816 replies to this topic

[Andrey_81]

Hi to everybody.

I would like to describe how well I feel after usage of ashwagandha. I hope this will help to somebody with the same problems I had before.

I'm 30 years old in excellent physical condition (running, gym...). I don't drink alcohol or smoke. All my life I tried to live as healthy as possible. However, when I was 20 I experienced symptoms like lack of motivation, sleeping problems, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, drowsiness, speech problems, brain fog, I never had enough air and I was the one in the office always opening the windows, even during the cold weather, I always felt hot, sweating a lot, lots of headache, without confidence and with hot flashes. ... Coffee, guarana and red bull helped a lot from the beginning (I started to take during the college) and I was full of energy but I felt like bipolar (first almost manic and then burned out). All this was a shock for me because I never felt like this before. I used to be very happy and optimistic person.

I thought that I have a problem due to the weather change. One day I was full of energy, motivated, full of confidence and in a good mood, and another day I was depressed, unable to speak clearly, with hot flashes and lack of confidence, sweating like crazy. I was concern that I'm bipolar. I stopped drinking coffee, red bull and guarana in order to avoid anxiety.

When I started to work my symptoms were the same but stronger and I was getting even worse. 6 months ago I experienced first symptoms of panic attacks and every day I was anxious and had this strange feeling in my chest. Totally lack of self confidence. When somebody asked my a question I didn't know the answer (meetings) I was shocked, totally panicked. I felt like I will start to cry. I was unable to do any presentations in front of the people. Totally afraid. My heart felt like it will jump out from the chest.

I thought that I have symptoms of agoraphobia or panic disorder. I tried with herbal supplements. First I tried Valerian and I felt great but only for one week. Then I tried brahmi (bacopa monnieri) and I also felt great but my I was always to focused and I didn't feel normal and had strange feeling in my head. After few months of use brahmi made my anxiety worse. Then I tried fish oil. This was the biggest mistake. I felt terrible. Anxious like never before. Then I started with Rhodiola but similar effect like brahmi. One day I was great, another terrible, sweating and very anxious. Again, had this feeling like I will star to cry when I was speaking with somebody. Every question towards me was like somebody pointed a gun and I need to fight for my like. This is how I felt.

I was sure that I have big problems with my nerves but the I ordered Ashwagandha! First I was mixing ashwagandha with brahmi and rhodiola. Bad combination, I was only sleeping better due to asgwagandha, nothing more.

Then I decided to quit brahmi and rhodiola and continued with ashwagandha only. I used to take 250 mg of extract in the morning and 250 mg before bed. When I raised dosage to 750 mg per day my life completely changed. It is hard for me to describe this feeling, but I feel like I felt when I was in my high school, even better. I take 250 mg of extract in the morning, at 7 or 8. Then during work I take another pill (at 12:00 or at 1:00 pm) and again at 9 pm.

With this higher dosage (I take asgwagandha made by Himalaya) I'm back to normal and I feel great whole day. Every bad symptoms disappeared after I raised daily dosage from 500 mg to 750 mg and when I took ashwagandha 3 times a day (and not only one as before) and without mixing with another herbs. This is amazing. No more hot flashes, no more lack of self confidence, my speech ability improved, no more brain fog, drowsiness, sweating, headaches or sleeping problems. Nothing that I described above. Just amazing. No more anxiety or panic attacks. When somebody speaks to my I feel like I have invisible shield. No more that bad feeling like I will start to cry. In the past two weeks I never opened a window in my office. I have enough air, just like every other colleague in my office. Every day in the past two weeks I'm the same person without mood swings. This is not placebo effect because I tried all kinds of stuff and nothing helped.

Sorry for long topic, but can somebody who understand this more than me explain what happened to me. All this tells to me that I have physical and not psychical problems. From what I read, ashwagandha supports thyroid and adrenal glands. Does this mean that my thyroid or adrenal glands is not 'working' as it should? What ashwagandha really did to me to stop all the bad that I was dealing with almost 10 years? Should I go to see the doctor to check my hormonal level? Since I'm in a excellent physical condition I never thought that I have some problems with thyroid, adrenal glands or problems with high cortisol.

What could be the root of my problem considering that ashwagandha helped?

Please help.
Thank you.
Andrey

Edited by Andrey_81, 21 May 2012 - 08:21 AM.

[8bitmore]

Thanks for good descriptive post Andrey_81; my guess is that it is going to be extremely hard for you to find out exactly what your initial problem is based on the fact that Ashwagandha helped it; since it is an adaptogenic herb it can have entirely different effect on the body depending on your individual biochemistry. Sorry for asking but are you male or female (in relation to hormonal swings)? I reckon your own diagnosis of hormonal imbalance is pretty spot, I would personally forgo trying to get detail from doctor unless symptoms re-emerge (but maybe that's just me not being too impressed with doctors in general) - you could also opt for an extensive blood test (from for example LEF) to see if that can give you any clues!

[Andrey_81]

...Sorry for asking but are you male or female (in relation to hormonal swings)?

I'm a male When I mentioned level of hormones I was thinking about hormones that are normally produced by thyroid. Btw. I have never experienced problems with libido... I have nicely defined muscles, thick hair. It seams that cortisol is not a problem. Not sure which other hormones or something else could cause so many dis-balances in my body.

Edited by Andrey_81, 21 May 2012 - 10:18 AM.

[Andrey_81]

One more thing.... It is obvious that ashwagandha is working like a miracle to me, I'm really afraid that after I while it will lose its effect or my body will get used on it. Is this going to happen? How can I avoid this? Is it OK to make a break, let's say, during the weekend?

Is there any other herb with similar effect that I could use to cycle with aswagandha? I thought that Rhodiola should be the one but I haven't tried it in higher dose and all alone (only in combination with ashwagandha and brahmi, but it was a bad effect). I think I will experiment a little more with rhodiola.

I like this herb so much that I ordered ashwagandha seeds from ebay, just to have it at home at to watch it growing

Edited by Andrey_81, 21 May 2012 - 12:51 PM.

[Lufega]

Strange coincidence that I see this post today. I found this study yesterday that tested the combination of ashwagandha and terminalia arjuna in young, healthy people with positive results in endurance and physical performance. Maybe if you read the full text, if might offer clues as to why it's helping you. This combination is definitely going on my list of things to try. First, I want to try rhodiola because it inhibits the COMT enzyme (I have high levels of it). I've used it before with good results but it gave me a little anxiety. I figure I can mix it with a cholinergic like alpha-gpc to balance it out. Cholinergics alone make me feel very depressed, probably because of the low prefrontal cortex dopamine levels cause by the elevated COMT activity. Even pantothenic acid (500 mg) is enough to bum me out.

Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Terminalia arjuna (Arjuna) on physical performance and cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy young adults.

INTRODUCTION:
Several medicinal plants have been described to be beneficial for cardiac ailments in Ayurveda like Ashwagandha and Arjuna. Ashwagandha-categorised as Rasayanas, and described to promote health and longevity and Arjuna primarily for heart ailments. coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypercholesterolemia, anginal pain and can be considered as a useful drug for coronary artery disease, hypertension and ischemic cardiomyopathy.
OBJECTIVE:

There are no scientific clinical studies showing effect of both these drugs on exercise performance after regular administration when given as supplements The present study was therefore designed and performed to assess the effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Terminalia arjuna (Arjuna) individually and as a combination on maximum velocity, average absolute and relative Power, balance, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and blood pressure in humans.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Forty normal healthy. Subjects (either sex, mean age 20.6 ± 2.5yrs and mean Body Mass Index 21.9 ± 2.2) were recruited after written informed consent was obtained. Institutional Ethics Committee permission was also obtained. Thirty participants were assigned to experimental group of which 10 received standardized root extracts of Withania somnifera, 10 received standardized bark extract of Terminalia arjuna and the rest of the 10 received standardized root extract of Withania somnifera in addition to bark extract of Terminalia arjuna both. Both the drugs were given in the form of capsules (dosage 500mg/day for both the drugs). Ten participants received placebo (capsules filled with flour). All the subjects continued the regimen for 8 weeks. All variables were assessed before and after the course of drug administration
OBSERVATIONS:

Our study showed that Withania somnifera increased velocity, power and VO2 max whereas Terminalia arjuna increased VO2 max and lowered resting systolic blood pressure. When given in combination, the improvement was seen in all parameters except balance and diastolic blood pressure.
CONCLUSION:

Withania somnifera may therefore be useful for generalized weakness and to improve speed and lower limb muscular strength and neuro-muscular co-ordination. Terminalia arjuna may prove useful to improve cardio-vascular endurance and lowering systolic blood pressure. Both drugs appear to be safe for young adults when given for mentioned dosage and duration.

Full Text: http://www.ncbi.nlm....71/?tool=pubmed

[Andrey_81]

I'm sure that ashwagandha blocks something in my body, something that causes all negative effects, and I would really like to know what is happening in my body. Before ashwagandha it was very hard for me to speak in front of people during the meeting. This bad and extremely strong feeling of anxiety, hart beat, sweating and and panic before important meetings or presentations was so intense that I even tried to take propranolol (beta blocker) and few times lexaurin (bromazepam) before this situations.

I can only say that how I feel now when I'm taking ashwagandha and how I felt when I took lexaurin cannot compare. Even with lexaurin I was anxious, panicked and with strong hart beat. Propranolol helped with hart beat and with anxiety, but it has to many negative side effects to be taken every day. With ashwagandha all this disappeared like it never existed. No panic attacks, no anxiety, completely normal hart beat, confidence and self esteem. I feel completely calm, but in the same I'm motivated and full of energy during the day. It is just amazing that one herb in the same time makes this effect of calmness and energy.

Edited by Andrey_81, 21 May 2012 - 07:58 PM.

[Andrey_81]

According to my research I think that I have a problem with GABA activity

This article is interesting:
http://www.denvernat.../news/GABA.html

It says: Without GABA, nerve cells fire too often and too easily. Anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, seizure disorders, and numerous other conditions including addiction, headaches, Parkinson's syndrome, and cognitive impairment are all related to low GABA activity.

According to this article ashwagandha contains an ingredient that activates the GABA receptor:
http://inhumanexperi...experiment.html

If this what is happening to me has something to do with GABA, should I see the doctor? Is this something that should be cured and how? If ashwagandha is helping, I will continue with long term use, but what if it stops working? Are there any other medications?

Thank you.

Edited by Andrey_81, 22 May 2012 - 02:57 PM.

[Thorsten3]

It's an adaptogen so it will have positive effects on your response to stress I'd imagine. So it might involve cortisol. That in itself would have a cascade of benefits all over the body if chronic stress was a problem for an individual. Chronic long term stress = bye bye health and happiness....... hello disease, immune disorders, inflammation, depression, anxiety.... and eventually, if unchecked......shorter life.....etc.

I personally didn't like ashwagandha for day time use. But then, I bought a bag of powder (without a measuring device and any scales) so I was eating it in the range of grams per day, I would think. Perhaps I was overdosing, because all of what I noticed was that It seemed to dull me. Much to the point where I wasn't interested in socializing with people around me (so social reward seemed to dramatically decrease). I'd just be happy sitting there with not much to say.

I do take it daily though, but only at night. I have found it rather useful for assisting with sleep architecture (I seem to not awake anymore during the night so perhaps it increases deeper sleep?). Also, it doesn't appear to leave me with a groggy feeling the next morning so it doesn't seem to interfere in any way at all.

Oh, and its libido effects are pretty cool too but because I take it in the late PM you don't really get much time to enjoy them. But I can see the power enhancing effects that are useful for building your wood as going to bed with an erection seems to be a common thing. Have you noticed this effect yourself? If you haven't it's one more reason to use it long term, as these effects would eventually increase over time (I think ash increases sperm volume, but not sure if it increases test).

After reading your enthusiastic posts I think it might be worth experimenting with it more during the day time because it is definitely anxiolytic and that is something I suffer with very badly. But I would prefer to purchase it in caps and from a reputable supplier. This bag of powder I have here definitely works, but dosing it is a pain. It seems overdosing is quite easy (hence my bad previous reactions to day time use?) so I'd need to get some caps. Which brand do you use?

I don't think there's any reason why ashwagandha would stop working? I've never heard of that? Rhodiola, on the othe hand, seems to poop out on everybody from what I hear.

Holy basil is the only herb I can think of that might be semi-similar to ashwagandha. Not sure if it is a GABA mimetic like ashwagandha but it definitely works on your stress response and has a calming, antidepressive type quality about it.

Edited by Thorsten2, 23 May 2012 - 10:16 AM.

[Andrey_81]

Which brand do you use?

Hi! Thanks for your reply. I personally use Himalaya brand. It is very cheap on ebay, about 19 $ for 5 packs = 300 capsules. According to the producer, 2 capsules per day should be enough (1 capsule = 250 mg of extract). I take 3, and this is what really works. Early in the morning, after lunch, and before bed. This keeps me 'normal', motivated and full of energy through the day.

Morning erections? Yes
Increased sperm? Yes

[Andrey_81]

I don't think there's any reason why ashwagandha would stop working? I've never heard of that?

I'm happy to hear that. What about breaks? I don't want to live a day without this...

Rhodiola, on the othe hand, seems to poop out on everybody from what I hear.

Can you please clarify this? I'm not sure if I understood well.
Thanks.

[against_all_odds]

In my experience, no, the body doesn't seem to build resistance to it even after long term usage. I've used the jarrow brand for years.

After some time passed by i was confident enough to see what would happen if i stopped taking it. It took around 10 days for me to feel the effects of stopping it so i restarted it and i havent stopped using it ever since.

These days, i take the weekends off just incase, with no ill effect.

[Andrey_81]

In my experience, no, the body doesn't seem to build resistance to it even after long term usage. I've used the jarrow brand for years.

After some time passed by i was confident enough to see what would happen if i stopped taking it. It took around 10 days for me to feel the effects of stopping it so i restarted it and i havent stopped using it ever since.

These days, i take the weekends off just incase, with no ill effect.

I'm so happy to hear this However, I will follow your last routine (weekends off), just in case

Thnx

[tintinet]

My own anxiety issues seem to have been helped by the uridine, CDP-choline, omega-3 stack, but I'll give 'eBay

ASHVAGANDHA Himalaya Herbals Sexual Vitality AntiStress Withania Somnifera' a shot.

[truboy]

I thought that I have symptoms of agoraphobia or panic disorder. I tried with herbal supplements. First I tried Valerian and I felt great but only for one week. Then I tried brahmi (bacopa monnieri) and I also felt great but my I was always to focused and I didn't feel normal and had strange feeling in my head. After few months of use brahmi made my anxiety worse. Then I tried fish oil. This was the biggest mistake. I felt terrible. Anxious like never before. Then I started with Rhodiola but similar effect like brahmi. One day I was great, another terrible, sweating and very anxious. Again, had this feeling like I will star to cry when I was speaking with somebody. Every question towards me was like somebody pointed a gun and I need to fight for my like. This is how I felt.

I have pretty similar symptoms/problems to yours. My results:
fish oil - exactly same very bad expirience. Made me very anxious, difficult to control thoughts, less confident. Promised my self not to take anymore.
Rhodiola - 1st time i took it was very good. But than unconsistent results. Some times good mood, motivation, assertivness. Sometimes depressed, no energy...

What helped me is theanine+piracetam combo. And they also effect GABA in some or other way, so maybe it's GABA related problems... anyway will follow your recommendation and will try Ashwaganha.

[truboy]

Interesting:
some people say it's motivating : http://www.longecity...tivate-so-much/
others it's unmotivating: http://www.longecity...onless-feeling/

[Andrey_81]

What helped me is theanine+piracetam combo. And they also effect GABA in some or other way, so maybe it's GABA related problems... anyway will follow your recommendation and will try Ashwaganha.

Hi! I was also thinking about L-theanine, but I read a lot about tolerance to L-theanine. Everybody says it's great form the beginning, but it usually stops working after short period.

Do you have similar experience? How do you take l-theanine? Do you make breaks and how often? Which brand do you use and how many times a day?

I'm sure it will go well with ashwagandha...

Thanks
Andrey

[Highlander]

Andrey, thanks for this post !
For me Ashwaganha seemed to help with similar things which I usually eliminate by taking 1-3 glass of wine.
Then, after several years wine became my everyday habit which was really difficult to quit.
So if wine was not taken I become anxious and irritated every evening without any reason.
So I duno did I have some disorder which was masked by drinking wine or it was alco-habit, but afterall Ashwaganha seemed to help to quit drinking at all...So I would probably vote for some GABA properties of Ashwaganha..

I also did not notice any similar effect of Brahmi ...

[Clarity]

I was planning on taking this, and everything I read says it is a "yang"/warming herb. Some people are yang deficient, some are yin deficient. Some organ systems may be yang and/or yin deficient. So maybe that contributes to who it works well for and who it doesn't. Chinese herbalists say to take with cooling or yin herbs to counteract the warming effect. I think this depends on your constitution and if you get side effects immediately or eventually.

OP: I have adrenal problems and break out in a sweat when they're acting up. When I was at my worst, I would break out in tears at the littlest things. I equate it with being like a toddler who's just been given a load of sugar and has a tantrum. I use to be very motivated also - a Type A multitasker, but was dealt the apathy card with this. It really changes your whole personality. My social life has severly suffered the past 4 years, and I can be as flat as you can get. However if I eat a clean diet, I sometimes revert to my old self. Just so you know, my cortisol levels have only been caught low on a blood test twice, so it's not necessarily ease to catch by a doctor.

Edited by Clarity, 24 July 2012 - 02:19 PM.

[Clarity]

Forgot to add one of the articles/blog writeups I read regarding it's properties, personal experience with it and general burnout & the yin yang aspect. Note that it is said to be yang, but I missed the part that said it may actually nourish yin: http://bearmedicineh...g-vitality.html

Edited by Clarity, 24 July 2012 - 03:24 PM.

[FrankEd]

Well, what I would like to post here, is not related to Ashwaganda, but Ayurveda in general.

I´m reading a lot about this very old science.

What makes me astonished are several readings about herbs that can rejuvenate some parts of the body.

I wrote before about Arjuna, and how it accelerates the total healing of a big scar in my right arm.

Then I wrote about the almost total healing of my heart, after a myocardial infarction.

But now, I was interested to try an herb which in India is called "Punarnava" (the one that renews).or Boerhavia Diffusa.

It is used often to treat urinary and kidney problems. Used with other preparations is claimed to cure CRF.

I´m 62 years old and I began to take a medicinal wine called Punarnavarishta.

After four months taking 30ml, two times a day after meals, I noticed a great increase in libido and sperm quantity, as a strange "side effect" not mentioned in the product.

My only kidney was benefited too, because I have an improving in urine retention, which aggravates as we age.

I don´t know if this is a "folk" comment and don´t ask me why, but it´s really happening to me.

[tintinet]

Sperm quantity? You count 'em?

[Clarity]

Just my own update on ashwagandha. This stuff is the bomb. And I never say that about anything. Except maybe a couple of vicodin I took prior to 2 procedures. I didn't realize how stressed and how long I've been stressed until I took it and didn't feel anxious anymore. I haven't felt this calm in 4 yrs - not since my adrenals crashed. Nothing I've tried has done this for me. I'm hoping this is the answer to healing them finally (knock on wood). I only used 150mg from a capsule and added it to some warm water to make a tea. I usually feel the effects of warming herbs rather fast because I've been dealing with feeling overheated lately, and to me it feels balanced (neutral rather than warming - maybe even cooling). Although I have been taking small doses of rehmannia, so maybe that helped. Thanks to this website, because I had never heard of ashwagandha except on here.

[riloal]

Hi i tried ashwagandha it worked great but it caused me hair loss. Now i want to try rhodiola rosea, is it safe for hair rhodiola? Thanks

[Andrey_81]

I'm currently taking a pause from ashwagandha (I will try one month break). I'm on Rhodiola for the past one week and I feel great (better than ever I used to take rhodiola 500 mg per day (made by NOW food, 3% Standardized Extract) in combination with ashwagandha but it was too much and the effect was opposite (hi anxiety, heart palpitations, sleeping problems...). Now I take one 500 mg capsule and split in 3 parts and take only cca 166 mg early in the morning. It comes out that I have 180 portions out of 60 capsules 166 mg is enough for the whole day (calm, relaxed but motivated). On the bottle it says that you can take 2 caps per day (1000 mg!!). This is wrong and I think that this is the main reason why some people complain about rhodiola. They just take too much. Be careful when you take Rhodiola. Less is more!

Check this:
It just confirms what I wrote.

Recommended dosage for Rhodiola:
100-170 mg./day for 3,6% rosavin extract
180-300 mg./day 2% rosavin extract
360-600 mg./day 1% rosavin extract

[Andrey_81]

Hi i tried ashwagandha it worked great but it caused me hair loss. Now i want to try rhodiola rosea, is it safe for hair rhodiola? Thanks

Are you sure that ashwagandha was the cause of hair loss?? This is strange I thought that ashwagandha should be used to treat hair loss and not to make it worse. According to internet search it is used to treat hair loss (high cortisol level can cause hair loss, but ashwagandha lowers the cortisol):

http://ashwagandha.h...-Stop-Hair-Loss

Anybody with the same symptoms? Can ashwagandha really cause hair loss and why?

Edited by Andrey_81, 30 July 2012 - 11:16 AM.

[nupi]

It supposedly boosts Testosterone which when converted into DHT might cause hair loss. Not that I ever noticed any...

[neetu verma]

hi i read your artical and i m also going from same problem ..will it helps me too...can i talk to you personaly if i want..pl gv ur num .

[machete234]

I have taken it for about a month or more and havent noticed hair loss, sure its logical that you lose a little when you highten testosterone then you also highten DHT.

Some study said that it gave some men a maximum of 40% more testosterone but that could be because they had 40% too little before taking it.
Most 10% or so which is less dramatic

But I also happen to take a saw palmetto extract from the pharmacy and I think less hair is on my hands when showering etc.

[chung_pao]

Rhodiola will cause you to develop tolerance and dependecy after a while, compare it to caffeine, and take it in a similar manner.
Rhodiola is not sustainable for daily use. It will mess your monoamines up completely due to adaptations in your endogenous levels of MOA.

Ashwagandha is a very good herb in my experience; reducing stress and boosting testosterone, like most adaptogens. (tulsi, for example)

I seem to get the same symptoms you are describing without enough fat in my diet; especially cholesterol and animal fats.
I also know cholesterol and animal fats are big constituents of the central nervous system.
This deficit gives me symptoms of anxiety and makes me pretty neurotic.

How does your diet look?

Testosterone and fat intake are especially what comes to mind. Since both lower stress and fat stimulates GABA-release (If I'm not mistaken).

But I'd advice you to stick to your ashwagadha. It's definitely a good herb. In India A LOT of people take these ayurvedic herbs daily, and have done so for decades. (all Indian cities are PACKED with pharmacies, I'm not exaggerating)

Edited by chung_pao, 09 December 2012 - 08:31 PM.

[Prashant]

Hi,

This is very strange. After too much research on my anxiety symptoms since 2004 , I found exactly same symptoms. I am so happy to know this that my illness at last have some remedy. I have started taking ashwagandha as you prescribed. Initially for 5, 6 days my head seems heavy and my neck somewhat stiff ( may be healing crisis ). After 1 week I started feeling great. This is really a good herb and I am so much motivated in my life. Thanks for sharing your experience. But I have one issue with my anxiety, whenever I do some hard physical work it trigger my anxiety and make me feel damn fearful nearly after 12 hours or more of work. Will this too fly away with regular intake of ashwagandha? Can I take ashwagandha for many years? I am taking 250 mg in morning and 250mg at night. Should I take it empty stomach? Tell me exactly how you took this supplement? Your answers would really help me.... ( sorry for my bad english )