7 ways Ashwagandha can improve your health and vitality

Not surprisingly, when we look at the evolution of natural medicine, we find herbs that have been serving humanity for thousands of years with great success.

Ashwagandha is no exception and is one of the best Ayurvedic herbs (* adaptogen) that has been used for over 3,000 years to create more vitality in humans. It is a close relative (believe it or not) to tomatoes, bell peppers, and aubergines (aubergine).

* Definition of adaptogen: a non-toxic substance and especially a plant extract that is maintained to increase the body’s ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological function.

Ancient healers used this amazing herb to rejuvenate the body, in particular restoring strength and vitality. Ashwagandha can help the body provide resistance to a variety of diseases, including arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, cancer, fever, inflammation, nausea, rheumatism, diabetes, leukoderma, cancer, and improve cognitive function and stress / anxiety.

Furthermore, Ashwagandha has also developed a strong reputation (recent research confirms this) as a sedative, hypotensive, antispasmodic, antitumor, pain reliever, and anti-inflammatory.

No person living on the planet should be without Ashwagandha, given the multiple benefits to the body, by using it as part of their nutrition protocol.

Here are 7 health benefits of using Ashwagandha:

1. Protection of the immune system.

Studies indicate that Ashwagandha positively impacts our immune system, which is critical to our health and well-being.

It has been shown to increase the production of white blood cells and also the number of macrophages (large white blood cells that consume bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) in the body.

If you suffer from colds and flu regularly, Ashwagandha can boost your immunity, giving your body the reboot it needs.

It has also been recognized for its antioxidant potential, which supports our immune system. The compounds found in the plant (particularly the roots) can do some amazing things to help with immunity. Antioxidant phytochemicals prevent free radical damage.

Free radicals are diseases that cause disease, speed up the aging process, and cause inflammation (which promotes a variety of degenerative diseases, including cancer). This negative effect causes the body to weaken and “unravel”.

Ashwagandha slows down the process of free radical damage, allowing the body to revitalize itself, which means a better quality of life for longer. This increases longevity, keeps diseases away and slows down the aging process.

2. Improved memory, concentration and general learning

In a 2017 study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, it found that Ashwagandha root extract helped improve memory in 50 people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

In this study, people received ashwagandha root for 8 weeks versus those on placebo. Those who took Ashwagandha have significant improvements in:

• Short and long-term memory.

• Executive function

• Sustained attention

• Speed ​​of information processing.

The sedative properties in Ashwagandha can lead to better cognitive function, since stress, anxiety and sleep disorders can affect normal cognitive function. Furthermore, it was noted that Ashwagandha can help slow down the process of brain deterioration in people with dementia. The researchers found that it repaired damage to brain cells and rebuilt neural networks and synapses.

This amazing herb can also help alleviate depression due to its ability to deal with mental and emotional stress. Furthermore, due to the neuroprotective characteristics of the bioactive compounds, located in the Ashwagandha leaf, it has been found to reduce brain cell degeneration.

3. Reduces stress and anxiety

Ashwagandha has anti-anxiety properties that can aid in induced stress and associated functional impairments. Its stress-reducing properties are well known, as ashwagandha helps the body reduce cortisol (stress hormone) production by up to 28%.

A 2012 study in the Indian Journal of Psychology found that perceived stress scores decreased by 44% in a group of 64 people with low feelings of well-being and high feelings of stress. The group taking the Ashwagandha root extract received a dose of 300 mg twice a day for 60 days.

In another JANA study from 2008, 98 people suffering from stress received either Ashwagandha or a placebo. Those in Ashwagandha had improved well-being at 30 and 60 days.

There was no demonstrated improvement in the placebo group on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, but there was a significant improvement in the Ashwagandha group, which was shown by a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol as well as blood pressure and pulse rate. An improvement in blood glucose levels, inflammation markers, as well as cholesterol (LDL and HDL) and triglyceride levels was also demonstrated.

4. Improved sleep patterns

Ashwagandha has traditionally been used in Ayurveda as a sleep aid. The Latin name for Ashwagandha (somnifera) means sleep inducer and as such has been recommended for regular sleep for centuries.

Researchers from the Tsukuba University International Institute of Integrative Sleep Medicine, studied the effect on sleep in mice and found that the extract of water from the Ashwagandha leaf, rich in triethylene glycol (TEG), significantly promoted eye movement sleep non-rapid (NREM) and changed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep slightly, while an alcoholic extract showed no effect on sleep.

The dream created by TEG was very similar to normal sleep. In addition to that, commercially available TEG also increased the amount of NREM sleep. Therefore, it was concluded that TEG is the active component that induces a physiologically healthy sleep.

5. Better sex

Ashwagandha improves the function of the reproductive system, thus promoting a healthy sexual and reproductive balance.

mens

In a double-blind study, 46 infertile men received 225 gm of ashwagandha root extract daily or a placebo for 3 months. Sperm concentration improved by 167% versus 29% in the placebo group. Sperm motility improved by 57% versus 9% in the placebo group, semen volume improved by 53% versus 20% in the placebo group.

Testosterone also increased by 17% in the ashwagandha group versus 4% in the placebo group, and luteinizing hormone increased by 34% versus only 8% in the placebo group.

(Evidence-Based Complementary Medicine 2013)

Two other studies also showed significantly better results in infertile men, including a better concentration of sperm, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone. The researchers concluded that ashwagandha “can be used as an alternative … therapy for the treatment … of male infertility.

(J Ethnopharmacol 2013)

Woman

In a 2015 study of 50 women with sexual dysfunction (inactive sexual desire disorder, female sexual arousal disorder, female orgasmic disorder, combined genital and subjective arousal disorder) received either a placebo or 300 gm two ashwagandha root extract times a day for 8 weeks.

The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) showed a significant improvement in the ashwagandha group, 13.63 to 23.86 versus the placebo group 13.57 to 20.06.

This index measures better arousal, lubrication, orgasm and satisfaction. All 4 areas showed improvement in the ashwagandha group.

6. Increased muscle mass, reduced body fat and more strength

A 2012 study found that ashwagandha promotes muscle mass and significantly improves muscle strength and endurance, while decreasing body fat and increasing lean body weight.

(J Ayerveda 2012)

In another 2015 study, 57 men received either ashwagandha (300 mg root extract twice daily for 8 weeks) or a placebo. This was a double blind study.

During the 8 weeks they completed a resistance training program. In the ashwagandha group, upper body strength improved significantly more in this group than placebo.

Upper Body Strength – Bench Press Increase

Ashagandha 46kg

Placebo 26.4kg

Lower Body Strength – Leg Extensions Increase

Ashagandha 14.5kg

Placebo 9.8kg

Muscle Gain – Arms

Ashagandha 8.6cm

Placebo 5.3cm

Muscle Gain – Chest

Ashagandha 3.3cm

Placebo 1.4cm

Furthermore, the ashwagandha group recorded better muscle recovery time and significantly reduced muscle damage, greater loss of body fat percentage, and higher testosterone levels compared to the placebo group.

7. Support of cardiovascular resistance

In a 2015 study by Choudhary, et al. Athletes received 600 mg of ashwagandha to study the effect of this on cardiorespiratory performance in athletes.

Your maximum aerobic capacity (VO2 max) was measured during a 20-minute shuttle race test. Those individuals who consumed 600 mg of ashwagandha have significant increases in VO2max compared to placebo.

In another placebo-controlled trial, Shenay et al. 2015, cyclists received an aqueous ashwagandha extract (500 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks. They showed a significant 13% increase in VO2max, while the placebo group showed no increase at all.

Both men and women who took ashwagandha showed a significant increase in time to exhaustion and maximum VO2 values ​​of 10.7% and 4.7% and 16.1% and 9.0% respectively.

References

Ashwagandha: stress, strength, intelligence and sex

Linda Woolven and Ted Snider

See: greenmedinfo.com/blog/ashwagandha-stress-strength-smarts-and-sex

Primal Herb – How to restore the immune system with Ashwagandha

See: primalherb.com/how-to-restore-the-immune-system-with-ashwagandha/

Caring for Ashwagandha

See: takecareof.com/research/ashwagandha

Ashwagandha for cognitive function

See: articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/05/11/ashwagandha-improves-memory-cognitive-function.aspx

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