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Medical

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an Indian Ayurvedic herb that is grown in India, the middle east, and some parts of Africa. The name itself comes from the translation Smell of the horse which is attributed to the root itself smelling a bit like a horse and the idea that the root is supposed to give you the strength and virility of a wild horse. Ashwagandha is also known as Withania somnifera.

 Ashwagandha is widely used to counter stress and other benefits to the body and brain. Ashwagandha has an unusually high number of phytochemicals which positively influence systems in our own bodies. The maximum benefit appears when fresh Ashwagandha powder is used.

One of the most important benefits of Ashwagandha is that it boosts testosterone in the body naturally and so can increase strength and muscle mass.

How Ashwagandha interacts with body

The active constituents of ashwagandha include steroidal lactones (withanolides, withaferin), saponins, and alkaloids (isopelletierine, anaferine, cuscohygrine, anahygrine). Sitoindosides and acyl steryl glucosides in Ashwagandha are anti-stress agents.

Various studies have already been established about the medical properties of ashwagandha backing it’s benefits. It’s effects on the human brain are also well known.

According to a study conducted by Professor Rajat Sandhir and Abhilasha Sood the withanolides present in ashwagandha act as antioxidants, anti cancer and rejuvenating agents. According to a study published in PLOS One, it has been found that ashwagandha was an effective and safe naturopathic option to help alleviate anxiety and reduce stress.

The findings suggest that ashwagandha’s stress-relieving effects may occur via its moderating effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis The main cause of stress is secretion of cortisol hormone and ashwagandha suppresses the production of cortisol hormone by stimulating the secretion of gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, lipolysis and hepatic glucose.

As acute stress increases the heart rate and blood pressure ashwagandha can also optimize them by reducing stress in the same process. Moreover studies have confirmed ashwagandha’s influence on production of sex hormone testosterone and progesterone.

Ashwagandha has been shown to have a beneficial role in many neurological conditions that include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, anxiety disorders, cerebral ischemia. However, the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of WS have not been well understood

Effects of Ashwagandha on Testosterone

Testosterone is the male sex hormone present in both males and females. It plays an important role in the development of the penis, muscle size, and strength, helps in bone growth, increases sex drive(libido), and sperm production. Testosterone naturally decreases with age and low testosterone levels can lead to Erectile dysfunction in men and also can lead to infertility. So good levels of testosterone can lower the risk of Erectile dysfunction.

Ashwagandha is one of the most important products which boosts testosterone naturally. When tested among men suffering from fertility it has been seen improvement in sperm quality and also slight increase in testosterone levels. Ashwagandha can provide antioxidant support to testicles which increases the level of testosterone in infertile men. 

Researchers at the Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University in India looked at how the use of Ashwagandha affected reproductive health in a male population. The study did not only test the effects the plant had on the reproductive system but also did additional tests – one of these was to assess the testosterone levels in treated men. The study resulted in improvement in both the motility and significant increase in testosterone hormone. There was also an increase in other hormones, including the luteinizing hormone.

Effects of Ashwagandha on Cortisol levels

Cortisol is a hormone produced by adrenal glands in response to stress in the body. The levels of cortisol are very high in a stressed-out person.

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen  known to reduce stress i.e decreasing the levels of cortisol in the body by stimulating the secretion of it from the adrenal glands. Sitoindosides and acyl steryl glucosides in Ashwagandha are anti-stress agents. It is also seen that due to the decrease in cortisol levels by ashwagandha there was an increase in testosterone levels in the body.

Ashwagandha is used in prevention and treatment of many stress induced diseases like arteriosclerosis, premature ageing, arthritis, diabetes, hypertension and malignancy.

Conclusion

Overall we can conclude that Ashwagandha is a real potent regenerative medicine, due to its multiple pharmacological actions like anti-stress, neuroprotective, antitumor, anti-arthritic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and increasing the testosterone levels. Ashwagandha is used to treat all forms of cancer including prostate and lung cancers, especially in the last stages, giving the patients a lot of health benefits. Also in a recent study conducted by professor Narendra Singh it is projected that ashwagandha is one of the six essential medicinal herbs.