Ashwagandha, known as the ancient herb in alternative medicine, has its origin in India and is known to treat a number of conditions that we will see in this article. For starters, people use this herb to treat different conditions which are associated with inflammation, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. It has been in use for many years to treat a different number of ailments, and now scientific evidence backs the plethora of the benefits it gives – anti-inflammatory, glucose regulatory, and much more. Let’s see the different ways through which it can help us in treating different conditions.
- Arthritis
Ashwagandha is a popular treatment adjuvant against different diseases, including arthritis or the inflammation of the joints. Among different types of arthritis, it is specifically aimed at treating osteoarthritis by decreasing inflammation there. Moreover, it is noted that taking capsules or powdered form of the flowering herb on a regular basis can help you not only treat the condition but also in preventing any inflammation in the joints. It is specifically a note of interest for the old adults as they often complain of this condition. However, there is a need for more generalizable studies on the subject so that a proper hypothesis can be formed.
- Cancer
People undergoing the preliminary stages of cancer might be looking for different adjuvant therapies they can take with conventional therapy. Diet and herbal supplements can help in that order. Specifically, there is a special interest of individuals with knowledge of cancer over agents that mitigate inflammation in the body. It is because, with cancer, the free radical species maximize due to chromosomal aberration and tumor formation. It causes inflammation in the body that gives rise to different symptoms.
To mitigate that, it is important to take some anti-inflammatory products, and ashwagandha turns out to be a potential candidate for cancer adjuvant therapy. However, clinical trials in terminal conditions are difficult, specifically in the preliminary stages when there is a risk of worsening the disease, so generalized data on this fact is not yet proven.
- Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety has come out to be the number one mental health condition. In today’s world, it is no surprise the never-ending workload, and the drastic change in different situations in the form of social instability and inflation are giving rise to more and more stress. It increases the levels of stress hormones in the body which gives rise to inflammation. Ashwagandha is a flowering herb known to produce calming effects on the mind. Many people take it regularly to de-stress themselves. In ancient times, many people used the flowering herb for its different benefits. Among those benefits, reduction in stress and anxiety are thought to be a considerable one.
- Infertility
Infertility is getting more common by the day. Both males and females complain of this rising issue. Luckily, we see that infertility has its solutions coming up in the medical world. However, these come with their own risk and side effects. Luckily, nature has bestowed us with different solutions to this problem that produce no side effects or risks. Ashwagandha is a potential candidate for that. For example, a research study concluded that the ashwagandha flowering herb reduced infertility in men. The subjects in the study took 5 grams of the flowering herb daily for a period of three months. What they saw was that the males had a better sperm count. Also, they noticed that the overall quality of their sperm was significantly improved. However, it was only a small study, so no generalized data could be interpreted. We need an abundance of more studies to see the generalizability behind this hypothesis.
In females, the flowering herb also improves sexual function by improving libido. Women complaining of dry vagina or loss of libido may find this herb to be helpful in restoring their comfort and enjoyment during intercourse.
- Insomnia
Insomnia is a prevalent condition in which individuals having the disorder are unable to sleep properly. As a result, they have a multitude of mental and physical problems such as stress, fatigue, tension, anxiety, weight gain, caffeine addiction, and more. Luckily, there are certain herbs such as lavender and ashwagandha that can mitigate this problem. Ashwagandha helps in decreasing insomnia due to its natural properties.
A study was conducted on animal models to identify what is in the flowering herb that produces these results. It was found out that there is a compound called trimethylene glycol that produced such sedative effects. Another study had the conclusion that the herb mitigated sleeping problems in individuals. The subjects in the study took 300 mg of the herb every day for a period of some months, and they saw an improvement in their sleep. They took the herb twice a day in the study.
What’s the Takeaway Message?
In a nutshell, we know now that the flowering herb is incredibly beneficial in a number of conditions. For now, we know that the flowering herb ashwagandha is helpful in insomnia and in the treatment of stress and anxiety in individuals. There are more research studies that are testing more benefits of this ancient herb, which include its potential as a therapeutic agent against a number of conditions such as cancer, arthritis, infertility, and many more. However, we would need a more pool of studies to form a concrete fact based on which we can get regulated protocols for using this herb. For now, this herb can be taken in the form of a supplement with the advice of a healthcare professional, and it doesn’t cause any serious side effects.
