816 replies to this topic

[FocusPocus]

Does taking Ashwagandha at night affect sleep for anyone here?

[jonnyD]

Does taking Ashwagandha at night affect sleep for anyone here?

 

Definatly. I sleep deeper and feel more rested in the morning.

 

The effect is way stronger when i have sleep issues because of stress.

[chris106]

I used to take Himalaya brand... but then I tried this and was blown away how this extract has stronger and longer-lasting effect in comparison with Himalaya.
http://bit.ly/1h8tSWY

 

Probably due to the higher % of Withanolides.

 

I second that, Sensoril and KSM-66 are the only forms of Ashwagandha that actually have a noticeable positive effect for me.

Also great for balancing out the effects of stimulants!

[Babychris]

I've just bought a liquid version it's from Herb Pharm I guess, let's see what it will do

[Samuraidream]

Just to let you know, I've quit Ashwa some 3 days ago and started taking Zinc, and my libido has definitely improved, but let's wait for another week or so to confirm this

Btw, looks like I had some minor withdrawals after quiting Ashwa, such as increased anxiety, bad mood, decrease in sleep quality, etc. but these might also be caused by other shit that's happening in my life at the moment.

[Babychris]

Excessive use of my ashwagandha trigger some terrible restlessness and restless leg as agitation and irritability. But as you it could be some external factors as a Stablon withdrawal...

 

 

[Samuraidream]

I've stopped taking Jarrow's Ashwa (after a year!) some 2-3 weeks ago and have been feeling better to be honest. My libido has increased (was somewhat lower recently) as have my mood and general well-being.

 

[HoldingTheFaith]

I've stopped taking Jarrow's Ashwa (after a year!) some 2-3 weeks ago and have been feeling better to be honest. My libido has increased (was somewhat lower recently) as have my mood and general well-being.

Yeah the truth is Ashwagandha is not worth it for long term, and in my case short term either. Herbs are complicated, you have to cycle them. I prefer things that you can do everyday like exercise, nofap, nutritional compounds or superfoods.

[Sol23]

ashwagandha definitely needs to be cycled.

for experienced users:please take a look on my thread http://www.longecity...nd-propranolol/ and tell me If you had a similar reaction with ashwagandha.

Edited by YOLF, 16 April 2015 - 02:43 PM.

[1thoughtMaze1]

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[AlexxxB]

I believe the Himalaya brand is not Ashwagandha but Tribulus Terrestris (or at least what I have received from Ebay) ...anyone have both Tribulus and a non Himalaya brand Ashwa please help me work this out.

 

 I have found the taste and texture to be exactly the same as Tribulus and I have used Tribulus for years before I tried Ashwagandha ...

 

Can anyone please check and see weather these two herbs taste smell and look this similar as I have posted a thread but no answers. 

 I have bought a largish amount so I'm not about to order more just to check.

 

I hope they do taste this similar but its hard to believe...

[thenaturalstep]

I bougth this ashwagandha product "http://fibromyalgia-...upreme-2.aspx".Then read this forum and someone said something about hair loss and i get worried. Anyway i have two questions

 

Do it cause hair loss?

The product i bought contain about 500 mg ashwagandha, do i really need that much?

[Chris_T_Malta]

Good morning ppl,

 

Have been trying to read the whole thread but had to take a break at Page 12. Way too long.

 

I buy the products from healthtonics.co.uk. Since I am based in Malta, Europe - I need EU-based suppliers. Anyone can recommend other suppliers?

 

I am interested in anxiolytic products such as ashwaganda. 

 

Back in Autumn, I have tried rhodiala rosea. First few times I took it, I felt great although I also felt too much heat. I stopped it after 2 weeks cause I thought it was making me more anxious (however it was also when i changed jobs and had an incoming difficult exam). I also had some urinary hesistancy issues and somewhere ( I think on this forum) I read that Ginko Biloba and Rhodiala Rosea could have this effect. Anyone experienced or read about this?

 

Now I am back and trying ashwaganda. Took it "when needed" for a couple of weeks and now I am taking it on a daily basis - 2 pills a day 400mg with 3% withanolides. Nothing else (if you exclude half a teaspoon of coffee with milk). Not sure if there is any effect but I do wake up with a strange sensation in one of my ears. I am mentioning this not because I am sure it's due to ASW but because I read a couple of posts that linked this to it.

 

What I am concerned about it:

 

1) the quality of the supplement we take.

2) what is included in the supplement (for example there was a debate in this thread about that)

3) with what we mix it (seems that a lot of people actually stack supplements, tougher to judge what is affecting what in that way).

4) our natural tendencies. if you're anxious and you take a stimulant like coffee, you end up more anxious. If you're not anxious, a coffee will make you feel great.

5) our brain chemistry balance

6) our psychology.

7) circumstantial stress/life situation. (when my life is going well, anxiety is negligible but when a problem pops up, anxiety is dominant)

8) our nutrition and nutritional deficiencies (and exercise)

 

It seems to me there are a LOT of variables into play here and this could explain why we basically have a different experience from every users that posted his experience of ASW. 

 

I have a question to you knowledgeable gentleman and ladies: is there any kind of tolerance that the body could build up from dopamine production which is stimulated by exercise? ie. If I train the same routine for a whole year, would serotonin production on Day 1 be more than serotonin Prodction on Day 365 assuming all the other variables remain the same.

 

 

 

 

 

[HoldingTheFaith]

3 brands so far. It doesn´t do anything for me. 

[normalizing]

which brands? pump up the dose. ive tried few as well, most are crap but you never know....

[Chris_T_Malta]

Brink. I would take double or even triple if you don´t feel anything, but wait a few days.

I have bought a combo for social anxiety which will be Ash, Gotu Kola and Milky Oat Seed. I recommend these even while I haven´t started with the supps yet (in a week or less!), because I have researched them EXTENSIVELY and they are among the most effective natural things for social anxiety according to forum posters (in other boards) and clinical studies. Not too sure about brands, experience will tell.

 

Hi, any links re: your research for Gotu Kola and Oat Seed.. found nothing on exam.com

[jetmango]

this topic is really immortal! :D

 

as for me I stopped with ashwa [or any other kind of supplements that are herbal] now I use only L-Lysine which is natural amino acid, boosts serotonin and GABA [anxiolytic] and seems its like a holy grail for me - using for more than 3 months and no side effects, can come off it pretty easy [as it's natural AA!] and helps immensely with sleeping and social anxiety. 

[HoldingTheFaith]

 

Brink. I would take double or even triple if you don´t feel anything, but wait a few days.

I have bought a combo for social anxiety which will be Ash, Gotu Kola and Milky Oat Seed. I recommend these even while I haven´t started with the supps yet (in a week or less!), because I have researched them EXTENSIVELY and they are among the most effective natural things for social anxiety according to forum posters (in other boards) and clinical studies. Not too sure about brands, experience will tell.

 

Hi, any links re: your research for Gotu Kola and Oat Seed.. found nothing on exam.com

 

 

That was last year man, the bottom line is that I tried all of these and they did absolutely nothing for me!

 

Gotu Kola gave me better erections though, in pill form. In infusion it gave me a dull headache.

 

I am thinking of trying Iboga TA for my issues. Going hardcore brah.

Edited by HoldingTheFaith, 14 April 2015 - 02:31 PM.

[HoldingTheFaith]

this topic is really immortal! :D

 

as for me I stopped with ashwa [or any other kind of supplements that are herbal] now I use only L-Lysine which is natural amino acid, boosts serotonin and GABA [anxiolytic] and seems its like a holy grail for me - using for more than 3 months and no side effects, can come off it pretty easy [as it's natural AA!] and helps immensely with sleeping and social anxiety. 

 

That´s impressive that an aminoacid does something for you. I have never noticed anything from high doses of Taurine, Glutamine or Glycine.

 

I have seen studies on Lysine and it lowers cortisol which is pretty cool. How much do you take? Its so cheap why not try it. How severe were your issues prior?

 

I imagine Arginine would be a different thing, re Nitric Oxide, thats pretty non-placebo, but of course am not that interested in that.

[jetmango]

also Taurine tend to have strong anxiolitic properties- but I cant take it as too much and makes me sleepy [GABA again] plus it dangerously increases stomach acid secretion. 

 

guys, L-lysine is well researched and in my case it might be that I was vegetarian for 4 years - hence lower lysine! makes sense!

 

I quit being a veggie and I must admit that I feel better overall [as a man] 

 

http://www.livestron...ency-serotonin/

http://www.pnas.org/...0/26/15370.full

http://www.lef.org/P...Anxiety/Page-02

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysine

 

L-Lysine acts like a partial serotonin receptor 4 antagonist and inhibits serotonin-mediated intestinal pathologies and anxiety in rats

 

my issues were really severe. now I sleep better , deeper dreams and also much much calmer, better mood. Optimistic.

 

I take 500-1000 mg daily, if I have very stresful situation like job interview in a bank lol then I can take 2-3 grams 1-2 hours before it - it gives me amazing calm edge whilst not acting as a sleeping pill - I am calm relaxed but full conscious and alert.

 

Also, great for social anxiety. If it wasnt amino acid I'd say it works as a social drug for me lol

 

been taking regularly for 3-4 months easily can taper it off - probably because its just amino acid and not some herbal supplement.

 

I highly recommend to try it, for my opinion it seems that everyone is diff and saying 'diff strokes for diff folks' works here. For you it might be ashwagandha, for me the holy grail is lysine  

[jetmango]

one more thing- also it works wonders after alcohol night out - on a hangover

 

the biggest dose was I guess around 4 grams , no side effects altogether.

 

when I first started taking it just 500mg gave me euphoria-like state for 1-2 days.. then it balanced itself and now it just works as a charm. I guess my serotonin must be somehow out of balance.

 

 

[HoldingTheFaith]

Yeah it totally sounds like you were defficient. Its not normal to get "high" from aminoacids lol

 

But congratulations on finding a solution.

 

Here is the study I read back in the day: https://www.jstage.j...8_2_85/_article

 

Allmighty Science says "yes, mangoa, what you feel is not placebo!" XD

 

In additions, pigs show the same effect: http://www.maneyonli...150310001614661

Edited by HoldingTheFaith, 14 April 2015 - 03:04 PM.

[jetmango]

Thanks! It is yet to see how it acts on a really long term basis- heard that it can cause kidney stones and all... but it seems that nowadays diet often might be lacking nutrients.

 

 

Also:

 

L-lysine is a barbiturate-like anticonvulsant and modulator of the benzodiazepine receptor.

 

Abstract

Our earlier observations showed that L-lysine enhanced the activity of diazepam against seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), and increased the affinity of benzodiazepine receptor binding in a manner additive to that caused by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The present paper provides additional evidence to show that L-lysine has central nervous system depressant-like characteristics. L-lysine enhanced [3H]flunitrazepam (FTZ) binding in brain membranes was dose-dependent and stimulated by chloride, bromide and iodide, but not fluoride. Enhancement of [3H]FTZ binding by L-lysine at a fixed concentration was increased by GABA but inhibited by pentobarbital between 10(-7) to 10(-3)M. While GABA enhancement of [3H]FTZ binding was inhibited by the GABA mimetics imidazole acetic acid and tetrahydroisoxazol pyridinol, the enhancement by pentobarbital and L-lysine of [3H]FTZ binding was dose-dependently increased by these two GABA mimetics. The above results suggest that L-lysine and pentobarbital acted at the same site of the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor complex which was different from the GABA binding site. The benzodiazepine receptor antagonist imidazodiazepine Ro15-1788 blocked the antiseizure activity of diazepam against PTZ. Similar to pentobarbital, the anti-PTZ effect of L-lysine was not blocked by Ro15-1788. Picrotoxinin and the GABA, receptor antagonist bicuculline partially inhibited L-lysine's enhancement of [3H]FTZ binding with the IC50s of 2 microM and 0.1 microM, respectively. The convulsant benzodiazepine Ro5-3663 dose-dependently inhibited the enhancement of [3H]FTZ binding by L-lysine. This article shows the basic amino acid L-lysine to have a central nervous system depressant characteristics with an anti-PTZ seizure activity and an enhancement of [3H]FTZ binding similar to that of barbiturates but different from GABA.

 

[Chris_T_Malta]

 

 

Brink. I would take double or even triple if you don´t feel anything, but wait a few days.

I have bought a combo for social anxiety which will be Ash, Gotu Kola and Milky Oat Seed. I recommend these even while I haven´t started with the supps yet (in a week or less!), because I have researched them EXTENSIVELY and they are among the most effective natural things for social anxiety according to forum posters (in other boards) and clinical studies. Not too sure about brands, experience will tell.

 

Hi, any links re: your research for Gotu Kola and Oat Seed.. found nothing on exam.com

 

 

That was last year man, the bottom line is that I tried all of these and they did absolutely nothing for me!

 

Gotu Kola gave me better erections though, in pill form. In infusion it gave me a dull headache.

 

I am thinking of trying Iboga TA for my issues. Going hardcore brah.

 

 

Thanks - I am currently taking ASH twice a day from a vendor called healthtonics. I think I felt more relax than usual this week but this could easily have been a placebo. Today I feel drained out but this could be easily due to stress at work.

 

Do you still take ASH or did you stop it completely? 

[Sol23]

does anyone gets a better and pronounced effect after taking ashwagandha with empty stomach?

[normalizing]

why are you guys flooding the thread with lysine? this thread has become quite pointless.

[jetmango]

sorry it was my fault. that was to say that ashwa suck when compared with lysine

 

also if you read the whole topic u will see that it had several 'off-topics' in it ;]

[VerdeGo]

I'm glad lysine and taurine were brought up, and I'm glad I read your glowing reviews on them. I have already been conducting research on them, and I'm considering testing them out next because I'm fascinated by the effects of testing amino acids in a singular fashion.

 

However, back to the reason I came to this thread. I was about to try ashwagandha, but I read a lot of subjective experiences relating to hair loss, an overstimulated thyroid, and more.

 

I've taken cordyceps, another adaptogen, in the past. It seems to modulate thyroid levels, as does rhodiola from what I've read. However everything I've come across with ashwagandha seems that it stimulates the thyroid, not modulate it. Does anyone have any more information on this? The reason I'm asking is because I already have an overactive thyroid and a fast metabolism. I'm a pretty lean fellow, and I believe it to be somewhat genetic. Cordyceps has been great in the past, and I really want to start testing out other adaptogens, but I also don't want to risk hyperthyroidism, hair loss, etc. 

[Sol23]

I'm glad lysine and taurine were brought up, and I'm glad I read your glowing reviews on them. I have already been conducting research on them, and I'm considering testing them out next because I'm fascinated by the effects of testing amino acids in a singular fashion.

 

However, back to the reason I came to this thread. I was about to try ashwagandha, but I read a lot of subjective experiences relating to hair loss, an overstimulated thyroid, and more.

 

I've taken cordyceps, another adaptogen, in the past. It seems to modulate thyroid levels, as does rhodiola from what I've read. However everything I've come across with ashwagandha seems that it stimulates the thyroid, not modulate it. Does anyone have any more information on this? The reason I'm asking is because I already have an overactive thyroid and a fast metabolism. I'm a pretty lean fellow, and I believe it to be somewhat genetic. Cordyceps has been great in the past, and I really want to start testing out other adaptogens, but I also don't want to risk hyperthyroidism, hair loss, etc. 

 

 

 

According to one study ashwagandha caused thyrotoxicosis to a 32-year-old woman http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/16355578 another study shows changes in thyroid hormone concentrations after administration of ashwagandha root extract to adult male mice. http://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/9811169. In female mice ashwagandha led to enhanced serum T4 concentration at dose 1.4mg/kg for 20 days http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/10619390.

Although I don't think low doses can cause hyperthyroidism.You should probably check your thyroid levels after a period of taking this herb.As for hair loss personally I haven't noticed anything.

Edited by Sol23, 16 April 2015 - 02:17 PM.

[jetmango]

I didnt noticed any effects you are mentioning - re hair loss or thyroid problems, but ashwa after initial mild anti anxiety effect did nothing for me.

 

mostly produced strong headaches [you can read about it before in this topic AFAIR] and that was it. in comparison, even taurine wins. [not even mentioning lysine]

 

my idea is probably some supplements are working as gold for some people and not really for others- because everyone is different and probably got diff lacking neurotransmiters - for me it was defo the mix of serotonin, then GABA, then dopamine.