What is Ashwagandha? Part 3

A short digression regarding the Ayurvedic multi-talent.

In the previous part of the Ashwagandha blog, we learned that taking the Ayurvedic all-rounder can reduce stress and improve sleep quality. In the process, we made the bold claim that it could also have a positive effect on our hormonal system (especially testosterone) and athletic performance. Have we gone too far with these assumptions? Let's find out!

In 2021, Bonilla et al. published a systematic review including meta-analysis on the effect of Ashwagandha (versus placebo) on physical performance, in which they included 12 studies with a total of 615 healthy subjects (with and without training experience).

Five of these studies investigated the influence of Ashwagandha intake on strength and power, examining various parameters such as grip strength, leg and arm muscle strength, and maximum acceleration.

Two of these studies also determined the effect of Ashwagandha supplementation on testosterone levels.
The remaining seven studies investigated the effect of Ashwagandha intake on cardiovascular fitness (VO2max and hemoglobin concentration in the blood).

Last but not least, exhaustion and regeneration parameters, which were additionally investigated in the individual studies, were also evaluated.

The result of Bonilla and his working group: Compared to placebo, taking Ashwagandha was more effective in improving athletic performance, both in terms of strength, explosive power and endurance. Taking Ashwagandha also proved to be effective in terms of exhaustion and regeneration parameters.

Let’s dive a little deeper and look at some of the studies in detail:

Thicker arms through Ashwagandha?
In 2015, Wankhede and colleagues published the results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in which they administered 600 mg of Ashwagandha extract (2x 300 mg) or a placebo every day for eight weeks to young men with little training experience. The subjects trained four days a week according to a training plan based on guidelines from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The measurements of the tested parameters were carried out on the first day of training and two days after completion of the eight-week program. While both groups of subjects increased in both strength and muscle mass, the gains in the Ashwagandha group were in some cases significantly greater.

The placebo group was able to increase their bench press weight by 26.42 kg, but the Ashwagandha group was able to increase it by a full 46.05 kg. The Ashwagandha group also had the advantage in terms of strength gains in leg extensions, a measure of quadriceps strength, after eight weeks of training (+14.5 kg vs. +9.77 kg).

The Ashwagandha group also achieved greater success in terms of increasing upper arm and chest circumference. As far as increasing thigh circumference is concerned, no significant difference was found between the Ashwagandha and placebo groups.

Another parameter measured by Wankhede and colleagues was body composition (body composition, ratio of muscle mass to body fat). After eight weeks of supplementation and strength training, the Ashwagandha group was able to reduce their body fat percentage by an average of 3.47%, while the placebo group only reduced it by 1.52%.

The serum testosterone level in the Ashwagandha group increased by a mean of 96.19 ng/dl, while in the placebo group it increased by 18.0 ng/dl.

Creatine kinase (CK) was used as a marker for regeneration. The less of this enzyme is released from the muscles into the blood after training (measurement: 24-48 hours), the better the repair of the muscle cells after training, which is equated with improved regeneration.

In both the placebo and Ashwagandha groups, regeneration was better after the eight-week training program than before, which suggests that the body gets used to the strain and also adapts its regeneration capacity. Nevertheless, the Ashwagandha group was ahead here too: the subjects in the Ashwagandha group had significantly lower CK levels in their serum than the subjects in the placebo group.

The authors conclude that taking an Ashwagandha extract increased adaptations to strength training compared to the placebo group. All parameters, except for thigh muscle thickness, were significantly improved by taking Ashwagandha!

The authors cite hormonal adaptations (testosterone ↑, cortisol ↓) and the ability of Ashwagandha to increase mitochondrial energy levels as potential mechanisms that lead to the Ashwagandha-induced increase in strength and muscle mass. And we know from middle school biology class that mitochondria are the energy powerhouses of cells!

The effect of Ashwagandha on the nervous system, which can lead to greater focus and concentration, could also contribute to the improved muscular adaptations through resulting better coordination and muscle fiber recruitment, the authors say.

A study published in 2018 by Ziegenfuss and colleagues examined the effect of 12 weeks of taking 500 mg of Ashwagandha extract on various markers of athletic performance. The participants were young, healthy men with moderate training experience. As part of the study, the subjects followed a training program consisting of four units of strength training per week. Compared to placebo, the Ashwagandha group was able to increase their performance in squats and bench presses (representative of lower body and upper body strength). A deterioration in body composition that was observed in the placebo group during the 12 weeks was prevented by taking Ashwagandha. Furthermore, taking the Ashwagandha extract was able to improve endurance performance (cycling) and the perceived ability to regenerate (determined by questionnaire).

As always, additional research is needed to confirm the effects and to break down the exact mechanisms of action of the Ashwagandha plant and its chemical components. Nevertheless, we find the data collected so far very exciting and promising. In addition, various studies have not found any undesirable side effects of Ashwagandha supplementation, which is why there is absolutely nothing wrong with a self-experiment. And who knows, maybe you too can increase your bench press performance by 46 kg within 8 weeks. Maybe not - but you should definitely find out!

And if you can't increase the weight of your bench press, you might still benefit from the stress-reducing and sleep-promoting properties of Ashwagandha. Or Ashwagandha improves your mental performance, because there is some interesting data on this too:

Ashwagandha and cognitive function:
In 2014, Pingali and colleagues published the results of a study in which they investigated the effect of taking Ashwagandha on the cognitive and psychomotor function of young, healthy subjects. The subjects took 250 mg of Ashwagandha extract or a placebo twice a day for 14 days. The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in a crossover design, which means that the subjects were given both the Ashwagandha capsule (Ashwagandha) and the placebo. After a subject had taken Ashwagandha for 14 days, the experiment was repeated with the other treatment (placebo) after a so-called "washout period" (in this case 14 days).

Before the experiment began, the initial state was determined, after which the subjects began taking Ashwagandha for 14 days. After the supplementation was completed, the cognitive and psychomotor tests were repeated. The result: By taking Ashwagandha, the subjects' reaction time was significantly improved.

Xing and colleagues examined the effect of acute Ashwagandha supplementation on cognitive function. To do this, they administered 400 mg of an Ashwagandha extract to 13 healthy volunteers in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study.

The subjects had to complete a series of virtual cognitive function tests to test parameters such as reaction speed, attention and short-term memory. The tests were initially carried out without taking the supplement to establish a baseline and then repeated hourly for six hours after taking the supplement to determine the subjects' cognitive function.

Compared to placebo, Ashwagandha intake was able to improve certain aspects of cognitive function, including working memory and the maintenance of attention over a longer period of time.
Sure, Ashwagandha unfortunately doesn't work like NZT in the movie "Limitless", but if it can also improve your mental performance in addition to the other positive effects (less stress, better sleep, more strength and muscle mass, more testosterone), that's pretty good.

Closing words:
It is very exciting that the diverse effects that Ayurvedic medicine has attributed to the Ashwagandha plant for centuries are gradually being supported by scientific research. The publications covered in this series of articles represent only a small excerpt of the current data and we are sure that numerous publications will follow that will shed even more light on the darkness.

However, we find the following particularly interesting: The fact that Ashwagandha seems to have a positive impact on so many different aspects, only shows, in our view, how closely all systems are interconnected.

Psychological stress negatively affects sleep and physical and cognitive performance. Better sleep, in turn, reduces psychological stress and improves performance. Physical exercise also reduces stress levels and improves sleep.

Ultimately, this is a chicken-or-egg question. Does the stress-relieving effect of the Ashwagandha plant lead to better sleep and thus better performance? Does Ashwagandha have a direct effect on athletic performance by regulating hormones and improving mitochondrial energy production? Or does Ashwagandha really work through different mechanisms that potentiate one another?

At some point these questions will certainly be answered – and until then we will continue to take our 600 mg KSM-66® Ashwagandha per day and enjoy the positive effects! With this in mind, here's to traditional herbal medicine and may our upper arm circumference grow as science has shown!