Ashwagandha is a small woody plant that blooms small yellow flowers. Its botanical name is Withania Somnifera and it is naturally found in India and North Africa. The plant has various medicinal benefits. It has adaptogen substances that help the human body to reduce stress and generate the feeling of calmness.
People have been using this plant, especially its roots, for more than 3,000 years. They believe that it is a natural Ayurvedic remedy that treats various ailments. Discoveries, with the help of modern science, also back this statement and show us various benefits of Ashwagandha, for enhancing blood sugar level, mood, and memory, etc.
Just like other medicines, Ashwagandha also has the optimal amount of dosages for its best functioning. This article will tell you what amount of this medicine you have to take to treat various ailments.
Contents
To Reduce Stress and Anxiety
One of the plant’s best uses is to reduce the level of stress and anxiety in the body. It lowers the level of cortisol, the hormone secrets in our adrenal glands, and is responsible for our stress. Doctors recommend 125 mg to 5 grams of ashwagandha for 1 to 3 months to reduce the stress by 11-32%.
To reduce anxiety, doctors say that 500-600 mg of ashwagandha would reduce the body’s anxiety level if we take it for 6-12 weeks. It also helps to treat insomnia that many people suffer from who have high stress and anxiety.
To Lower Blood Sugar Level
Ashwagandha also controls the level of blood sugar in the body of both healthy people and people who have the problem of diabetes. A study found out that when people suffering from type-2 diabetes were given ashwagandha supplements for 30 days, they show a sign of better lower blood sugar levels than the people who were given other oral medication.
The dosages that were given to patients were varied from 250 mg to 3 grams every day but divided into 2-3 equal doses over the day.
To Boost Fertility
Ashwagandha also maintains reproductive growth in the human body and boosts fertility, especially in men. Studies done for 3 months on 75 men revealed that men who were given 5 grams of ashwagandha per day improved the quality of sperm in them. This also resulted in better fertility because 14% of their partners also became pregnant.
To Improve Muscle Growth and Strength
Another good benefit, especially for old age people, is that it improves muscle growth and strength in the body. A study revealed that 500 mg of ashwagandha herb per day for 2 months increased muscle strength by 1%, compared to the placebo group who didn’t show any improvement.
600 mg of ashwagandha per day increases the muscle strength to 1.5 to 1.7 times and 1.6 to 2.3 times the size of muscle in men. Some doctors also recommend the dose of 750-1250 mg for muscle improvement.
To Lower the chances of Inflammation and Infection
To lower the chances of inflammation and infection, doctors recommend 12 ml root extract of ashwagandha per day. It boosts the immunity of our body and increases immune cell levels. If you are taking 250-500 mg of ashwagandha per day for 2 months, it will reduce the C-reactive protein level, which causes inflammation in our digestive system, by 30%.
To boost Memory
In India, people are using ashwagandha for thousands of years to enhance memory. A 2-month week study has revealed that if you take 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract for 2 months, then it will enhance your brain’s information retention power, concentration ability and will improve your task performance significantly.
The study also revealed that 500 mg of doses of ashwagandha improves the brain’s reaction time and boosts other aspects of our memory.
Safety and Side Effects
One of the amazing benefits of ashwagandha is that it is considered a safe medicine for most people because it is herbal. But there are certain types of diseases and disorders that people suffering from should avoid.
People, who have the problem of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and type-1 diabetes should avoid ashwagandha to treat any disease. People who are on the medication of blood sugar, blood pressure, and thyroid should also avoid ashwagandha because it reacts with other medicines and may cause problems.
Women who are pregnant or who breastfeed their infants should also avoid ashwagandha.
Conclusion
Ashwagandha plant has many medicinal properties that can treat many ailments from which humans are suffering. But there are fixed amounts of dosages for each problem. So it is advised, no matter what kind of disease or disorder you have, it is important to take ashwagandha medicines after proper consultation with the doctors to avoid any risks associated with it.
