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Ashwagandha: Potential Benefits, Known Risks, and More

Ashwagandha: Potential Benefits, Known Risks, and More
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By
and Kathleen Ferraro
Updated on June 19, 2024
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Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.

Ashwagandha is an herb that's been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine and is now commonly taken as a supplement for stress management. Some claim the adaptogen (a plant that can help your body adapt to stress) has additional possible benefits for energy, sleep, and fertility.

But is there evidence to back up these purported benefits? Here, the experts break it down, along with potential risks, optimal dose, and more.

Potential Health Benefits of Ashwagandha

Preliminary evidence suggests ashwagandha may improve stress, sleep, fertility, and immune function. But many studies include only small groups of people, which limits the ability to generalize findings to larger populations, says Erin Barrett, PhD, a nutritional biochemist at Shaklee Corporation, based in Boulder, Colorado. “Additionally, the majority of these studies have relatively short durations (a few weeks to a few months), so long-term benefits are still unclear,” she says.

Here's a look at the potential benefits.

May Relieve Stress

Ashwagandha has shown promise in reducing stress and anxiety, says Katie Silcox, an ayurvedic teacher and practitioner in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the author of Glow-Worthy. This may be because it helps dial down hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, which is the system responsible for controlling how your body responds to stress.

A meta-analysis of 12 studies found the supplement was associated with reduced anxiety compared with a placebo. The authors noted that the quality of the evidence was low, however. Dr. Barrett adds that larger-scale studies are needed.

May Boost Fertility

Some studies suggest that ashwagandha may support fertility by improving men's semen quality and hormone health in men and women. This may be due to increased enzyme activity in the seminal fluid and lower levels of oxidative stress (an imbalance between harmful molecules and your ability to fight them). But Barrett says these studies aren't large or long-term enough to say for sure.

May Improve Sleep

A review of studies found that taking at least 600 milligrams (mg) of ashwagandha daily for eight weeks or more significantly improved sleep, especially in people with insomnia.

“While the evidence is promising, the exact mechanisms behind its sleep-enhancing properties are not fully understood, and more research is needed to confirm long-term benefits and safety,” says Barrett. Research suggests that ashwagandha's sleep effects may be due to an increase in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid that plays a key role in preparing the body for sleep.

May Support Immune Health

One study found that ashwagandha boosted immune function by increasing the activity of immune cells and molecules like immunoglobulins and cytokines. While this study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (the gold standard of research studies), Barrett says larger and longer-term studies are necessary to get a more accurate picture.

Weight Loss Effect of Ashwagandha

“Although ashwagandha has not been shown to directly promote weight loss, research does suggest that it may play a supportive role in weight management by reducing stress and improving sleep quality,” says Barrett.

There's preliminary evidence to show that ashwagandha could help lower stress levels.

 This might influence weight by reducing stress-related eating behaviors, Barrett says.
Ashwagandha has also been linked to better sleep quality, which Barrett says can support weight loss.

 Research shows that sleep deprivation often leads people to eat too much, especially foods that are high in fat and carbohydrates. This excessive intake can cause weight gain or stall weight loss.

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha may be safe when taken in the short term (up to three months), but there isn't much evidence about its long-term safety.

 What's more, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't regulate supplements before they go to market, so there are potential risks and side effects to keep in mind.

 Be sure to speak with your doctor before you start a new supplement, to make sure it is safe for you and that you're taking a high-quality product.

Risks

One study found that 300 mg of ashwagandha per day was safe for most healthy adults. But safety beyond eight weeks or at higher doses is not well established.

 It's also not safe for everyone: Avoid ashwagandha if you have an autoimmune or thyroid disorder, or have hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

Rare instances of liver injury have been reported, so if you experience any liver-related symptoms like jaundice (yellow skin discoloration) or itchy skin, stop taking ashwagandha and talk to your doctor.

 Pregnant or breastfeeding women should also avoid it due to its potential effects on hormones, says Silcox.

Additionally, ashwagandha may interact with certain medications, including sedatives, thyroid hormone treatments, diabetes medicines, and immunosuppressants, says Barrett. If you take any of these medications, be sure to talk to your doctor before trying an ashwagandha supplement.

Side Effects

You may experience the following side effects while taking ashwagandha:

Forms of Ashwagandha

You can find ashwagandha — alone or in combination with other ingredients — in the following forms:

  • Capsules
  • Extracts
  • Tablets
  • Gummies
  • Softgels
  • Tinctures
  • Powders
  • Patches
  • Food (like granola, beverage mixes, and nonalcoholic beverages)

How to Select and Store Ashwagandha

There are so many ashwagandha supplement options, you may not know where to begin. Here's what to consider.

Selection

The FDA does not approve supplements before they're sold, so you can't be sure a product is safe or contains the ingredients it lists on the label.

But you can identify a high-quality supplement by checking the label to ensure it's approved by a third-party organization like the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF International, or ConsumerLab. This means the product has undergone unbiased testing for quality and purity.

The potency of ashwagandha can vary depending on the specific part of the plant used and how it's prepared, says Barrett. “It's important to choose a product that is standardized to key active compounds (such as withanolides and alkaloids), and clearly states whether it contains whole root powder, a root-only extract, or a root-and-leaf extract.”

Though you can pick a supplement with a combination of these ingredients, it’s helpful to know which components an ashwagandha supplement is made of to determine a safe, proper dosage under the guidance of your doctor.

Storage

Store ashwagandha in a cool, dry environment. Read the instructions on the label of your product to learn if there are any specifications.

Dosage of Ashwagandha

“Typical ashwagandha doses vary based on the type of extract and the intended benefit,” says Barrett. In general, standardized extracts made from root-only or root-and-leaf offer more concentrated effects at lower doses. According to Barrett, these doses can range from 100 to 600 mg per day, and are typically used to potentially help reduce stress and cortisol (a stress hormone).

Meanwhile, ashwagandha supplements made of whole root powders often require a larger dose — up to several grams per day — to see similar benefits, says Barrett.

The Takeaway

  • Ashwagandha is an ayurvedic herb that's commonly taken as a supplement to help manage stress.
  • Research suggests that ashwagandha may also improve sleep, fertility, and immune function.
  • Ashwagandha is generally considered safe for most healthy people to use in the short term, but it may pose risks and cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and headache.
  • Supplements are not fully regulated by the FDA, so talk to your doctor before you try ashwagandha.

Common Questions & Answers

What is ashwagandha good for?

Ashwagandha is a popular adaptogenic herb, which means it may be able to help build your body's resilience against stress and anxiety.

Ashwagandha is generally considered safe to take daily in the short term (up to three months). If you're taking ashwagandha longer than that, it may still be safe for you, but speak with your doctor before starting.

There is some evidence that ashwagandha may improve anxiety and stress. That said, ashwagandha alone may not be enough for those who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Speak with a mental health professional to discuss what approaches are right for you.

Ashwagandha may have mild side effects such as nausea, headache, drowsiness, stomach upset, and diarrhea.

Avoid ashwagandha if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, are about to have surgery, have an autoimmune or thyroid disorder, or have hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking medication to ensure it won't interact with ashwagandha supplements.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Ashwagandha: Is it helpful for stress, anxiety or sleep? National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. December 5, 2024.
  2. Akhgarjand C et al. An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract. Medicine. September 13, 2019.
  3. Akhgarjand C et al. Does Ashwagandha Supplementation Have a Beneficial Effect on the Management of Anxiety And Stress? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Phytotherapy Research. November 2022.
  4. Nasimi Doost Azgomi R et al. Effects of Withania somniferaon Reproductive System: A Systematic Review of the Available Evidence. BioMed Research International. January 24, 2019.
  5. Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Extract on Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS One. September 24, 2021.
  6. Sprengel M et al. Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) supplementation: A review of its mechanisms, health benefits, and role in sports performance. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2025.
  7. Tharakan A et al. Immunomodulatory Effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) Extract — A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial with an Open Label Extension on Healthy Participants. Journal of Clinical Medicine. August 18, 2021.
  8. Langade D et al. Clinical evaluation of the pharmacological impact of ashwagandha root extract on sleep in healthy volunteers and insomnia patients: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. January 10, 2021.
  9. Papatriantafyllou E et al. Sleep Deprivation: Effects on Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance. Nutrients. April 2022.
  10. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. February 21, 2024.
  11. Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, study in Healthy Volunteers. Complementary Therapeutic Medicine. March 2021.
  12. Ashwagandha. LiverTox. December 3, 2024.
  13. Ashwagandha. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. April 24, 2024.
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