Even after many millennia, traditional Chinese or Indian medicine can still enjoy great popularity among people all over the world. Often we may not even realise it, but herbs from traditional medicine are very widespread in our country today and their benefits are used by a large number of people. One of them is ashwagandha. However, you may also come across this plant under the name of withania (or vitania) snodar, ashwagandha or Indian ginseng. Either way, it is an herb used in the traditional Indian medicine of Ayurveda. However, apart from India, Ashwagandha is also found in tropical regions of Africa. What is it that makes this seemingly inconspicuous plant so popular? What are its greatest health benefits and does it have any risks? Not only that, you will find out in our article today.
What is ashwagandha?
Let's start pretty gradually. We've already talked about the origins of ashwagandha, but how is it possible that after many millennia it is still one of the most widely used herbs? It is a very powerful adaptogen. Adaptogens are substances that help the body cope with stress. Better said, they positively influence the body's response to stressful situations. It doesn't matter if it's psychological stress, which everyone can probablyor physical stress, which is caused by excessive physical exertion. In this way, adaptogens help to maintain homeostasis, i.e. the balance of the body's internal environment. As a result, adaptogens are popular among athletes as well as among the general population, which nowadays has to cope with more and more stress. For this reason, Ashwagandha is a common ingredient in various dietary supplements that benefit from its effect on stress, among other things.
What are the benefits of ashwagandha?
So what are the specific health benefits that taking ashwagandha brings? A 2011 meta-analysis lists anti-stress, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-arthritic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects among the main benefits. It also highlights beneficial effects on anxiety levels, sperm motility, female sexual difficulties and much more. For strength athletes, the effect on performance or recovery after strength training is also very important. But in addition to this, improvement in VO2max (the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during activity) has also been studied in healthy athletes. Therefore, it can be concluded that ashwagandha provides a multitude of benefits in many areas. Its effect on both physical health and performance, as well as mental health, is undoubtedly the reason why this herb has been followed byfor many millennia, it has been one of the most widely used plants in traditional Indian medicine.
Of course, the results of the studies should be taken with a grain of salt. When you start taking ashwagandha, it doesn't mean that you will suddenly improve your bench top or that you will get rid of all stress from one day to the next. It's just one piece of the puzzle, but it starts with eating rightm, quality sleep, adequate recovery and an ideal training plan.
Does ashwagandha have any disadvantages?
Ashwagandha is generally considered a safe substance. It is generally stated to be safe to take for 3 months. However, as mentioned, this herb has been used for thousands of years. If it really did cause any dangerous negative effects with long-term use, it would probably be discontinued over time. However, there are currently not enough studies to confirm its safety in the long term. On the other hand, there is no indication that it is harmful in any way. This is, of course, if standard doses are observed. Too much of everything is harmful, and ashwagandha is no exception. Excessive consumption can cause problems such as diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting.
Pregnant and lactating women are a chapter in themselves. For this group, the use of ashwagandha is not recommended because its effect on pregnancy has not been sufficiently studied. It must be said, however, that it is generally recommended not to take most of themost supplements for which it is not sufficiently clear how or if they affect pregnancy. If you don't feel well after taking ashwagandha, or simply want to beIf you feel 100% confident about taking ashwagandha, contact your GP first.
How is ashwagandha taken?
Ashwagandha can be taken in several ways. In addition to the traditional oral administration, it can also be takenin the form of a skin cream, but it is also sold in powder form. However, at least in the Czech Republic, in the vast majority of cases you will encounter ashwagandha in the form of tablets or capsules. The various studies that have looked at the use of ashwagandha have worked with doses rangingfrom 120 to 5,000 mg per day. About 1,000 mg per day is considered a safe dose . However, it is generally recommended to take a dose of 600 mg divided into two parts. But of course it should be noted that the size of the dose depends on, for example, what benefits you want to achieve or, for example, your activity during the day. In any case, beginners are advised to take smaller doses at first and gradually increase them if necessary.
Which product to choose?
If you choose to take ashwagandha, you have a very wide range of products available to you. Choosing the best quality one can be quite difficult. So what products do we recommend? We were particularly interested in the BIO Ashwagandha from the BrainMax brand, which boasts a high active ingredient content and a high-quality composition. Ashwagandha from GymBeam doesn't do badly either, and is also available at a very reasonable price. SmartFuel Ashwagandha Extract for a change impresses especially with its price, as it is one of the best value for money on the market. If you are looking for the cheapest possible product, we can recommend Swanson Ashwagandha, which Although it lags a little behind the previous products in terms of quality, it is still a great choice.
And if instead of the classic capsules you are more interested in a separate powderashwagandha powder, we recommend BrainMax Pure Ashwagandha (ashwagandha) powder, which is available in organic quality. Whether you choose one of our recommended products or any other, keep in mind thatthat the most important factor in your choice should be the quality and purity of the ingredients. Avoid products containing unnecessary fillers and other additives.
Summary in conclusion
Ashwagandha is a popular herb that has been used in traditional Indian medicine for thousands of years. Its greatest benefits include anti-stress, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-arthriticanalgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as positive effects on strength and endurance performance. For this reason, it is popular not only among athletes, but in fact among all groups of people. In fact, Ashwagandha helps in many areas, so it finds a use for almost everyone. Its excessive use can cause problems such as the passage ofor nausea, but this is true of any substance taken in excessively high doses. If you choose to use this herb, choose only from truly high quality products and from producers you trust.
For today's article, that's all from us. However, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us in the comments below the article.
Why can you trust us?
Sport has been my lifelong passion, I have been close to it since I was a child. For a long time I was primarily involved in athletics, which also eventually led me to the gym. Every good sprinter knows that to get one tenth of a start, he must therefore sacrifice hundreds of hours in training. And it was this toil behind the curtain, which no one sees, that was my greatest passion.
Every kilo in the gym helped me to move a little closer to my goal and I fell in love with the gym very quickly. Even though I don't race anymore, nothing has changed in my relationship with uncompromising training.