Ashwagandha for Work-Life Stress

What is stress?

Stress is our body’s reaction to any kind of real or perceived challenge or threat which can affect our wellbeing. Stress can cause the body to release certain hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to prepare our body to take action. Essentially there are two kinds of stress, acute and chronic, each with different effects on the mind and body.

Chronic stress can put your health at risk

Chronic stress can certainly cause wear and tear on your body and mind. Over a long period of time, chronic stress may contribute to the development of various health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, body pain, sleep problems, weight gain, autoimmune diseases, eczema, psoriasis and depression.

What is Aswagandha?

Aswagnadha (Withania somnifera) also known as Indian winter cherry is an Ayurveda herb  which comes from the evergreen plant that grows to about 4-5 feet tall. It is found in dry areas of India and the Middle East, as well as parts of Africa.

 

How can Aswagandha help with stress?

 Ashwagandha has been used by Ayurvedic practitioners for centuries to aid in a variety of health conditions. Recently, Aswagnandha has become popular for its ability to help the body cope with daily stress. This Ayurvedic herb is known to help reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by your adrenal glands in response to stress.

 Clinical research on  Aswagandha

A research study by Anishetty et al  demonstrates that consuming Ashwagandha root extract 300 mg twice daily after a meal for 60 days reduces perceived stress levels by 33% to 44%, and decreases cortisol levels by 22% to 28%, compared to the baseline in adults with chronic stress. These improvements are significant compared to the changes seen in patients treated with placebo.

Another study by Joshi et al has shown that Ashwagandha root extract also seems to prevent stress-related weight gain compared to placebo  52 subjects undergoing chronic stress received 300mg of Ashwaganda or placebo twice daily as part of the trial. Primary efficacy measures were taken and each subject was assessed, concluding that each subject was assessed at the start and at 4 and 8 weeks. They found that  treatment with Ashwagandha resulted in significant improvements in all measures taken, including weight management in relation to chronic stress.

How safe is Aswagandha?

Ashwagandha is considered safe and effective, however avoid using it if you are pregnant or breast feeding.

Is Aswagandha approved by Health Canada?

Yes. Dr Kohli’s Aswagandha Capsules are approved by Health Canada

Assigned NPN: 80021698

How much Aswagandha should be taken daily?

Adults  can take  1-2 capsules 2 times a day

 

References

API 2001: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Volume I, 1st edition. New Delhi (India): Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Indian Systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy; 2001.

Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. 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. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-62.

Choudhary D, Bhattacharyya S, Joshi K. Body weight management in adults under chronic stress through treatment with ashwagandha root extract: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017 Jan;22(1):96-