Ashwagandha: the Workout Herb
According to this new study, the herb ashwagandha can make you quicker in body and mind.
This 60 day double-blind study gave either a placebo or 500 mg a day of ashwagandha root extract standardized for 1.5% withanolides a day to healthy people who were between the ages of 18 and 35.
Compared to placebo, there was significant improvement in total distance travelled and average speed achieved on a bicycle ergometer in the ashwagandha group.
There was a trend, though it did not reach statistical significance, toward greater improvement in hand-grip strength, back-leg press, skeletal muscle mass, and cardiovascular and aerobic endurance (VO2 max) in the ashwagandha group.
There was also a trend toward improvement in markers of inflammation and of muscle wasting.
Compared to placebo, the ashwagandha also significantly improved mental alertness.
The ashwagandha was found to be safe.
This study found that ashwagandha improves physical performance and may improve muscle mass and function while preventing inflammation and muscle wasting.
Cureus. 2024 Sep 8;16(9):e68940.
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For much more on ashwagandha, see our book Healthy Herbs: Your Everyday Guide to Medicinal Herbs and Their Use.
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