Ashwagandha Supplement

• Ashwagandha is a plant that supports the body's resistance to stress and helps recovery from periods of tension and stressful events.
• Ashwagandha promotes sleep onset as well as learning and memory.
• Ashwagandha helps maintain emotional stability and mental balance.
• Ashwagandha helps maintain physical and mental capacities in cases of fatigue or exhaustion.
• Ashwagandha helps build muscle and gain muscle mass. It helps maintain optimal endurance and feel more energized.
• Ashwagandha supports male sexual function and helps maintain sperm count and motility.

Clinical studies using the KSM-66® extract have validated the benefits of ashwagandha on stress, anxiety, testosterone, muscle strength, endurance, and sleep. Thanks to its adaptogenic properties, our Organic Ashwagandha KSM-66® supplement is therefore an ideal natural solution for all these concerns.

Ashwagandha, botanically known as Withania somnifera, is a plant used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine. Nicknamed "Indian ginseng," its name comes from the Sanskrit words "ashva," meaning "horse," and "gandha," meaning "smell." It refers to the strong horse-like smell of its root and to the belief that it would give the strength and virility of a horse.

Ashwagandha is classified as an "adaptogenic" plant. An "adaptogen" is pharmacologically defined as an active compound or plant extract capable of inducing a state of increased, non-specific resistance in an organism, allowing it to counterbalance stress signals and adapt to exceptional effort. Taking adaptogens therefore helps the body better adapt to stress and maintain its metabolic functions, while also supporting better mental and physical performance. This category also includes ginseng (Panax ginseng) and Rhodiola rosea. You can explore all of our adaptogenic plant extracts here.

Ashwagandha contains numerous bioactive compounds [1], mainly alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, and steroidal lactones. Among these, steroidal lactones are believed to be responsible for most of the plant's benefits, particularly withanolides. These benefits largely stem from the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of these molecules.

Like all adaptogenic plants, ashwagandha is a true ally against the effects of stress and anxiety.

This anti-stress benefit is thought to come from its action on the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) [2], which plays a central role in the stress response, notably by lowering cortisol. Ashwagandha also appears to downregulate the activity of several neurotransmitters linked to stress and anxiety.

In addition, ashwagandha seems to have a neuroprotective effect and promote neurogenesis (the development of new neurons), although evidence remains limited and needs to be confirmed by clinical studies.

One clinical study using 300 mg of the patented KSM-66® extract twice daily observed a notable reduction in stress and anxiety compared to placebo in people suffering from chronic mental stress. [3] Taking 300 mg twice daily of an extract standardized to 1.5% withanolides for 12 weeks was associated with a 56% improvement in anxiety levels [4]. A secondary benefit of this reduced anxiety is improved social relationships. In the first study cited above [3], taking 600 mg of KSM-66® per day for 60 days led to a 68% reduction in "social dysfunction" levels.

This research confirms other findings on the real benefits of ashwagandha for people suffering from stress or anxiety, through improved physical functioning in the face of psychological stress.

Athletes in India and Pakistan have used ashwagandha for centuries for its effects on performance and physical strength. Beyond this traditional use, clinical studies now show the real value of ashwagandha for athletes.

In terms of endurance, a 2021 meta-analysis of men and women taking ashwagandha doses ranging from 120 mg to 1,250 mg per day showed that ashwagandha could improve physical performance, particularly strength and oxygen utilization during exercise. [5] Another recent small meta-analysis showed that taking ashwagandha significantly increased VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during maximal-intensity exercise, in healthy adults and athletes. [6] Professional cyclists taking 500 mg of an aqueous ashwagandha extract twice daily for 8 weeks, for instance, saw a 12.5% increase in VO2 max and time to fatigue [7]. In studies using the patented KSM-66® extract, athletic adults taking 600 mg per day for 12 weeks saw an improvement in their VO2 max and quality of life [8]. Similar effects were observed after just 8 weeks in a comparable study also using KSM-66®. [9]

In terms of muscle strength, a study testing different doses of an aqueous extract showed that taking 750 to 1,250 mg per day for 30 days could increase muscle strength in the lower back and quadriceps muscles, as well as muscle mass, in healthy but non-athletic individuals. [10]

In another study, 57 healthy, non-athletic men took 600 mg per day of the KSM-66® extract or a placebo while following a strength training program for 8 weeks, 3 times per week. The group taking ashwagandha saw an increase in muscle strength, with a gain in maximum weight lifted (1RM) on the bench press 20 kg greater than the placebo group, and 4.5 kg greater on the leg extension exercise. [11]

Traditional use and the bodybuilding world often highlight one benefit of ashwagandha: an increase in testosterone.

Taking 5 g of non-standardized ashwagandha powder per day for 6 months did increase testosterone levels and sperm quality in infertile men, even though they remained below the levels of fertile men. [12] Another study using the same dose for 3 months also observed an increase in testosterone in infertile men, particularly those suffering from stress [13].

With the standardized KSM-66® extract, in the study cited above for muscle strength, participants (healthy, non-athletic men) also saw a significant increase in testosterone with ashwagandha compared to placebo (+96.2 ng/dL vs +18.0 ng/dL). [11] In men suffering from infertility, taking 675 mg per day for 90 days led to a 17% increase in blood testosterone levels. [14]

Ashwagandha may therefore help men with lower testosterone levels return to more normal levels, particularly those suffering from infertility or undergoing physical stress such as intense physical activity.

The same studies often reveal an effect on fertility too, building on this effect on testosterone. This is thought to be due to ashwagandha's antioxidant power, reducing oxidative stress in reproductive cells. [15] For example, in men suffering from oligospermia (an abnormally low sperm count), taking 675 mg of KSM-66® per day for 90 days produced very promising results: +167% sperm count, +53% seminal volume, and +57% sperm motility. [14] These findings still need to be confirmed by future clinical studies.

Its name, Withania somnifera, hints that its effects on sleep have been known for a long time. The studies on stress cited above often note a secondary benefit: improved sleep, fewer sleep disorders, and in particular a shorter time to fall asleep.

One study looked at the specific effects of ashwagandha on sleep, independent of stress. In it, 80 adults, either healthy or suffering from insomnia, took either a placebo or 600 mg of KSM-66® per day for 8 weeks. Both groups taking the ashwagandha extract (healthy and insomnia groups) reported a reduced time to fall asleep compared to placebo, as well as improved sleep quality and alertness upon waking. The improvement was more pronounced in the insomnia group. [16] Another study focusing specifically on patients with insomnia also demonstrated the ability of 600 mg of KSM-66® per day for 10 weeks to improve time to fall asleep and sleep quality. [17] According to preclinical data, this sleep benefit may be due to ashwagandha's ability to enhance signaling at GABA type A receptors (GABA being the brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter). [18]

KSM-66® is a full-spectrum extract made exclusively from ashwagandha roots, with no leaves, which are far poorer in active compounds. Its extraction process is the result of 14 years of R&D, designed to deliver the extract with the highest concentration of active compounds on the market, with a minimum concentration of 5% withanolides, as measured by HPLC. The extraction method is based on the principles of "green chemistry," using a 100% water-based process with no organic solvents or alcohol. Ixoreal, the manufacturer of KSM-66®, is the only ashwagandha producer with full vertical integration, owning its own farms, extraction facilities, and testing and research laboratories. KSM-66® is also the most researched extract, backed by 24 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical studies involving over 800 participants in total, demonstrating its efficacy.

Nutri&Co's Organic Ashwagandha is the ideal solution for anyone experiencing some form of stress, whether physical or mental.

• Those experiencing psychological stress or anxiety may see their symptoms decrease with ashwagandha, along with improved mental performance under stress.
• People with sleep disorders may notice an improvement in their sleep quality.
• Athletes, whether endurance or strength-focused, will benefit from improved performance.
• The effects on testosterone and fertility for men with lower-than-normal levels are also promising.

For our formula, we therefore selected:

• The KSM-66® extract, guaranteeing the highest quality and the best active compound content
• A dosage of 600 mg with 2 capsules per day, guaranteeing the dose used in all clinical studies based on KSM-66®
• A 100% pure, certified organic extract

You can also check out our articles on ashwagandha and hair and on ashwagandha and weight loss.