Aswagandha is a medicinal plant that is used for stress, weight loss, mood changes, PCOS, sleep, body weight, menstrual cramps, skin, and hair problems. Here are all the benefits you need to know about.
There is a lot of pressure and stress on women of the twenty-first century, both at work and at home. In spite of being a status symbol, today's fast-paced, hyperconnected lifestyle is detrimental to health. An imbalance of hormones, inflammation, low immunity, and anxiety are common complaints among women.
What Is Ashwagandha?
The botanical name of Ashwagandha is Withania somnifera. There are also a number of other names for Amukkara, including "Indian winter cherry," or "Indian ginseng." It belongs to the class of adaptogens and is used for a variety of health purposes, including diuretics, anthelmintics, astringents, stimulants, aphrodisiacs, and thermogenics.
Indian, Middle Eastern, and African regions grow the small shrub. As an immunity booster, nervous system soother, and enhancer of longevity and vitality, Ashwagandha has been used by Ayurvedic medicine practitioners for more than 3000 years.
Ashwagandha Benefits For Female
As a member of the adaptogen plant family, ashwagandha is offered in supplements, gummies, powders, teas, tinctures, and raw forms. Scientists continue to study its efficacy in several diseases despite its use for thousands of years.
Here are the potential benefits of Ashwagandha for women:
- Help Relieve From Stress and Anxiety
Stress can be managed by the body by taking ashwagandha as an adaptogen. Researchers found that it helped control hormones like cortisol as well as proteins such as heat shock proteins (the first line of defense against stress hormones).
By reducing cortisol levels, ashwagandha supplements decrease stress and anxiety levels.
Taking Ashwagandha can significantly reduce symptoms of chronic stress, such as fatigue, insomnia, and anxiety. Additionally, ashwagandha is recommended for relieving tension, exhaustion, and body aches in Ayurvedic texts.
- Help Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation occurs in response to trauma, infection, and toxins. Anti-inflammatory reactions are produced by the body in such cases to restore balance.
When chronic pain occurs, the body does not release anti-inflammatory responses, causing severe inflammation.
The Withanolide Phytochemicals found in Ashwagandha have been shown to reduce inflammation in studies. The tea made from ashwagandha's dried leaves provides instant relief from inflammation when taken.
- Help Improve Memory and Focus
According to early research, ashwagandha improves cognitive function, especially at night. Even mild cognitive impairment and schizophrenia are improved by it in older adults.
Enhancing cognitive functioning increases attention, performance, and reaction time on cognitive tasks. Taking ashwagandha regularly improves memory and attention span while balancing the body's imbalances.
As a result, it also facilitates the body's ability to utilize oxygen effectively, which improves concentration and focus.
- Helps Improve Depression and Mood
As well as helping people who suffer from anxiety and chronic stress, ashwagandha may also be helpful to people who suffer from depression. Stress resistance is improved through the herb, and studies suggest that quality of life is improved as a result.
Ashwagandha efficacy was compared to imipramine efficacy in a 2000 experimental study involving rats. Tests involving "behavioral despair" and "learned helplessness" showed that it had similar antidepressant effects to imipramine. In clinical conditions of depression, ashwagandha can stabilize mood.
- Helps in Cancer
As ashwagandha contains withaferin, which induces apoptosis (the dying of unwanted cells), the compound is helpful for killing cancer cells. As well as preventing cancerous cells from growing, it also inhibits their spread.
WA helps create harmful ROS within cancer cells, interfering with their functioning. According to studies, ashwagandha can help treat breast and ovarian cancer in women. Additionally, it prevents the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.
- Help Regularize the Menstrual Cycle
A woman's period may be delayed, irregular, crampy, undergo fertility issues, grow facial hair, or undergo any other physical change during menopause. Stress is often the cause of such problems for women.
The main cause of such female reproductive issues is hormone imbalance, which can even result in complications during pregnancy. As a whole, Ashwagandha benefits menstrual cycles.
Taking ashwagandha regularly can help you retain these benefits. The hormone imbalance is improved and the adrenal glands are strengthened. Blood flow is even stimulated by it. Fertility and period regularity are enhanced by hormonal balance.
- Acts as a Sexual Stimulant
Ashwagandha is beneficial to females who experience sexual dysfunction, according to a clinical study. The regular use of this product improves arousal and orgasm, as well as lubrication.
A good mood is induced, blood flow is increased, and sexual potency is improved.
Ashwagandha root was noted as a source of libido for women in the ancient text Kamasutra. By stimulating arousal and providing optimum satisfaction, it increases arousal.
- Contributes to Heart Health
The body's oxygen levels are increased by Ashwagandha. When exercising, one takes in the maximum amount of oxygen possible. In such physical activities, levels of oxygen flow between the heart and lungs play an important role in measuring cardiorespiratory endurance.
Astragandha is helpful in treating high cholesterol, heart disease, chest pain, and high blood pressure.
- Help Combat Vaginal Infection
Vaginal infections might be helped by ashwagandha's antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Yeast infections can be treated with this herb, according to many experts.
Regulates Blood Sugar Level
Diabetes is a disease that women are prone to because of their physiological structure. Hormonal imbalances, irregular menstrual cycles, PCOS, and hormonal fluctuations are the main causes of diabetes.
Several ashwagandha root benefits can be attributed to regulating sugar in women. This supplement reduces blood fat, called triglycerides, as well as sugar cravings.
- Improves Sleep
The consumption of ashwagandha regularly promotes a sound sleep.
It has a positive impact on sleep quality even though it has a small impact on sleep pattern. Aswagandha also induces sleep, which is beneficial to those suffering from insomnia.
- Ashwagandha Benefits for Skin
The Ayurvedic herb Ashwagandha promotes flawless, glowing skin. Having high antioxidant levels helps prevent acne, wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots. Furthermore, it contains alkaloids that ease stress and anxiety in the nervous system.
The health and texture of the skin are directly impacted by reduced stress and anxiety. Ashwagandha helps restore your skin in the following ways:
Moisturisation and cleansing: Aswagandha releases WA molecules that remove dirt and impurities from the skin, soothing it deeply and removing the impurities. Acne and clogged pores can be prevented by better cleansing.
Prevents ageing: It enhances DHEA-Dehydroepiandrosterone, the hormone responsible for the production of estrogen hormones. Further, it ensures healthy skin hydration by initiating the production of necessary proteins. The natural oil production and collagen production of the skin are enhanced by estrogen and DHEA.
Healing benefits: Bruises, cuts, and skin infections can be treated with the fluid that contains ashwagandha.
- Prevents Menopause Issues
Hormonal imbalances are common during menopause or with the onset of menopause. It can cause anxiety, depression, and hot flashes, as well as sleep disturbances. Its effects on the endocrine system help alleviate such symptoms.
- Ashwagandha Benefits For Female Fertility
Infertility is a condition in which a woman cannot conceive or may miscarry. It may be caused by hormonal imbalances, lifestyle choices, physical injuries, etc. Fertility may be boosted by using Ayurvedic herbs. How is ashwagandha beneficial to female fertility?
Ashwagandha is a plant with active substances, including micro- and macro-elements, lipids, amino acids, peptides, and nucleic acid. Additionally, its roots are therapeutic, regulating the adrenal and thyroid glands and improving the endocrine system.
Reproductive hormones are balanced by these glands. Furthermore, hormonal balance is an important factor in treating female infertility.
Anaemia caused by iron deficiency often results in difficulty conceiving and frequent miscarriages in women. The iron in Ashwagandha helps with infertility issues.
Additionally, it is ideal for dealing with stress-induced insomnia, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and nervous exhaustion. Infertile women often experience these issues.
Dosage information
A root extract of ashwagandha has been studied at dosages of 250–600 mg/day. One dose is usually taken with breakfast in the morning, and one in the evening.
Sleep is improved more effectively with 600 mg/day than with lower doses. Similarly, athletes undergoing rigorous exercise regimens may benefit more from 600–1,000 mg/day than lower doses. To confirm whether higher doses are more beneficial, more research is needed.
As ashwagandha may have drug-like effects on neurotransmission, it is not known if it loses its potency over long-term use. It's also unknown whether taking ashwagandha every day or on breaks affects its effectiveness.
Bottom line:
Ashwagandha is considered one of the most important Ayurvedic herbs. Stress and anxiety can be reduced with this supplement. More research is needed to confirm its effects on physical performance, testosterone levels, and reproductive health, but it may also enhance various aspects of physical performance.