychomotor tests, which gauge your capacity to follow instructions.
4. Supports Heart Health
You can improve your cardio-respiratory endurance with ashwagandha.
Simply said, it can help decrease chest pain, high blood pressure, and cholesterol to improve heart health.
Improves Sleep
It turns out that one of the many benefits of ashwagandha is hinted at in the Latin name. The Latin name for this plant is Withania somnifera, which translates to ‘sleep-inducing’.
This herb may help you wake up with better mental clarity and a more balanced level of tension. It also improves overall sleep quality.
5. Improves Bone Growth
Men’s testosterone levels decline as they get older. The body produces more testosterone as a result of consuming ashwagandha.
Adequate testosterone levels are required for enhanced bone density, muscle mass, and strength.
How to Take Ashwagandha?
For therapeutic uses, you can consume ashwagandha roots and berries.
It also comes in supplement form as tablets, capsules, powder, tinctures, and tea.
The best approach to introduce the herb and aid with hydration is to start with ashwagandha tea.
If you want to be more creative, you can directly add ashwagandha in its raw or powdered form to your food. The powder can be added to smoothies, granola, overnight oats, and nut butter.
A tasty ashwagandha latte with cinnamon and almond milk can provide you with ashwagandha benefits.
The best alternative for a therapeutic dosage is standard root extract capsules (500–1000 mg daily).
A final thought on Ashwagandha Benefits!
With numerous potential health advantages, ashwagandha is a traditional medicinal plant.
It might encourage sound sleep, lessen anxiety and stress, and even enhance cognitive functioning in some people.
For the majority of people, ashwagandha is regarded as relatively safe. Before including ashwagandha in your regimen, you should see a professional dietitian because it isn’t suitable for everyone.
