Organic ashwagandha root, dried and milled to a fine powder. Ashwagandha — Withania somnifera, a member of the nightshade family — has been used in Ayurvedic practice for a very long time, and it has become one of the most heavily marketed botanicals in the world over the last decade.
Because of that, this listing is going to be more careful than most.
What we will not tell you
You will find ashwagandha sold everywhere as an adaptogen for stress, sleep, cortisol, anxiety, testosterone and athletic performance. No health claim for ashwagandha is authorised in the EU, so we are not permitted to make one — and we would not want to, because the marketing has run a long way ahead of the evidence. The trials that exist are mostly small, short and industry-funded.
What you should know before taking it
Some European regulators have restricted it. Following a risk assessment by its National Food Institute, Denmark concluded that ashwagandha should not be used in food supplements, citing possible effects on thyroid and reproductive hormones. Other member states have raised similar questions. It remains legally sold in Portugal, but you deserve to know the assessment exists.
Liver injury has been documented. A number of published case reports and a case series describe liver injury, usually cholestatic, in people taking ashwagandha supplements, with recovery after stopping. It is uncommon, but it is real. If you develop yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, persistent nausea or unexplained fatigue while taking it, stop and see a doctor.
It affects the thyroid. Ashwagandha can raise thyroid hormone levels, and cases of thyrotoxicosis have been reported. If you have any thyroid condition or take thyroid medication, do not take it without your doctor's agreement.
Who should not take it
Pregnant women — it has a traditional use as an abortifacient and should be avoided outright. Breastfeeding women. Anyone with a liver condition, an autoimmune condition, a thyroid condition, or a hormone-sensitive cancer. Anyone taking sedatives, thyroid medication, immunosuppressants, blood pressure or diabetes medication. Anyone with a nightshade allergy. And anyone due for surgery should stop well beforehand.
If none of that applies to you
It is an earthy, bitter, distinctly horse-like powder — the Sanskrit name refers to the smell of a horse, and it is not a compliment or an exaggeration. Traditionally it is taken stirred into warm milk with honey, which is still by far the most pleasant way to have it.
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