Ashwagandha, is a plant-based adaptogen that has been used in traditional medicine
for thousands of years and Modern day science is now exploring all the purported health benefits
of Ashwagandha. From decreasing stress levels, increasing endurance,
aiding in memory and cognition, and improving sexual function. Ashwagandha is seen as a
superhero in the world of natural herbal remedies. But one question always comes up,
how do I get the best results when I take it. Its a question that you guys have been asking for,
so im here today to discuss it, so you dont want to miss this, stay tuned till the end.
Hi guys, yaseen arsalan, media pharmacist here on youtube, on this channel,
I help you guys make better and more informed decisions about your health and wellness. So
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Also, while you're at it, hit that subscribe button too to join the aspires family,
So without further ado, lets get straight into it. Now, if youve been following me for a while now,
youll know Ive already talked about ashwagandha. What it is, what it is used for, who and who
shouldnt take it, and general information. So click the i button at the upper right hand corner
to watch that video as well. This video is geared towards those who have the okay to start taking
it per their doctors approval or have been taking it for a while, what tips they should know of to
get the best results. And it will be broken down into 2 tips for maximizing the benefits. Number 1:
The amount and timing on when to take it, day or night. And Number 2:
The types of ashwagandha out there and if one works better than the other. Because lets face it,
as the body of evidence grows for the use of adaptogenic herbs, everyone wants to come out
with their own version of ashwagandha. Its important to have an idea for what to look
for and whats out there on the market.. So without further ado, lets address the amount.
Typical dosage is 300mg of ashwagandha standardized to withanolide content of at least
1 to 5% withanolides once or twice a day. Now thats just standardized. For lowering stress and
anxiety, Most benefits are linked to dosages of 500–600 mg per day taken for at least one month.
For enhanced muscle growth and strength, 600 mg of ashwagandha per day for eight weeks led to
a 1.5–1.7 times larger increase in muscle strength and 1.6–2.3 times higher increase in muscle size,
compared to a placebo. But when you look at memory:Although a short study, but noteworthy,
an 8-week study in 50 adults showed that taking 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily
significantly improved general memory, task performance, and attention. If youre using it for:
balancing testosterone and supporting male fertility: ranges of 300 milligrams
of root extract twice daily to 5,000 milligrams/day has been seen as well.
Bottomline: Dosages vary depending on your needs, but 250–600 mg per day
for at least one month seems to be that sweet spot that is observed. Since every manufacturer
will have their own directions, please refer to the directions on the label and ask your local
pharmacist if you need further clarification. The second tip is to understand the timing.
Choosing when to take ashwagandha largely depends on your personal preference.
If youre looking at taking it at morning: remember that taking it on an empty stomach
may lead to mild stomach discomfort in some people. So it may be best to take it after
breakfast or after eating a small snack. If youre looking at taking it at bedtime. It may better
for those who are still experiencing stomach discomfort with it even after eating a meal.
Bottomline: It’s most important to choose a time when you’ll be most consistent in taking it,
as well as what feels best for you. The third tip is to really get down to
understanding your products. Which is huge. Ashwagandha is available today in a variety
of forms, including ashwagandha capsules or tablets,tinctures, raw powder, and a growing
number of commercial beverages and foods. Whatever way you are taking it, its best to remember that:
the effects are cumulative, so you will need to take it regularly and consistently to reap its
long-term benefits. Foods and beverages that use ashwagandha as a whole herb
rather than an extract may only include small amounts, with the amounts not always listed. If
you want to maintain a consistent daily dosage of ashwagandha, it’s best to look for products
that list the amount of ashwagandha included, as well as the potency. And that is key here,
the potency and quality of the ashwagandha in different products can vary widely,
depending on how the herb is grown and prepared, whether the product is standardized,
and what quality controls are in place. it’s hard to know exactly what you’re getting,
if this is not clear. So for the best results, you do need to consider some things first.
The first is: that USDA organic label. Organically grown plants are considered safer and healthier
because they are free of potentially toxic residue from chemical pesticides and fertilizers,
as well as artificial additives, preservatives, and GMOs. Whether or not you prefer to eat organic
foods or believe in them, there are good reasons to look for organic certification for your herbal
medicines. Organic certification requires rigorous third party documentation, inspection, and testing
to ensure that strict guidelines are followed for how ingredients are sourced, grown, harvested,
stored, transported, and sold. That alone, gives you a little more piece of mind. If
you dont want to consider organic, than its important regardless to have the supplements
independently tested and verified by an outside company such as ConsumerLab, (USP), or NSF.
The second thing to consider is: Whole herb vs standardized extracts. Many ashwagandha products
on the market use a simple, whole herb preparation in which the plant (usually the root) is either
dried and ground or steeped in alcohol to make a tincture. This is consistent with traditional
herbal practices. Whole herb preparations contain the full complexity of the plant
with all of its known and unknown bioactives, in more or less unknown concentrations. SO in short,
whole herb medicines are low in potency, requiring higher doses to achieve results. Which leads to a
limited shelf life, and even more losing potency as soon as the herbs are picked.
Now im not against the whole herb method,My concern,
from a scientific perspective , is that they lack controls to ensure a consistent product
with consistent effects. The potency and chemical makeup of the herb is highly variable,
depending on the regional variety of the plant, geographical and soil conditions,
time of harvest, processing methods, and many other factors that may play a role.
Medicines with an inconsistent chemical profile is also a poor candidate for scientific research,
which is why whole herb medicines lack clinical studies to validate their efficacy.
What we know is that The strong body of clinical research supporting ashwagandha is based
almost entirely on the study of standardized ashwagandha extracts, and not the whole herb.
The big problem here is people disregarding extracts for the whole herb when sientists
need to ensure that the chemical profile of the herb remained consistent from batch to batch.
Thats why Standardized extracts are generally more potent than the whole herb — in the case of
ashwagandha, about 10 times more potent — and will retain that potency for years to come.Speaking
of potency, this is usually measured as concentration of withanolides, and is
displayed on the label and will be consistent with each dose, allowing you to control your dosage
precisely. You dont get that with the whole herb. So When it comes to quality and efficacy,
which are the 2 important factors that you need to get the most benefits from ashwagandha,
two branded ashwagandha extracts stand far above the rest: What are they?
They are: KSM-66 and Sensoril. These are both standardized, high potency, full-spectrum,
certified organic extracts with a long list of verified health benefits
backed by clinical studies.. KSM-66 ashwagandha , which is Standardized to 5%
withanolides,has been tested and evaluated in 13 clinical trials following randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled designs. And The most common dosage used for these
human clinical trials was 600 mg per day. So To achieve the results shown in the studies,
look for an ashwagandha product that includes 600 mg of KSM-66 per serving,
or 300 mg per serving with two doses per day. And ill have links for them in description below.
This is the second video I made on ashwagandha, and I urge you to watch the first one I made
earlier as it goes over some safety tips as well. I know this was a lot of information, but from the
overwhelming amount of questions you guys left me in the last video. I decided it would be best to
address some of those questions with this one. Let me know if you want to see more content on
this topic as well. I hope that this video helps give you a better understanding on ashwagandha
as a whole, like the video if you did enjoy, and subscribe to not miss out on future videos..
Thanks for sticking tuned till the end, and as always, Ill see you on the next one.