Herbs and Mental Health

While there have been studies investigating the adaptogenic herb ashwagandha and its use in combating stress, Salve et al. (2019) claim this study to be the first to offer insight into the dose-response of a high concentration root extract. This double-blind study included 60 participants (male and female), with a baseline perceived stress scale (PSS) score greater than 20. The participants were randomly selected to receive capsules of 125 mg of ashwagandha extract, 300 mg of ashwagandha extract, or an identical placebo twice daily for eight weeks in a 1:1:1 ratio. The following measures were taken: stress (using PSS) at baseline, at four weeks and eight weeks; anxiety using the Hamilton-Anxiety (HAM-A) scale; cortisol levels in the blood at baseline and at eight weeks; and sleep quality utilizing a seven-point sleep scale. Fifty eight of the 60 participants completed the study (96.7% completion rate). Both a significant reduction in PSS scores and a drop in cortisol levels were seen in participants who took 250 mg/day or 300 mg/day of ashwagandha extract. Moreover, sleep quality was significantly better in those that received ashwagandha relative to the placebo group. These findings show that the ashwagandha root aqueous extract may have stress and anxiety-relieving properties. [NPID: adaptogens, herbs, ashwagandha, stress, anxiety, cortisol]