The research: testosterone and ashwagandha

Feels like everyone is talking about it, has heard about it, knows someone who knows something about it - Ashwagandha! We want to bring you up to speed with this blog - so you can get involved in the conversations!

One of its main benefits and most desired health advantages is its potential to increase testosterone - men listen up!  Ashwagandha can boost your testosterone - and that is a good thing for you!

According to one research, Ashwagandha seemed to increase testosterone in males who consumed the root powder. They had testosterone levels that were more than five times greater than men who did not (Wankhede, 2015).

You may have heard that ashwagandha, a nightshade herb, has cancer-fighting and muscle-building properties. However, many individuals use it in the hopes that it would increase testosterone. Are the claims made about ashwagandha scientifically supported and how does it alter testosterone levels? Learn more by reading on.

We at Nutra Nourished recently launched Ashwagandha Capsules as a new product and we want to give you an overview on the great health benefits of it.

The nightshade family includes the adaptogenic herb ashwagandha. Traditional Ayurvedic, Indian, and African medicines have traditionally used preparations manufactured from the plant's roots and berries. One of its most desired health advantages is its potential to increase testosterone. Other possible benefits include enhancing general wellness, decreasing inflammatory indicators, and boosting muscular strength and size. Ashwagandha may directly increase levels of testosterone, but it also may do so indirectly influencing cortisol levels.

A little like a Swiss Army knife for nutrition, ashwagandha. Ashwagandha root is regarded as a "Rasayana" medicine; the Sanskrit term "Rasayana" means "way of essence." It's an Ayurvedic medical procedure that pertains to the study of life extension.

Withania somnifera, often known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, is the name given to ashwagandha in scientific terms. It belongs to the family of medicinal plants known as adaptogens, which includes herbs and roots that are widely used in alternative medicine and that assist the body in adjusting to or coping with a variety of stimuli, both physical and mental. 

American and Siberian ginseng, a few fungi like cordyceps, and Rhodiola rosea are other well-known adaptogens. Ashwagandha is one of several of them that have been utilized for ages in Ayurveda and traditional Indian and African medicine.

The majority of your body, including your feet's achy joints and your brain, may benefit from ashwagandha's health properties. However, one of the most common causes for ashwagandha use is unrelated to the brain or the foot. The potential effect of ashwagandha on testosterone is of far greater interest to many individuals.

Ashwagandha and testosterone

So, are these testosterone and ashwagandha claims true? There are some signs that they are! According to one research, the pill seemed to increase testosterone. Males who consumed the root extract had testosterone levels that were more than five times greater than men who did not (Wankhede, 2015).

In one research, 75 men who were fertile and 75 men who were being tested for infertility were compared, and the men who took ashwagandha had higher levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone production (Ahmad, 2010). LH encourages the synthesis of testosterone in males.

Additionally, ashwagandha could be able to aid infertile guys. The root affects this hormone's levels in more ways than one. By raising sperm count and motility in infertile men, it may also significantly increase semen quality (Mahdi, 2011).

Another experiment including infertile males looked at the impact of withania somnifera supplementation on problems with reproduction brought on by stress. Participants' stress levels decreased, and their semen quality improved. By the conclusion of the trial, 14% of the men's partners had become pregnant (Mahdi, 2011).

The putative link between cortisol and testosterone

It's sometimes claimed that there is a link between testosterone and cortisol levels, and that taking ashwagandha supplements may help. According to several research, the increase in cortisol resulted in lower testosterone levels (Cumming, 1983). The key lesson here is that further study is necessary before we completely comprehend this connection. 

Additional benefits of ashwagandha

Withanolides, which are naturally occurring steroidal lactones present in the root and berries of this plant, give it its strong therapeutic properties. And as an adaptogen, it could be able to directly influence our cortisol levels. According to research, ashwagandha may lower blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol (Lopresti, 2019; Chandrasekhar, 2012). It may also greatly enhance mental health, anxiety, and sleeplessness, according to other scientific investigations (Langade, 2019).

Additional touted health advantages of ashwagandha include its capability to combat cancer and increase muscular mass.

Some individuals exaggerate ashwagandha's alleged capacity to fend against cancer. According to preliminary studies, Withaferin A (WFA), a substance isolated from ashwagandha, may in fact help cure malignancies such as those of the breast, colon, prostate, lung, and ovary (Dutta, 2019). To validate these results, however, additional study is required.

The function of ashwagandha plays in enhancing muscle mass is another potential benefit that has more substance. Ashwagandha may assist enhance muscle mass distribution and muscular strength, according to small clinical studies (Ziegenfuss, 2018; Raut, 2012). In a another trial, those who received the herb showed a more pronounced gain in muscle growth and strength when resistance training was added than those in the placebo group (Wankhede, 2015).

Dosage and ashwagandha types

Although ashwagandha is most often found as capsules and powder, you may also find extracts and liquids. Supplements containing Withania somnifera are available online, in supplement and health shops.

However, because the FDA does not regulate supplements—including ashwagandha—it is crucial to purchase from a business you can believe in. Clinical investigations have showed that daily dosages of ashwagandha of 125 mg to 5 g are beneficial (Mahdi, 2009).
Nutra Nourished Ashwagandha provides you 2,600mg - so exactly in the middle of the recommended dosage and it is up to you to increae or reduce your daily dosage.

Again - always get medical advice before starting a supplement program, and start with a lesser dosage to gauge your tolerance.

Possible side effects

Studies examining the benefits of ashwagandha supplementation employed doses as high as 5 g per day. Although relatively few participants in a trial on Withania somnifera suffered adverse effects, one person left the study after feeling increased libido and hunger as well as vertigo when taking the smallest amount of ashwagandha (Raut, 2012).

Although ashwagandha is often well tolerated, certain persons should still stay away from the supplement. Ashwagandha should not be taken by anybody who has a nightshade sensitivity. The nightshade family, which also contains tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, includes this plant.

Before using ashwagandha, discuss with your healthcare practitioner your medical history and any other drugs you may be taking in order to avoid any possible negative effects.

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