Anxiety is a disorder that is quite widespread all over. There are various ways to treat anxiety disorders and there are even several herbal ways to treat the condition; and ashwagandha is one of the herbal medicines that are known to be used for treating anxiety. Let us read on to know if ashwagandha really works for anxiety?
Ashwagandha: How It Works?
Anxiety disorders are disabling conditions having a lifetime prevalence of about 30% in the United States Of America.(1) This is common mental disorder and it is an urgent problem that affects individuals of all ages. Anxiety is usually accompanied by stress, which is actually the physiologic response of the body to any kind of mental or physical threats.
Ashwagandha or Withania somnifera is known to be used since several years by Ayurvedic practitioners in India for treating conditions of anxiety, low energy, and well as for the ravages of aging. This herb has been studied because of its benefits for lowering inflammation, and it is known to help various neurological disorders. Ashwagandha contain several plant compounds and also phytochemicals such as lactones and alkaloids, which are believed to act as hormonal precursors. Ashwagandha is seen as an Adaptogenic or something that helps in increasing effects when there is low activity but blocks excess of stimulation when there is high activity. This is great for the wild hormonal variations that occur with anxiety.
Does Ashwagandha Work For Anxiety?
Now, that’s our real point of interest. Ashwagandha is clinically known to be quite beneficial to calm anxiety, especially the anxiety that happens in crowded or open places or in case of Agoraphobia. This is mostly based on its substantial anecdotal history as well as animal studies. However, there are even more clinical studies that have been performed in this matter.
In a study of 2012, of 64 randomized volunteers that asked their subjects to take either ashwagandha or a placebo two times in a day for 2 months, The group that took ashwagandha capsules of 300 mg concentrated extract of ashwagandha’s root, exhibited a significant reduction in their anxiety scores after 60 days as compared to the placebo group, without causing any side effects.
There were also some more case studies that showed ashwagandha showed benefits in case of stressed women with the adrenal hyperglasia, showing essential changes in progesterone, cortisol, and pregnenolone, and also a noticeable improvement was seen in treating hair loss.
Researchers have reported that ashwagandha blocked the stress pathway in the brains of tested rats by regulating chemical signaling in their nervous system.(2)
There are even a lot of controlled human studies that have shown that ashwagandha can actually reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress in individuals.(3,4,5)
In a study of 60 days in case of 64 individuals suffering from chronic stress, it was found that the group that supplemented with ashwagandha was reported to have 69% reduction in insomnia and anxiety, on an average, as compared with the 11% in the placebo group.(3)
Conclusion:
So, now that we have read about the beneficial effects of ashwagandha in regards to anxiety it can be concluded that it works for anxiety. However, you need to consult with doctor before using ashwagandha for treating your condition.
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