ASHWAGANDHA, THE INDIAN ANSWER TO SLEEP GUMMIES, IS GREAT. BUT THERE ARE RISKS

Indian Ayurveda, often overlooked, can offer solutions to many of our problems. One such pervasive issue faced by almost 93 per cent of Indians is sleep deprivation, and the evergreen shrub known as Ashwagandha is here to help.

Read ahead to find out.

What is Ashwagandha?

  • Debjani Gupta, a nutritionist and wellness expert from Mumbai, says that Ashwagandha is the Sanskrit name for the winter cherry or Indian ginseng. 
  • Scientifically known as Withania Somnifera, the shrub got its name Ashwagandha because its roots are said to smell like a wet horse ('ashwa' for horse and 'gandha' for smell).
  • Most commonly found in the Middle East, parts of Africa, and India, Ashwagandha has been a staple in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.
  • Today, Ashwagandha is available in various forms on the market, ranging from powdered supplements to other formulations.

The claimed benefits of Ashwagandha

In Ayurveda, the benefit of any herb/plant always varies from person to person, according to Dr Upasana Vohra, an Ayurvedic doctor and founder of the health app Animeta creator. However, she says that Ashwagandha has various properties like: 

  • It reduces anxiety.
  • It enhances the activity of your immune system.
  • It reduces blood sugar levels.
  • It improves mental health due to its antipsychotic properties.
  • It increases the longevity of joints.
  • And, of course, it aids in sleeping.

Dr Pooja Kohli, a senior Ayurveda expert at HempStreet, New Delhi, agrees with this and adds that Ashwagandha helps in reducing our cortisol levels, improving memory and attention span, and improving hormonal health in both males and females. 

The viral plant (In the West too)

The various benefits of Ashwagandha have caused the herb to be trending and getting viral, not only in India (which it always was) but it has also created quite a stir in the West. 

For instance, Andrew Huberman, a neuroscience professor at Standford University, talked about Ashwagandha and its "proven" benefits of taking it. He says in his now-viral video about how Ashwagandha is known for reducing cortisol levels and helps you sleep. 

Andrew is not the only one.

Today, a lot of health influencers are promoting it as an "Indian Ayurvedic answer" to a lot of your problems. For instance, on just Instagram, the hashtag 'Ashwagandha' has more than 3 lakh posts. 

In fact, a lot of Bollywood celebs have time and again endorsed this shrub. 

For instance, in an interview in 2023, Masabha Gupta, popular designer and now actor, spoke about how Ashwagandha in the form of tea as a part of her morning routine. 

Varun Dhawan was also seen promoting the herb in 2022, by advising a caller during 'Koffee with Karan' to have Ashwagandha to improve his "sex life".  

Ashwagandha's for sleeping 

Now, among all the properties of Ashwagandha, its role in aiding sleep is one of the most discussed. To delve deeper into this, India Today talked to several doctors who unanimously agreed on Ashwagandha's somniferous qualities.

For instance, Dr Kholi says that studies have indicated that Ashwagandha exhibits the potential to enhance sleep quality and reduce stress and anxiety, suggesting it may serve as a supportive measure for achieving better sleep. 

"The herb has muscle relaxant properties, which help alleviate physical tension and support the proper functioning of the circadian rhythm, leading to better sleep quality," says Dr Kholi. 

Gupta also agreed with this and said that the "results from a few clinical trials suggest that ashwagandha extracts may help with sleep". 

She linked it to the latest 2023 study centred in India that studied 150 healthy men and women aged 18 to 65 years with self-reported sleep problems who took ashwagandha root and leaf extract. 

And results? Participants taking ashwagandha extract showed improvements in sleep efficiency (time in bed spent in sleep), total sleep time, sleep latency (time taken to fall asleep), and awakening after sleep. 

The study also showed that benefits were also more prominent in participants with insomnia.

"These studies found that ashwagandha affects [our] receptors of a neurotransmitter called GABA - Gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain, GABA enables the body and mind to relax and fall asleep and induces sound sleep," says Gupta. 

Dr Kiran, MD, a celebrity skin aesthetic and wellness specialist, and founder of Isya Aesthetics from Delhi, further says that ashwagandha can help with sleep. To prove this, she also connects the hypothesis to a 2021 study that was done with 400 participants.  

The study showed that Ashwagandha extract exhibited a small but significant effect on overall sleep. 

"Best results were seen in those with non-restorative sleep which is 10 per cent of the insomnia category, and a dose of 400 mg for about 6 weeks helped them", says Dr Kiran. 

Sleep gummies v/s Ashwagandha

Gummies and supplements are everywhere. But should you take Ashwagandha instead of your sleeping gummies? 

Dr Vohra answers this question by explaining that sleep gummies do not perform anything different from Ashwagandha. 

"They both have common properties which improve the quality of sleep", says Dr Vohra. 

Gupta agrees and further says that the choice has to be ours. "While both Ashwagandha and sleep gummies can aid in promoting better sleep, the choice ultimately depends on individual preferences and health needs." 

According to her, Ashwagandha offers natural and holistic support for sleep by addressing stress and anxiety, while sleep gummies may contain additional ingredients tailored for sleep support, like melatonin, chamomile extract and certain essential vitamins. 

Dr Kholi explains that Ashwagandha in powder or tablet form without any additive would be a better choice considering it doesn't have any "bulking agents, emulsifiers, and synthetic colours", unlike sleep gummies.

How do you consume the right amount?

According to experts, Ashwagandha should be taken in different quantities for different purposes.  For instance, Dr Vohra says that for infertility, 5-10 gm of Ashwagandha is recommended and to improve the quality of sleep one should take 5-10 gm and then reduce the dose to 3- 5g m per day.

However, consult an expert before starting it for the correct dosage. 

Potential risks

Ashwagandha, however, comes with its own set of risks, according to experts. 

Dr Vohra says that in some people, Ashwagandha, if taken for a longer period, can cause upset stomach, nausea, diarrhoea, and irritation. In pregnant women, it increases the risk of miscarriage.

In the case of kids, Ashwagandha has many physical and mental side effects. These include mood changes, depression, anger, nausea, and dizziness.

"Ashwagandha is not safe for teenagers and should be taken only when it is prescribed. If the person is struggling with any health issue, we need effective treatment first for that particular disease," says Dr Vohra. 

Dr Kiran, on the other hand, says that Ashwagandha in some cases worsens PCOS, acne and balding.

Bottomline 

While Ashwagandha may assist with sleep, it's important to consult a healthcare professional before incorporating it into your routine to determine its safety and suitability for you.

2024-03-20T09:18:51Z dg43tfdfdgfd