What Is Ashwagandha?

An image of five winter cherries from the Ashwagandha plant

None stand out quite as much in this wild west of online herbal supplements as Ashwagandha. Perhaps it’s because it’s nearly impossible to remember how to spell correctly (specifically for this writer,) but Ashwagandha seems to have a little something for everyone when it comes to benefits.

In this post, we’ll cover the basics about Ashwagandha. That includes,

What Ashwagandha is
It’s history of use
And some information about Ashwagandha’s potential benefits.

Stay tuned to our blog for a future post where we’ll dig into the reported benefits of Ashwagandha and back them up with peer-reviewed studies. Without further adieu…

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera L., is a powerful adaptogenic herb that has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. As an adaptogenic herb, Ashwagandha is believed to help the body better adapt to external stressors (just like functional mushrooms), be they environmental, biological, or chemical, and promote well-being.

The name “Ashwagandha” comes from the two Sanskrit words for horse and smell, respectively. It is a fitting name as the roots of the Ashwagandha plant reportedly smell like a wet horse—earthy and musky.

In Traditional Medicine

Ashwagandha is also known as Indian ginseng and winter cherry. It thrives in the arid climates of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and produces small red husk fruit.

Ashwagandha root has been used in traditional Ayurvedic (Indian) and Unani (Meso-Arabic) medicines for the last 3,000 years. Traditionally, practitioners extract the roots, dry them, and grind them into a powder before adding them to herbal remedies.

What Is Ashwagandha Used For?

If it’s been used for almost 3,000 years, Ashwagandha must be pretty effective, right? But effective at what? Labeling Ashwagandha an adaptogenic doesn’t do this herb enough justice.

Both Ayurvedic and Unani medicines use Ashwagandha root for the following reasons:

Managing Stress by balancing cortisol levels in the body.
Energy by promoting stamina and endurance.
Immune support. Ashwagandha may stimulate the production of white blood cells.
Hormonal balance. Ashwagandha use is believed to increase testosterone levels and help regulate menstrual cycles.
Cognitive enhancement due to its anti-oxidant properties.

How To Incorporate Ashwagandha In Your Routine

Ashwagandha is widely available in various forms, such as powders, capsules, and tinctures. You can consume it by itself or add it to foods and beverages. Generally, you should take your supplement with a meal, as this will help improve its bioavailability.

You can find Ashwagandha root extract in Sunset Lake CBD’s Relax Functional Mushroom Gummies.

Interested in functional mushroom gummies? Read more about them here.

Before You Take Ashwagandha

As with all supplements, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist before adding Ashwagandha to your daily routine. Ashwagandha can interact with some medications in the Benzodiazepine class and lead to undesired side effects.

You should also know that Ashwagandha is an herbal supplement and is not regulated by the FDA. You should always be on the lookout for unreputable sources and steer clear. Always be sure to find retailers that have a good online presence and plenty of reviews.