Ashwagandha
Also known as: Withania somnifera, KSM-66
Ashwagandha is a traditional adaptogenic herb people commonly explore for everyday stress and calm. Some short studies are encouraging, but research is still developing and product quality varies. It is commonly avoided in pregnancy.
Snapshot
What this page can tell you: What NCCIH says about ashwagandha's preliminary sleep/stress evidence and its liver, surgery, thyroid, pregnancy, and medication-interaction cautions.
What it cannot: That ashwagandha treats anxiety, insomnia, or any condition — NCCIH describes the evidence as limited and unclear for anxiety. Informational only.
🧩 Stack insights — how this fits into a schedule
Evidence status (sleep / stress) — NCCIH: research shows some ashwagandha preparations may be effective for insomnia and stress, though effects on anxiety are unclear. Safety data mostly cover short-term use (up to about 3 months). Not a treatment claim.
Liver, surgery, thyroid/autoimmune — NCCIH: rare liver-injury cases have been linked to ashwagandha; it is not recommended before surgery or for people with autoimmune or thyroid disorders, and it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Higher-caution categories — review with a clinician if any apply.
Sedatives, thyroid, diabetes, BP, immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants — NCCIH: ashwagandha may interact with sedatives, anti-seizure medicines, and medicines for diabetes, high blood pressure, immune suppression, and thyroid. Review with a clinician or pharmacist if you take any.
Evening / bedtime timing (user pattern) — Because it is commonly discussed for sleep/stress and can cause drowsiness, many people take ashwagandha in the evening. This is a user scheduling pattern; a specific timing claim is pending source review.
Relationship insights are informational only — they describe what is commonly discussed or studied, not what you should take. Not medical advice; review your routine with a clinician or pharmacist.
🕒 Timing
When: Evening, With a meal
Food: With food
Commonly taken with food; some prefer the evening. Extracts vary in strength.
💊 Common use range
300–600 mg extract
Follow product-specific guidance; more is not necessarily better.
Ranges are informational, not a recommended dose. Talk to a professional about what is right for you.
🤔 Worth considering?
Evidence vs. effort: Limited evidence relative to burden
Commonly used for stress and sleep with limited, mixed evidence. Rare liver-injury cases are documented; NCCIH advises avoiding it in pregnancy and breastfeeding, before surgery, and with thyroid or autoimmune conditions. Worth a professional conversation.
A general summary, not a recommendation. Whether something fits your situation is worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
⚠️ Commonly noted interactions (supplements)
None listed.
Often about absorption or timing rather than danger — separating doses is common. This list is not exhaustive.
🧭 Caution level
Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use.
- Thyroid caution category
- Commonly discussed as relaxing/sedating
- Higher caution if you take thyroid medication (space doses apart)
- Sedative / CNS-depressant interaction
- Immunosuppressant interaction
- Glucose-lowering / diabetes medication interaction
- Higher caution if you take blood-pressure medication
Caution level is an informational summary of commonly discussed caution categories and doses — not a safety rating, approval, or medical advice. Low caution does not mean safe for you.
🩺 Medication caution categories
- Thyroid medication
- Sedatives / CNS depressants
- Immunosuppressants
- Diabetes medication
- Blood pressure medication
🏥 Surgery & procedure caution
May add to sedation and affect thyroid or blood sugar; commonly paused before surgery. Confirm with your care team.
If you have a procedure scheduled, bring your full supplement list to your surgical and anesthesia team. Do not stop prescribed medication unless your clinician tells you to. Do not start or stop supplements based only on this app.
✅ Quality checklist
- Prefer products with third-party testing or a certificate of analysis (COA) — commonly recommended for this ingredient.
- Commonly discussed quality checks: Heavy metals, Botanical misidentification.
- Check the label for the exact form and the elemental or active amount per serving.
🧩 Commonly paired with
🔁 Alternatives
🗣️ Questions for a professional
- Is Ashwagandha appropriate alongside my medications and health history?
- Is there a test or check that would tell us whether I actually need it?
🛡️ Safety notes (source-reviewed)
- NCCIH: rare liver-injury cases have been linked to ashwagandha supplements.
- Not recommended before surgery or for people with autoimmune or thyroid disorders; avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- May interact with sedatives, anti-seizure medicines, and medicines for diabetes, blood pressure, immune suppression, and thyroid.
- Side effects: drowsiness, stomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting. Safety data mostly cover short-term use (up to ~3 months).
⚖️ Evidence limitations
- NCCIH: some preparations may help insomnia and stress, but effects on anxiety are unclear and long-term safety is not well characterized.
❓ Frequently asked
Does ashwagandha help sleep or stress?
NCCIH says research shows some ashwagandha preparations may be effective for insomnia and stress, while effects on anxiety are unclear. This page makes no treatment claim — review it with a clinician, especially given the cautions.
Who should be cautious with ashwagandha?
NCCIH advises against use before surgery and for people with autoimmune or thyroid disorders, and says to avoid it in pregnancy and breastfeeding. It may also interact with several medications.
Can ashwagandha affect the liver?
NCCIH notes rare cases of liver injury linked to ashwagandha supplements. Worth a clinician conversation, especially with liver concerns.
🔬 Evidence snapshot
Evidence is limited and mixed. NCCIH notes some preparations may help with insomnia and stress, effects on anxiety are unclear, and there is not enough evidence for other uses.
🚦 Commonly noted cautions (auto)
Thyroid caution category. This item carries a thyroid caution category. If you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication, consider discussing it with a healthcare professional. This is a general caution, not a diagnosis or medical instruction.
🧪 Forms & quality
Source type: Botanical
Extracts are often standardized to withanolide content; standardization percentages differ between products, so amounts are not directly comparable.
See the supplement glossary for what form names like "L-", chelated, or standardized extract mean.
📏 Dose & monitoring
No established UL noted by the sources reviewed.
Evidence vs. burden: Limited evidence relative to burden
Labs that may be worth discussing: Thyroid
These are discussion prompts, not required tests. A healthcare professional can advise what makes sense for you.
😐 Commonly reported side effects
- Digestive upset, drowsiness; rare liver-related reports
Non-exhaustive and individual.
🔄 Cycling & breaks
Some people cycle it (e.g., several weeks on, then a break); evidence is limited.
📅 Daily use notes
Avoid in pregnancy. People with thyroid or autoimmune conditions should talk to a professional first.
📋 Source review status
Source-reviewed — last reviewed 2026-07-02
Placeholder — verify liver-caution and pregnancy wording.
📚 References
- NCCIH — AshwagandhaNCCIH — Verified insomnia/stress evidence, rare liver-injury cases, surgery/thyroid/pregnancy cautions, and medication interactions.
Verified against the source shown. See the research-status page for how review works.
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