Ashwagandha!
What is it? and can it help with anxiety?
Well in this video, we're going to be looking at the science behind Ashwagandha,
Answering four key questions.
What is it? How does it work?
Is it effective? and is it safe?
So that by the end of this video. you'll know whether or not you should be using
Ashwagandha to treat anxiety...
But first, G'day Legends
Welcome back to my YouTube channel
If you're new here, my name is Jesse Crowe
And I'm The Travelling Scientist
Currently living here in Jindabyne, Australia
And on this channel we explore science-based techniques and ideas
to help you live a smarter, happier and healthier life.
Now I've recently made a video all about anxiety and general anxiety disorder,
You can check that out just up here,
And I also have a free e-booklet all about living with anxiety
So if you ever struggle with anxiety, you can download that at any time
It's totally free and it's just in the description down below
So what is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha, also known as Withania somnifera
or...Winter Cherry!!!
How freaking cute is that!? I love that name!
It's an evergreen shrub that grows mainly in India and the Middle East,
But it's also found in other parts of Asia and Africa.
and the name comes from the Hindu word "Ashwa" meaning horse,
And "Gandha" meaning smell,
because apparently it has a strong horsey odour...
Anyway, the name Somnifera is actually Latin for "sleep inducing"
which is pretty appropriate, because Ashwagandha is very well known
for helping you relax and calm down
So how does Ashwagandha actually work?
Ashwagandha is known as an adaptogen, which means it's a natural substance
that helps the body adapt to stress
It's not exactly clear how Ashwagandha works
But after doing some research, everything seems to point to the fact that...
Ashwagandha just improves your overall well-being by regulating certain hormone levels
Things like Adrenaline, Noradrenaline, Dopamine,
And the improved balance of hormone release is believed to
Reduce stress levels, promote relaxation
Improve your sleep and treat your anxiety!
And that all sounds well and good, but what does the research into Ashwagandha actually say?
Well a recent study in 2019 looked at 60 stressed out subjects
And split them into three groups.
One group took 600 milligrams of ashwagandha every single day
One group took 250 milligrams of ashwagandha every single day
and one group took 250 milligrams of a starch placebo every single day
and after eight weeks, it was proven that the subjects who took Ashwagandha every single day
Had much lower stress levels than those who were taking the placebo
And the higher Ashwagandha dosage was associated with greater levels of stress reduction
Furthermore, the study also looked at sleep quality and showed that
The subjects that took Ashwagandha actually had improved sleep quality
compared to those that were taking a placebo
Now there are many many other similar studies that have similar results
And I don't want to bore you with all those details and statistics
Suffice it to say that Ashwagandha does indeed appear to be effective at reducing stress,
Promoting relaxation and treating anxiety...
...Which is awesome!
But what about the side effects of this so-called "winter cherry"?
Look, ashwagandha has been used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine
So it should be relatively safe... but there are a few side effects that I'll tell you about
First is sedation, which makes sense
Ashwagandha is a natural relaxant, so it is going to make you feel tired!
Ashwagandha can also cause headaches
But look, anything can cause a headache...
Take an Aspirin, don't complain!
Ashwagandha can also sometimes cause diarrhoea or nausea
So... Y'know, look out for those
And remember that we don't really know exactly how Ashwagandha works
I'm sorry, I tried to figure it out, but everything just says it improves well-being
But we believe that it does this by regulating certain hormone levels
So if you have any hormone-sensitive conditions
or if you're taking any medications,
Maybe talk to your doctor before you go self-prescribing this
Random ancient Indian root extract that's gonna help you with your mental health...
Just a thought...
Anyway, thanks so much for watching Legends!
Let me know what you think about Ashwagandha in the Comments section down below
I'll catch you in the next one!
Cheers!