Ashwagandha for Stress

Ashwagandha root extract appears to be highly effective in reducing stress, according to a recent study.

Researchers determined that participants who took a 300-milligram capsule twice daily for 60 days experienced improved:

  1. sleep quality
  2. productivity
  3. mental calmness
  4. relaxation.

Ashwagandha Reduces Cortisol

Blood tests showed an average 27.9 percent reduction in levels of the stress hormone cortisol among the participants, who were described as being under stress at the start of the trial.

The extract “safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance toward stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life,” wrote the study’s authors.

Ashwagandha is considered an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it can help normalize the body’s systems.


“A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Safety and Efficacy of a High-Concentration, Full-Spectrum Extract of Ashwagandha Root in Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Adults” by K. Chandrasekhar et al., Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 1/14/13