Looking for the best ashwagandha for cortisol? You’ve heard about the impacts of high cortisol: weight fluctuations, bloating, acne, fatigue. Cortisol, a major stress hormone, shapes our body’s response to physical, emotional, and mental stressors, as well as our wakefulness, blood sugar, and blood pressure. 

Maybe you’ve even tried to manage cortisol levels through healthy lifestyle changes like reducing chronic stress and improving your sleep. But when lifestyle changes aren’t enough, nutritional supplements can step in to fill the gap. In this article, we’ll explore why ashwagandha is one of the top recommended supplements for cortisol.  

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is a popular herbal supplement derived from the roots of the winter cherry or Indian ginseng plant (Withania somnifera), a yellow shrub found throughout India, Africa, and the Middle East. A growing body of research presents compelling evidence for ashwagandha’s mental health, stress relief, sleep quality, and anti-inflammatory benefits. 

For thousands of years, ashwagandha has been used for better sleep and stress management. Interestingly, the name “ashwagandha” originates in Sanskrit; “ashwa” meaning horse and “gandha” meaning smell, as the roots were rumored to smell like a wet horse. 

As an adaptogen, ashwagandha soothes stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness. This is due mainly to its active chemical compounds, which include a potent combination of withanolides, alkaloids, and sitoindosides. The most powerful of these, the withanolides, are also prized for their anti-inflammatory, adaptogenic, neuroprotective, and anti-cancer effects. 

Overall, scientists have isolated over 900 distinct withanolides, with the most studied being withaferin A (a compound present in ashwagandha). Other compounds present in ashwagandha include: withanolide D, withanolide A, withanolide sulfoxide, vicosalactone B, and sominone.

Benefits of Ashwagandha

The benefits of ashwagandha include: 

• Lower cortisol
• Lower stress
• Lower anxiety
• Improved sleep
• Male fertility
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Improved memory
• Sharper cognitive function
• Immune system support
• Muscular strength and endurance
• Balanced blood sugar

Ashwagandha and Cortisol

Studies show that ashwagandha helps lower stress by reducing serum cortisol (cortisol found in blood serum). Specifically, withanolides, the active anxiolytic compounds found in ashwagandha, impact the HPA axis. The HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis is responsible for producing many hormones, including cortisol, as part of the body’s overall stress response. 

The withanolides in ashwagandha impact glucocorticoid receptors in the HPA axis, lowering the amount of cortisol produced in response to stress. In fact, one double-blind study found that adults with chronic stress who supplemented with ashwagandha for 60 days exhibited a 27.9% reduction in serum cortisol levels and a significant reduction in perceived stress.  

Best Ashwagandha for Cortisol

At Snow Holistic Health, our best ashwagandha for cortisol recommendation is MediHerb Ashwagandha Forte. MediHerb Ashwagandha Forte contains:

Each Serving Size (1 Tablet) contains: Calcium 88mg, Ashwagandha root 10:1 extract 400 mg (from Withania somnifera root 4.0 g, Containing withanolides 10 mg).  Other Ingredients: Dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, hypromellose and silicon dioxide.

What that means: While low-cost, low-quality brands pack their products with additives and fillers, MediHerb Ashwagandha Forte is guaranteed to contain 10mg of active, high-potency withanolides for cortisol reduction.  

Where to Buy MediHerb Ashwagandha Forte

Looking to buy MediHerb Ashwagandha Forte? You can buy it here in our online shop.

 

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