Does Taking Ashwagandha for Depression Work?

New natural therapies like taking Ashwagandha for depression could light the way to relief for the nearly 15 million adults who suffer from this condition.

Depression strikes regardless of gender or age. In fact, 1 in 8 adolescents will be diagnosed with the condition every year.

Despite these numbers, most medications offered by conventional medicine are harsh pharmaceuticals which can carry severe side effects. The Ashwagandha root (also known as Withania somnifera) could provide a safe solution to this very real problem.

Known for its stress relieving, neuro-protective qualities, the Ashwagandha depression connection is worth studying. Here’s what we know about how this power herb works to ease symptoms.

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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New Natural Therapy For Depression

Growing wild in India and North Africa, the humble tomato-like Ashwagandha shrub, has been used as a folk and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

This traditional Hindu medicine practice emphasizes natural healing techniques.

The spiny, pungent root of the Ashwagandha plant is harvested and used to treat a broad number of medical conditions. It can ease symptoms of everything from arthritis to fibromyalgia, and is often prescribed to enhance male sexual potency.

Recently, Ashwagandha has become of interest to the nootropic community, which has discovered that Ashwagandha is a powerful anti-depressant and anti-anxiety therapy. Using Ashwagandha for depression is a natural solution in line with the teachings of Ayurveda.

Unlike prescription anti-depressants like Prozac and Lexapro, which are made in factories, Ashwagandha grows directly from the earth and requires little processing to be effective.

How Taking Ashwagandha For Depression Works

In Ayurveda, Ashwagandha is known as an adaptogen, which means it is in a class of supplements which are known to block stress reactions. Taking Ashwagandha for depression stimulates the process of adrenergic signaling to inhibit the effects of chemicals associated with depression symptoms, such as clonidine and reserpine.

It works in a similar way to the natural supplement Yohimbe, and can boost the effects of other anti-depressive compounds like SSRIs.

Ashwagandha is known to create a de-stressed, relaxed feeling in mind and body. It can replace depression-related hopelessness with feelings of lightness, mental clarity, and peacefulness. In large enough doses, Ashwagandha can act as a mild sedative, helping return sleep cycles to normal and allowing easy rest.

Ashwagandha Also Helps These Conditions

Ashwagandha also provides a host of other benefits which can be tangentially related to depression symptoms. In fact, people who are diagnosed with depression are far likelier to develop other physical imbalances which may or may not be directly identified with depression.

For example, chronic pain disorders are common in depression patients. Ashwagandha is known to ease discomfort associated with chronic conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia.

In addition to taking Ashwagandha for depression, many people also use it as an anxiolytic to fight anxiety. This works in a similar fashion to GABAergic signaling. Ashwagandha can lessen the effects of ADHD.

Ashwagandha also fights more serious physical imbalances such as tumors, diabetes, brain ataxia, dangerously high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Many of these types of ailments are common for depression sufferers.

Ashwagandha’s anti-oxidant qualities prevent a lot of the cell and tissue damage which leads to more serious problems such as these. It also boosts immunity with its powerful anti-microbial properties.

Is It Safer Than Prescription Anti-Depressants?

Ashwagandha is generally considered very safe for regular consumption. Unlike prescription anti-depressants, Ashwagandha actually improves the health of key neural structures. It does this by scavenging for destructive free radicals, molecules which have been damaged by oxidation. Ashwagandha is not habit-forming, as opposed to many prescription drugs, and does not form easy tolerances.

Ashwagandha does have some notable side effects for some people, but these are usually in relation to serious pre-existing health conditions.

For example, people with auto-immune diseases, thyroid disorders, or extreme blood pressure issues may find their conditions aggravated by the root. Pregnant women are also advised to avoid the supplement as it may cause serious problems with the pregnancy.

Ashwagandha should not be taken in conjunction with other prescription sedatives or MAOIs. Taking Ashwagandha for depression acts a natural MAO inhibitor on its own, increasing serotonin and dopamine levels. It should not be combined with drugs like Moclobemide or Harmala.

What’s The Right Ashwagandha Dose?

If you are specifically taking Ashwagandha for depression, your dosage depends on the severity of your symptoms. For most people, a strong, effective dosage of Ashwagandha is about 6000 mg per day, divided into 3 sittings. This will be enough to bring on powerful stress-relief effects.

However, Ashwagandha is also effective at much lower doses. An individual dose of 300 – 500 mg will produce noticeable effects, which may be enough to ease mild symptoms entirely. Even at doses as low as 50 – 100 mg, Ashwagandha is reported to alleviate feelings of stress and improve mood.

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