An herbal adaptogen with a long history of usage in the traditional system of medicine is Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is primarily cultivated in Asia and Africa. Ashwagandha extract has been utilized extensively in supplements and medicine because of its stress-reducing qualities. Other names for Ashwagandha include winter cherry, Indian ginseng, and Withania Somnifera. Therefore, looking for these terms on a product or traditional medicine signifies the product contains Ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha’s reputation for supporting health has increased as more individuals turn to natural therapies. Choosing the appropriate time to take Ashwagandha will help you get the most advantages without any adverse effects, but it can cause stomach distress for some people.
Here we have gathered the entire information about when you should take Ashwagandha. BudPop has a special series for Ashwagandha you can try on. Read further to know more about the same.
What Is Ashwagandha?
With the definition “like a horse,” the term “Ashwagandha” alludes to Finn’s odor. Ashwa, per the description, is a horse. This herb is used by practitioners as a tonic to increase stamina and lower tension and anxiety. Some people additionally assert that perhaps the herb could be helpful for stress, Alzheimer’s illness, and specific malignancies.
When To Take Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha can generally be taken at any point of the day or evening. Nevertheless, based on your preferences and tolerance, you can take it in the early morning or the evening.
Taking it in the morning
The advantages of Ashwagandha take time to manifest, in contrast to numerous other supplements and treatments. Once you start to feel its effects, it may take days or weeks. For instance, compared to those in the control group, it took more than 10 weeks for the 60 participants in one study who received 300 mg of Ashwagandha daily to notice its full impact on their sleep quality.
As a result, the best time to take Ashwagandha is primarily a personal opinion. You can take Ashwagandha in the morning and other nutrients or pills if you’re using it as a part of your supplement regimen for general health. However, consuming Ashwagandha on an empty belly may cause some people to experience slight stomach pain. As a result, you should consume Ashwagandha after breakfast or as a light snack. Consider including Ashwagandha in a beverage, smoothie, or other meals as an alternative.
Taking it at night
Ashwagandha powder in moon milk can be used before night to improve sleep and increase relaxation. In particular, if you prefer consuming Ashwagandha on an empty stomach, consuming it in the evening may be selected to eating it in the morning if ingesting it causes stomach ache. You can take Ashwagandha at any time of day, even early morning and at night. Your tastes, tolerance level, and the kind of Ashwagandha you decide to take will be significantly impacted by everything you ingest.
How Does Ashwagandha Work?
Ashwagandha contains various bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, compounds, and steroidal lactones. Withanolides are thought to be in charge of most of the plant’s advantages and are found within steroidal lactones. Most of Ashwagandha’s benefits are due to its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Ashwagandha can decrease lipid peroxidation while raising antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Ashwagandha’s ability to reduce cortisol levels suggests that it may impact the central nervous system axis, which is crucial for the stress response.
Its ability to reduce tension and anxiety is aided partly by this impact. Ashwagandha also appears to change the signaling of several neurotransmitters that malfunction in anxiety disorders. Its ability to increase GABAA receptor activation is particularly relevant to its benefits for sleep.
Ashwagandha is regarded to have the ability to improve reproductive health due to its antioxidative qualities as well as its power to increase testosterone levels. Although preliminary research suggests that Ashwagandha may also increase testosterone levels in healthy men, this impact is more pronounced in men with infertility and low testosterone levels.
How Much Ashwagandha Should You Take Each Day?
It is also associated with improved blood sugar levels, mood, and memory and reduced stress and anxiety.
- To Reduce Stress and Anxiety
The medicinal herb appears to assist in reducing cortisol levels, a hormone your adrenal glands generate in response to stress. More specifically, it has been demonstrated that daily doses of 125 mg to 5 grams for 1-3 months reduce cortisol levels by 11-32%. Additionally, taking 500-600 mg of Ashwagandha daily for six to twelve weeks will lessen anxiety and the probability of developing insomnia in those with stress and anxiety disorders.
- To Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Ashwagandha lowered fasting blood sugar levels three times more than a placebo in a tiny, 4-week research involving 25 participants. Another trial on persons with type 2 diabetes found that oral diabetic medication and an Ashwagandha supplement administered for 30 days reduced fasting blood sugar levels. The dosages employed in this research ranged from 250 mg to 3 grams, and they were often divided into 2-3 equal doses dispersed throughout the day.
- To Boost Fertility
Five grams of Ashwagandha per day boosted sperm count and motility in three-month research, including 75 men with fertility issues. Five grams of Ashwagandha per day also resulted in better sperm quality in a different trial with extremely stressed men. Moreover, 14% of their partners had been pregnant by the end of the three-month research.
- To Lower Inflammation and Help Fight Infection
Studies suggest that taking 12 ml of Ashwagandha leaf extracts daily could increase the number of white blood cells that help the body fight. In addition, taking 250–500 mg of Ashwagandha daily for 60 days can lower C-reactive protein levels by up to 30%, a sign of inflammation.
- To Boost Memory
For instance, in a small, 8-week research, 300 mg of Ashwagandha root extract twice daily considerably outperformed a placebo in terms of general memory, attention, and task performance. Additionally, healthy males who took 500 mg of the herb daily for two weeks outperformed those who took a placebo in tests measuring task performance and response speed.
What Are The Associated Risks?
Ashwagandha is typically regarded as safe for the majority of people. High doses, often those above the specified amount on the label, can occasionally cause stomach distress, diarrhea, or vomiting. Because of this, it’s crucial to adhere to the directions on the label and consult your healthcare professional before changing doses. There have been a few isolated reports of liver issues, albeit other toxins in unregulated supplements may cause these. Make sure to buy Ashwagandha from a reputable supplement retailer. Finally, if you’re pregnant, nursing, taking immunosuppressants, sedatives, antidepressants, or any other medications, talk to your doctor before taking Ashwagandha.
Wrapping It Up
Popular adaptogen Ashwagandha has a wide range of health advantages. For best results, you should go for the BudPop brand. Ashwagandha is often used as a powder or capsule that can be taken at any time of day, but BudPop has come up with a unique way with Ashwagandha gummies.
To encourage sound sleeping practices, include them in your evening routine. Taking it early in the morning also fits your performance better. You can take Ashwagandha whenever it’s most convenient because it takes time to start working. Consume it with meals or at night whenever you experience any stomach pain, though.