Ashwagandha is a flowering plant as part of the Solanaceae family. People in India have ranked it as one of the crucial medicinal crops, seeing as different parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine (Ayurveda) to cure different diseases.
It is the roots (organ) which work their magic and is the most recommended for its benefits. They comprise many healthy benefits together with the adaptadogenic effect that improves endurance and can support stress resistance, giving also a boost to calm and serenity.
Researchers have proposed the usage of various substances from the Ashwagandha roots, one of them been the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, nerve-enhancing and immunomodulatory properties.
This article so consequently deals with all the known pieces of information about the effects of Ashwagandha.
Latin name: The magnesium rich plant is known by the scientific classification Whitana Somnifera (L. ) Dunal
Botanical family: Solanaceae. Part used: Root.
1. To improve stress management
Applying it to breakfast would give you an opportunity to utilize Ashwagandha powder entirely.
Integrate the powder into the following preparations to make it easier to take: can be made from smoothie, juice, drinks, water and compote by mixing.
As the article progresses, my reflection begins to delve deeper into the significance and implications of publicly displaying human remains outside museums and heritage sites.
2. Muscle strength enhancement and VO2max promotion
Researchers in one study explored the Ashwagandha’s capacity on muscle strength and recovery. She mentioned that person who took Ashwagandha supplement for six weeks, gain significant mass and strength.
The study not only considers that it will be effective but also suggests that further studies should also be conducted to look at effectiveness of assisting resistance training program, such as weight training. It is worth noting that you could not just develop muscle power or muscle mass by doing sport only.
Besides, the same study proved Ashwagandha capability to improve VO2max , which is the maximum oxygen amount that the body consumes for each unit of time.
It reported that it may be a useful supplement to raise VO2max in athletes and those who are not athletes. This scenario diametrically makes the oxygen work more efficiently, making it possible to redistribute the increases of oxygen in the muscles of the body. Thus, this has the effect of making them work more effectively.
However, the way the disease functions continues to be mysterious and hence studies are also underway to understand its mode of action.
Advice from the dietician-nutritionist:
Having tolerance with Ashwagandha powder in such home-made energy drink, one can start the first day with 1g of powder in the first session. Start with defining the serving size, which should be around 5 g if Ashwagandha is tolerated well.
Add Ashwagandha into the drink for the workout besides having a carbohydrate food of very high GIII (glycemic index) like honey or syrup in order to get the nutrients required by the subject during the workout. Don’t let you forget about infusing the drink with a touch of salt.
Place Ashwagandha into every meal such as pancakes, energy stack, or the early-morning food for you.
To fight against oxidative stress
Without a doubt, Aswaganda is such a plant that contains many active molecules known as withanolides. Altogether, these macromolecules, notably glycowithanolides, was subjected to studies to understand their role in the red oxidative stress symptoms.
This refers to the disproportion of a body in its endogenous pro-oxidant versus antioxidant impairment molecules in which the body is classified as a result of such impairment.
It turned out, that glycowithanolides, due to the increase of the level of antioxidant enzymes in some brain areas (frontal cortex and striatum), had a positive effect on the animals. Thus, this herb facilitates the provision of defense mechanism for the antioxidant enzymes to help in fighting against oxidative stress.
Advice from the dietician-nutritionist:
Start at 1 teaspoon full per day, and then increase toward 5 teaspoons per day.
Add spices and aromatics to recipes to help a person’s antioxidant intake such as turmeric, oregano, garlic and curry.
Eat colorful fruits and legumes all day long as they abundant with antioxidants.
Hair care
Ashwagandha is an herb which is known to avert the stress related issues like hair loss or slow hair growth processes . Overall, the same product would help avoid the appearance of white hair due to its anti-oxidant capabilities.
Well, oxidative stress reinforces this process of aging in cells of human body and often accrues to the hair going gray.
The phenolic compounds present in Ashwagandha combat oxidative stress-related damages that would otherwise have been detrimental to the cells of the hair. Aside from that, Ashwagandha supports the circulation of blood more when it is used as a powder in a shampoo.
What does it do, can it be used?
Orally : start by having 1 gram of ashwagandha powder a day, and then after regular use over a period of time, you can increase it to 5 g or 1 teaspoon a day. It is recommended placing them in the smoothies or juices; you can also fill a glass with water or compote.
By hair application : Ashwagandha can be used in the form of shampoo -or– hair mask. Here is how it goes: just measure out 5 grams of Ashwagandha powder and add it to your own shampoos and masks. Alternatively, you can make your shampoo and mask recipes by using Ashwagandha powder.
To improve sleep?
A meta-analysis of 5 studies (total number of participants – 400) was conducted for evaluation of the abilities of Ashwagandha for overall sleep improvement.
This study outcome revealed that it had a modest and yet helpful effect on the quality of sleep in general, improving the feeling of mental alertness and depleted anxiety.
Therefore, it (soothes) can give relief to the sleeplessness disturbances, like stress or anxiety, and may thus indirectly improve the quality of sleep. In reality, there is no specific ergogenic ingredient that has been identified in Ashwagandha root yet.
Hence, it is currently not possible to draw a definitive conclusion on the undoubtable and direct effect of Ashwagandha on sleep that can be ensured, since both kinds of disturbed sleep and stress can be attributed to many other factors, not only stress. anxiety.
Nonetheless, a very hopeful trial in elderly participants, aged 65 to 80, discovered that Ashwagandha helped improve sleep quality, alertness, and sense of well-being. These competencies were self-rated by the geriatric group of the study participants throughout the 12-week study period. As such, Ashwagandha would still deliver sleep benefits to certain other individuals.
Advice from the dietician-nutritionist:
If you prefer to consume Ashwagandha, start with 5 g at breakfast in your first dose.
Integrate the powder into the following preparations to make it easier to take: liquid foods like smoothies, juice, drinks, water and compote.
Pick out of those that are well known for having positive effects on one’s sleep (Valerian, Passionflower, Hawthorn, etc. ), since the way of action of Ashwagandha is not clear yet.
To promote fertility in men
According to the Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha has a capability to counter or fight some infertility factors. Surprisingly, this phenomenon is related not only to one cause, but to several ones such as hormonal reasons, mechanical problems and so on. Oral intake of Ashwagandha roots is used in the men’s infertility studies regarding the quality of sperm.
Research has strengthened that oral dosage consumption of ashwagandha would positively affect oxidative stress, in particular, reducing lipid peroxidation and eradicating protein carbonylation, which are mechanisms generated by prooxidant molecules.
As a result oxidative stress can therefore be seen as a factor causing and as a factor contributing to sperm quality deterioration. Also, it has been studied that this interaction could degrade about 60% of the total lipids. Saffron would, therefore, curtail the destruction of the lipids residing in sperm membrane reducing the membrane damage.
Not only that, the plant has been detected to increase number and motility of sperms and to become a regulator of reproductive hormones. Nevertheless, the exact molecular mode of action is still not evident in current time.
Consequently, it may not be the ultimate remedy, but rather, it could have a positive outcome on the subject. Actually, infertility is based on many variables, and the compound by itself won’t be able to win the fight against infertility.
Advice from the dietician-nutritionist:
Seek professional assistance from your doctor regarding the remedy most suitable to your condition.
First of all, take 1 g every day. Afterwards, increase the level to 5 g per day or 1 teaspoon. Moreover, a researcher finds out that the effects of Ashwagandha powder occurs between 3 and 6 g consuming it for more than one month period.
Integrate the powder into the following preparations to make it easier to take: smoothies, juices, beverages, water bottles, and jams.
To stimulate cognition
The memory and cognition (the mental processing organized consciousness) functions of Ayurveda are described to be enhanced by ashwagandha.
As such, a pilot study was then undergone to test out how Ashwagandha would affect 50 adults with mild cognitive impairment.
The author reported that Ashwagandha can help improve cognitive functions, including immediate and general memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment and stimulate the brain functions, such as attention, information processing, and executive function .
Advice from the dietician-nutritionist:
Start with a small serving of 1 gram per day, which should then be slowly increased to a heaping teaspoon (5 gram).
Take Ashwagandha powder with breakfast to get convenience of having Ashwagandha powder in morning and to improve its whole body recuperation.
Precautions for use
- The dose should be increased gradually so to decrease the chances of being liable to the effects of drowsiness and digestive pain.
- Pregnant women are advised to abstain from using Ashwagandha .
- Excessive use of the plant should be avoided particularly when one has Solanaceae allergies and hyperthyroidism.
- A patient is advised to seek consultation from their doctor first when taking medications (antidepressants in particular) in order to avoid drugs interactions.