Native to India and Africa, ashwagandha is revered for its ability to balance, energize, rejuvenate, and revitalize. Ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years as one of the most revered revitalizers in Ayurvedic medicine (traditional medicine of India).
Ashwagandha is a calming adaptogen that is particularly useful in balancing the HPA axis in the brain (the control center for hormone regulation). By restoring balance in this important pathway, ashwagandha improves stress resistance, allows for improved sleep, reduces brain fog and fatigue, and eases the transition through menopause (especially hot flashes). These properties also lend to usefulness for controlling carbohydrate craving and weight loss.
Ashwagandha also offers anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimutagenic, antiviral, antimicrobial, and immune-enhancing properties.
Suggested Dosage: Dependent on the preparation used.
Side effects: Ashwagandha has been used as both a food and a medicine for thousands of years. Side effects of any type are unusual and mild. Ashwagandha is appropriate for men, women, and adolescents. Occasionally, ashwagandha causes mild stimulation in some individuals. Ashwagandha does contain iron and should be avoided by individuals who retain iron (hemochromatosis).