Ashwagandha for Anxiety Research Studies and Reviews

Using Ashwagandha for anxiety is a popular natural treatment option that many prefer over prescription medications.

In traditional Indian cultures, the Ashwagandha root was harvested and consumed for a long list of health benefits.

It’s easy to see now how may of these conditions – which ranged from chronic pain to sleeplessness, immunity issues to impaired sexual performance – may have been at least partially brought on by anxiety.

Ashwagandha anxiety relief is viewed as effective, powerful and side-effect free. Its anxiolytic, stress-busting, neuro-protective properties help to foster a healthy mental environment. Anxiety sufferers can reduce involuntary stress reactions and return to a state of calm.

Here’s a summary of how Ashwagandha can dramatically improve conditions for anyone dealing with anxiety or depression.

Ashwagandha

Adaptogen

Stress

Mood

Sleep

How It Works:

• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Improves concentration, fatigue & sleep
• Protects against oxidative stress

Dosage:

Between 300 - 1000 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Anxiety – Symptoms and Stats

We all know the tension of anxious thoughts. Mind racing, unable to focus, muscles tense, anxiety can quickly dominate our mental and physical wellbeing when we are confronted with stress.

For many people, anxiety symptoms are severe enough to warrant a clinical diagnosis. At least 40 million adults suffer from the condition in the U.S. alone.

Other symptoms include irritability, muscle twitches, rapid heart beat, upset stomach, insomnia, and shortness of breath. If left unchecked, anxiety symptoms can accelerate and create much more serious imbalances and disease.

How Taking Ashwagandha for Anxiety Works

Ayurveda traditions refer to Ashwagandha as an adaptogen. This category of medicines is specifically used to block stress and anxiety responses in the body, at the chemical level.

These compounds use withanolide glycosides to stop stress responses in the mind, while preventing stress-related hormones such as NADPH diaphosphorase and cortisol from increasing. Ashwagandha also employs serotonergic and GABAergic signaling to mimic the effects of natural GABA.

The result of taking Ashwagandha for anxiety is a pervasive feeling of calm and control, even in the face of stressful situations. Social interaction is easier and more enjoyable. Solitude can be appreciated, but is not necessary to escape from stress triggers.

By fostering a more balanced emotional state, Ashwagandha reduces the severity of acute anxiety attacks once they occur, or prevents them entirely if the supplement is taken in advance. In fact, one of the key ideas behind adaptogens is that they should be consumed before any known environmental stress triggers are experienced.

For example, one might take an Ashwagandha supplement prior to arriving at an important meeting or social function. You might also consider using it as a daily preventative therapy.

Other Conditions That Ashwagandha Treats

Anxiety symptoms can be insidious – if left untreated they not only intensify, but lead to other serious conditions. Not only can you take Ashwagandha for anxiety, but you can also use it to successfully treat indirectly correlated imbalances. Many chronic conditions that are exasperated by a frantic mind can be soothed with Ashwagandha.

Fibromyalgua, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic muscle spasms and back pain also benefit from Ashwagandha’s anti-inflammatory properties.

Degenerative diseases which attack cognitive function, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease, are often exacerbated by anxiety attacks. Ashwagandha can help these patients not only with its sedative qualities, but also with neuro-protective properties which protect brain cells from decaying.

Ashwagandha is a powerful anti-oxidant, and can shield cells from free radical damage, one of the prime causes of these degenerative diseases. Tumors and liver damage can also be prevented and repaired by this mechanism.

Ashwagandha is known to enhance men’s sexual virility and confidence levels. Sexual performance is a well-known anxiety trigger for men. Ashwagandha can help ensure healthy and enjoyable sexual function.

Side Effects – Does Ashwagandha for Anxiety Cause Dependency?

Taking Ashwagandha for anxiety is a natural and effective therapy, with many added health benefits for mind and body. But are there any side effects which negate its value? For most people, the answer is no. There are no serious side effects for most users. Ashwagandha has been used effectively for centuries for all sorts of ailments without incident.

The main issue for most people is managing Ashwagandha’s sedative-like effects. In modern life, it’s not always easy to take a break from life and just relax – hence the preponderance of anxiety attacks.

So, you should be mindful of drowsiness and entering a hyper-relaxed state when you take Ashwagandha. Avoid driving unless you have a lot of experience with this herb, and time your doses to appropriate parts of the day.

Contraindications for Ashwagandha include people with serious liver conditions, blood pressure problems, lupus, or other auto-immune diseases. Ashwagandha may make these symptoms worse, and you should consult your doctor before trying it. Ashwagandha does not cause dependencies, as some prescription anxiolytics might. This natural nootropic works gently, provided you dose properly for your system.

Best Daily Dosage for Anti-Anxiety

What’s the right dose for you? If you are taking Ashwagandha for anxiety, you can chose between a daily preventative dose or wait until anxiety symptoms arise and treat them individually. Depending upon the severity of your attacks, you can scale up or down the dosage until you find the right balance of calming relief and sedation.

Ashwagandha will provide a light emotional boost at low doses like 50 – 100 mg. For a moderate anxiety attack, a dose of 300 – 500 mg will be very effective. For more severe cases, or if you have been clinically diagnosed with anxiety, a dose of 2000 mg, up to three times a day, is both safe and strong.

Whether you simply keep some Ashwagandha on hand for occasionally attacks, or prefer to make it a part of a daily regimen, there is no reason to suffer with anxiety symptoms. Ashwagandha is a natural solution to this very common problem.

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