We got yet another supplement on the block.
Although it's not exactly new, its interest within fitness circles has certainly spiked
in recent memory.
And based on the current scientific data, I gotta say, we might have something interesting
here.
Let's see what this palatial plant known as Ashwagandha is all about.
The name “ashwagandha” is of Sanskrit origin, meaning "horse smell," referencing
the beeeautiful scent of the plant's roots.
And it's these roots of the Ashwagandha plant that is believed to provide most of its health
benefits, being historically used in places like India as a medicinal herb and, of course,
today, processed into various supplement forms.
Its purported health benefits include things like providing energy, improving mood, improving
sleep, and even boosting your immune system.
The science, however, is a bit iffy about this wide-reaching of health benefits Ashwagandha
supposedly offers.
But there are indeed some supported benefits.
According to the awesome research-loving folks at Examine.com, supplementing ashwagandha
has shown to thoroughly and consistently reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress.
It does so, theoretically, by impacting neural pathways that lead to a reduction of stress-related
hormones like cortisol.
And considering that stress and anxiety can influence virtually all facets of life, it's
no surprise why some feel that the benefits of Ashwagandha are indeed wide-reaching, even
if it's not from a direct influence.
So, in terms of a general health supplement, ashwagandha, not too bad.
But what about what you actually came here for?
In terms of fitness, is ashwagandha nothing but hype like all the other short-lived trendy
supplements before it?
Well in certain aspects of fitness, it might be a bit more than that.
In terms of both fat loss and muscle growth, there are relatively limited findings that,
unfortunately, show ashwagandha having very little impact.
But in terms of performance, things do become much more interesting.
A 2018 study found that, over the course of 12 weeks, subjects that supplemented ashwagandha,
on average, improved their squat 1 rep max by almost twice as much as subjects consuming
a starch placebo.
An average 19-kilogram increase with Ashwagandha versus 10 kilos with the placebo.
To a smaller degree, bench press 1RM gains were higher as well.
Similar outcomes were observed in a 2015 study, where again greater bench press and leg extension
1RMs were observed with ashwagandha supplementation versus placebo over 8 weeks.
Also, for VO2max, a measurement of one's cardio performance and fitness, ashwagandha supplementation
thoroughly and consistently outperformed their placebo counterparts.
So, ashwagandha, no compelling effect on fat loss and muscle growth, but surprisingly reliable
evidence for improving performance.
Now, no doubt this sounds pretty good.
But, I wouldn't go cleaning out the shelves of your local drug stores just yet.
Like with every promising supplement that came before it, having some promising data
doesn't mean that there is yet sufficient data.
Especially for strength outcomes, the current research focused mainly on subjects with novel
training experience, which means it doesn't capture outcomes for key populations like
intermediate lifters and of course our lovely advanced brothers and sisters.
Historically, the size of effect for individuals with more training experience are lower than
those with less experience.
It wouldn't surprise me if future data on ashwagandha showed a similar pattern.
But, even for populations that are covered in the research, as consistent as outcomes
may be, it is still limited to only a handful of studies.
And just having a handful of studies, promising or not, isn't enough to position Ashwagandha
in similar vein to more established supplements, like creatine, which even with extensive research,
still has its fair share of ongoing debates about its efficacy.
I think it's best, at this moment, to withhold judgment on Ashwagandha until we get more
data.
But, even acknowledging the importance of more data, I'm pretty sure some of you are
still wondering, "That sounds good and all PictureFat, but should I take it anyway?"
In my humble opinion, the answer is, maybe.
First, taking Ashwagandha supplements does seem generally safe, but of course, consult
with your healthcare pros before starting any new supplement.
But despite the limited fitness data, Ashwagandha does have a solid track record in improving
anxiety and stress.
Needless to say, improving your mental gainz is just as important as improving your muscle
gainz and improving one can very well improve the other as well.
Again, yes, the data is limited on fitness-related outcomes, but I'm honestly quite surprised
that the little data we do have is so consistently positive.
It doesn't mean things won't change later, though, so we'll have to wait and see.
But because of its general safety, effects on stress and anxiety, and fairly promising
data, ashwagandha gets a maybe from me right now, but check back in a couple of years.
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