Eight weeks of supplementation with the adaptogenic herb was also associated with improvements in vigor and mood, according to findings published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.
Scientists from D.Y. Patil University School of Medicine in India and Clinical Research Australia also reported that 600 mg per day of the ashwagandha root extract for eight weeks was well tolerated by all the study participants without serious adverse events.
“Due to the existing interest in the use of herbal adaptogens for stress management and improving cognitive function, this study holds contemporary value,” they wrote.
“The findings are supported by enhanced spatial memory and learning, as evidenced by better displacement scores in the location learning task.”
A long history of safe use
The study adds to an ever-growing body of science supporting the potential health benefits of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).
The herb has a history of use in ayurvedic medicine that dates back as much as 4,000 years to the teaching of renowned scholar Punarvasu Atreya and in subsequent works that make up the ayurvedic tradition, according to a monograph from the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP). The name of the herb derives from Sanskrit, and means “smells like a horse”, which refers to the strong smell of the root which is said to be redolent of horse sweat or urine.
Ashwagandha root is a well-known adaptogen—a substance believed to increase the body’s ability to adapt to different forms of stress.
Market growth
According to HerbalGram’s Herb Market Report, sales of herbal supplements with ashwagandha hit $120.4 million in the U.S. Mainstream Multi-Outlet Channel for 2023, an increase of almost 9% over the previous year. Ashwagandha is ranks fourth on the best-selling list in the mainstream channel. In 2019, the herb was only number 33 in this channel.
Study details
The prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study included 120 health subjects between the ages of 30 and 75. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either 600 mg per day of KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract or placebo for eight weeks.
Cognitive function was assessed using the Computerized Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS). Mood was assessed using the Profile of Mood States Abbreviated Version (POMS-A), while fatigue and stress were measured using the Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS) and executive function by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A).
Results showed that, compared to placebo, greater improvements in COMPASS scores for episodic memory, working memory and accuracy of attention were reported for the ashwagandha group.
Significant improvements were also reported for mood, vigor and an increase in the executive functioning, the researchers reported.
“These results suggest that ashwagandha has a positive impact on cognitive functions, particularly in memory and attention domains,” they wrote.
“The significant group × time interaction at week 8 suggests that ashwagandha improves performance over time. This improvement was observed through better displacement scores in the location learning task, indicating enhanced spatial memory and learning.”
Source: Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2424279
“Safety and Efficacy of Ashwagandha Root Extract on Cognition, Energy and Mood Problems in Adults: Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study”
Authors: S. Kale,
