Observing the powerful ability to revive the immune system, ayurvedic practitioners usually refer to Ashwagandha as “the strength of the stallion”. This is merely a small point of what ashwagandha can actually do. Ashwagandha is beneficial not only for your physical well-being but also your mental well-being, as it is classified as an adaptogen that helps the body maintain homeostasis, even when you are under extreme stress. It helps to reduce inflammation and support mental health. Ashwagandha also helps to naturally improve adrenal and thyroid function just reducing cortisol levels and ultimately reduces your stress levels.
Ashwagandha is a traditional India plant that has been used in Ayurvedic health science for over 2,550 years. It is more often referred to as a “rasayana” which means the length of life. Ashwagandha falls under Solanaceae (nightshade) family and other names for Ashwagandha are Indian ginseng, Withania somnifera, somnifera root, or winter cherry.
Let us study what you need to know about ashwagandha and why it is worth taking.
- Manage Sugar metabolism
When you are stressed, the blood floods with glucose for fast- acting energy. But in chronic stress patients, this persistently increasing blood glucose levels can lead to an increase in the risk of diabetes. Thus, blood sugar is deeply connected to the stress response. Ashwagandha helps to reduce these stress levels and well as reduce blood sugar levels ultimately.
Ashwagandha helps to increase insulin secretion and support insulin sensitivity in the muscle cells. [1]
Cortisol is also known as a stress hormone as it is released by the adrenal gland in response to when you are stressed or when your blood sugar levels get very low. In some cases, the increased cortisol levels may lead to high blood sugar levels and increased fat storage in the abdomen. Ashwagandha is believed to possess the ability to reduce cortisol production, calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety. Study suggests that ashwagandha may help to reduce cortisol levels, thus helping reduce stress and anxiety. [2]
- Boost Stamina and Endurance
According to ancient ayurvedic science, ashwagandha may help to increase physical stamina and improve performance in endurance activities. A research conducted on 40 elite cyclists shows significant improvement in the experimental group in all parameters in those taking 500 mg of ashwagandha root twice a day for eight weeks, whereas placebo group did not show any change with respect to their standard parameters. [3]
- Muscle Strength Gainer
Ashwagandha is known to help increase the muscle mass and strength. A study indicates that ashwagandha may help to improve body composition and increase the strength of the body. [4]
- Reduce Inflammation
Ashwagandha is known to increase the body’s natural defense cell activity and decrease markers of inflammation. A research conducted on humans showed that ashwagandha helps to increase the activity of natural killer cells (the immune cells that fight against an infection and help you to stay healthy) and decrease C- reactive protein (CRP, which is a marker of inflammation). [5]
Ashwagandha root extract is known to help manage body weight and also help with several factors associated with weight loss. A study found that ashwagandha helps to reduce food cravings and supported body weight management in patients with chronic stress. [6]
- Improves Sexual function and fertility
Ashwagandha is known to benefit both men and women’s reproductive system and fertility. It helps to improve arousal, lubrication and satisfaction in women. And boosts spermatogenesis in men. Ashwagandha rot is also known to reduce oxidative stress and increase testosterone and sperm quality in infertile men.
- Supports Cardiovascular health
Ashwagandha helps to reduce oxidative damage and improve the metabolism of lipids, thus helping to reduce triglyceride levels naturally.
- Improves Cognitive function
Chronic stress can have numerous negative effects on your central nervous system and brain. Ashwagandha helps to reduce stress which can ultimately benefit brain functioning and protect against degenerative brain disease. Ashwagandha possess antioxidants that help to fight the free radicals and protect the neurons. Withaferin A and withanolide D are two naturally occurring substances found in ashwagandha that help to improve the cognitive function. There also have been beliefs that ashwagandha may possess a potent neuroprotective function.
Thyroid gland is responsible for regulating a lot of body functions such as energy, hunger and body temperature. Ashwagandha is traditionally known to promote the health of thyroid gland. Ashwagandha has a positive influence on the HPA axis which has the ability to impact thyroid function. Thus, ashwagandha is known to have positive effects on thyroid function and balance them naturally.
- Helps with Adrenal fatigue
Adrenal fatigue is when the endocrine glands (or adrenals) become overworked from a lot of stress. The stress can be mental, physical or emotional, adrenal fatigue usually occurs with chronic stress. This stress can negatively affect the hormonal balance. Ashwagandha may help to assist adrenal function to cope up with this fatigue, by supporting the adrenal glands, mitigating feelings of stress, anxiety and depression and reducing the increased levels of adrenaline.
- Mejora el sueño
In this modern lifestyle, our circadian rhythms have become tilted, thus the body needs something to help with relaxing and reducing sleep issues. Ashwagandha helps to reduce stress and act as a natural relaxant, thus helping in improving sleep quality. It helps to reset your circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle our body carries out for all the physiological processes.
All the aspects of the body are connected with a healthy immune system and Ashwagandha helps to boost the immune system without any doubt. Biogetica combines ashwagandha extract along with other natural ingredients to target various health issues from its root cause so that effects can be long-lasting. We’ve combined this natural extract in several of our protocols that help support the boost immune system, digestion, and brain function.
Browse through our Range of Natural Health Protocols that blend ashwagandha with other potent, bioavailable and clinically renowned ingredients:
Enlaces de referencia:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25796090/
- Biswajit Auddy, Jayaram Hazra, Achintya Mitra, Bruce Abedon and Shibnath Ghosal. “A Standardized Withania Somnifera extract significantly reduces stress- related parameters in chronically stressed Humans: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.” JANA; volume 11; No.1; 2008.
- https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.104444
- https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.100168
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2889
- https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F2156587216641830