New Evidence Supporting Ashwagandha for Anxiety

Late last year new data and clinical practice guidelines came out supporting the use of ashwagandha for persistent anxiety in people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Now we have more evidence showing it might reduce occasional anxiety. Here’s what you should know.

Two small clinical studies in adults with anxiety, depression, or stress show that taking ashwagandha root extract 500 mg with piperine 5 mg daily for 60-90 days reduces anxiety and stress and improves sleep and quality of life when compared with placebo. This supports findings from two earlier small clinical studies also showing it might reduce anxiety symptoms.

If patients want to give it a try, tell them to look for products standardized to contain 2.5% withanolides – this is similar to the product used in clinical research. It’s usually well-tolerated when used appropriately. The most common side effects are diarrhea, stomach upset, and nausea – these don’t usually occur with typical doses. But it’s important to note that there are some concerns about possible liver toxicity linked with ashwagandha, so any patients with a history of liver disease shouldn’t use it. And remind patients about product quality concerns for the adaptogen product market. Refer to our Quality Certifications resource for guidance on evaluating product quality.

Check out our recently updated monograph to learn more.