Top 5 Health Benefits of Ashwagandha!

Ashwagandha (Sanskrit: ashwa = horse + gandha = smell, aka Indian Ginseng) actually classed as an ‘Ayurvedic herb’ and is commonly used as a supplement for all kinds of problems including anxiety and ADHD. Whilst it has commonly been used to help treat a number of conditions over the years, research has only recently started to be conducted into the positive effects that it can have. Read on for our Top 5 Health Benefits of Ashwagandha!
   
1. Helpful for diabetics
In a study conducted for the Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research, Ashwagandha was used as an enhancer for bread to test its effect on healthy glucose levels. The study demonstrated that it actually lowered test subjects’ glycemic index. This appears to make this ancient herb a powerful tool in controlling blood sugar levels and is being further tested on people with diabetes.

2. May increase sperm quality
Some studies have shown that Ashwagandha (when consumed at a dose of 675mg, three times a day for 90 days) can drastically impact sperm count, volume and motility. According to a study published in the journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers saw a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume and a 57% increase in sperm motility.

3. Can help ADHD sufferers
Ashwagandha has been proven to contain properties which affect human behaviour, commonly classed as a ‘nootropic’ it’s showing promise in alleviating symptoms of ADHD. According to the Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, ADHD affects approximately 5% of school children causing them to be inattentive, forgetful and avoidant. Ashwagandha was supplemented alongside a massage treatment and it was found that, in combination, these treatments were effective in relieving some of the symptoms of ADHD with the supplements proving particularly effective.   

4. Anti-inflammatory          
According to an article published in the Pharmacognosy Journal, Ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory properties which appear to make it an effective complementary treatment for illnesses like fibromyalgia. The journal says that ‘effect was plausibly due to the alkaloid and withanolide’ which are found in the herb.
   
5. Can help reduce stress     
As previously mentioned, Ashwagandha has shown a lot of promise as a ‘safe and effective adaptogen’ and nootropic treatment for ADHD. However, ADHD is far from the only psychological issue that Ashwagandha has been recommended for. In a study conducted in 2012, a double-blind placebo test was conducted to determine the impact it had on stress levels in anxiety sufferers. Those who took part showed significant improvement.

Ashwagandha is definitely a supplement that is showing promise. The health benefits appear to be much greater than research can currently tell us but, as this helpful herb grows in popularity, people continue to buy and explore its effect on themselves. Alongside your healthy diet and keep fit attitude, Ashwagandha may well help you with an increasing number of psychological and physical problems. Tried Ashwagandha, how did it go? Tell us about it below, join in the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Looking for other healthy foods? Check out our other Top 5’s which will help you get and KEEP your Fit ON, in no time!

Sarah Martineau

Sarah is a budding journalist who loves nothing more than indulging in well-made vegetarian and healthy food. A vegetarian for just over two years she's been writing and creating multi-media factual content for even longer! Some of her more recent achievements include interviewing Justine Greening, the Secretary of State for Education, and creating short videos with James Holland, a famous history journalist. Currently, Sarah studies Media Production at Bournemouth University where she regularly keeps fit and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

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