Coping with stress, fatigue, or anxiety?  Unable to function with harsh stimulant medications? Ashwagandha Stress Support by Seeking Health provides gentle, well-tolerated support for anxiety and stress-related conditions.  Traditionally, ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is used in Ayurvedic medicine for a wide variety of ailments, from muscle weakness and fatigue to rheumatism to senility.  This plant-based medicine is classified as an adaptogen, meaning that it provides the body with support to adapt to physical and psychological stressors.

Ashwagandha is native to Africa, India, and the Mediterranean region, and has a long history of use in traditional medicine wherever it is found.  In order to provide empirical evidence for this herb’s long-treasured healing properties, the health benefits of ashwagandha have been investigated in a number of clinical trials.

Ashwagandha shows promise as a supplement to support:

The primary active compounds in Ashwagandha are known collectively as withanolides.  Out of the 35 that have been isolated and studied, some have shown potent therapeutic effects.  Withanolide A, found exclusively in the roots of the plant, has been shown to have an effect on the nervous system, promoting the regrowth of synapses. This property makes ashwagandha potentially helpful for a wide range of neurological ailments.

A study of mice given ashwagandha root extract for twenty days showed a significant increase in T4 hormone, indicating that ashwagandha has a stimulatory effect on the thyroid gland.  This along with the antioxidant activity makes ashwagandha a potentially useful tool in the natural treatment of hypothyroidism.

In unhealthy plants, however, the production of withanolides is significantly lessened.   To ensure that Ashwagandha Stress Support by Seeking Health is potent and effective, the ashwagandha extract used is standardized to contain at least 1.5% of these active compounds, and contain no fillers, flow agents or binders that would render it useless to the human body. A common flow agent used in most supplements is magnesium stearate. Seeking Health does not use magnesium stearate in any of their product line.

Suggested Usage:
A typical dose of ashwagandha is about 300-500 mg of standardized root extract per day.  

Dr Ben recommends taking 1 capsule of Ashwagandha Stress Support thirty minutes before sleep. This amount has clinically shown improved sleep in many of his patients. For those with more serious insomnia, stress or anxiety, consider taking 2 capsules three times a day. Start low and work up in the dose of Ashwagandha. Do not exceed 6 capsules a day.

Given that Ashwagandha is a tonic herb, one has to take it daily to obtain the desired effect. Ashwagandha is not a strong stimulant nor is it a strong depressant. It appears to act as a tonifying balancer of the nervous system. This ability allows one to function more optimally in our stressed-out, fast-paced society.

Larger doses may cause gastrointestinal upset, and may interact with barbiturate medications.  Alcohol and other sedatives should be avoided while taking ashwagandha.  Large doses may also cause miscarriage, so ashwagandha should not be taken by pregnant women.  Consult your healthcare professional to discuss whether Ashwagandha Stress Support is right for you.

See attached monograph article below on Ashwagandha.

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References:

1.    Kataria, Hardeep et al. “Water Extract of Ashwagandha Leaves Limits Proliferation and Migration, and Induces Differentiation in Glioma Cells,” Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, published online http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org: Dec. 2009.

2.    Silvia D. Stan, Yan Zeng, and Shivendra V. Singh. “Ayurvedic Medicine Constituent Withaferin A Causes G2 and M Phase Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Breast Cancer Cells,” Nutrition and Cancer, vol. 60: 2008.

3.    Mahdi, Abbas Ali et al. “Withania somnifera Improves Semen Quality in Stress-Related Male Fertility,” Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, published online http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org: Sep. 2009.

4.    Sangwan, Rajender Singh et al. “Withanolide A Biogeneration in in Vitro Shoot Cultures of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera DUNAL), a Main Medicinal Plant in Ayurveda,” Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, vol. 55: 2007.

5.    N/A.  “Monograph: Withania somnifera,” Alternative Medicine Review, vol. 9 (2): Jun. 2004

6.    Cooley K, Szczurko O, Perri D, Mills EJ, Bernhardt B, et al. “Naturopathic Care for Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” PLoS ONE vol. 4(8): 2009.

Disclaimer: All information relating to medical and health conditions, products and treatments, is for informational purposes only. The information provided is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician.