| Effect | Decrease |
| Values | (%). Placebo: before 43.4 ± 2.33, after 44.7 ± 2.87. Ashwagandha: before 43.5 ± 2.42, after 43.5 ± 1.75 |
| Trial Design | Randomized trial |
| Trial Length | 1-6 months |
| Number of Subjects | 40 |
| Sex | Male |
| Age Range | 18-29, 30-44, 45-64 |
| Body Types | Obese, Overweight, Average |
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 40 healthy young, recreationally active men were allocated to take 500 mg of a potent ashwagandha extract (standardized to 10% withanolides) or placebo for 12 weeks.Funding issues for this study:
The primary outcome was the change in muscle strength as measured by one-repetition maximum with the Smith machine bench press and back squat. There was a statistically significant increase in 1-repetition max for both squat and bench press. While the ashwagandha group saw a greater improvement in 7.5 km running down, this wasn't statistically significant between groups and the same was the case for average and peak power for squats and bench press, and number of repetitions.
There were no statistically significant changes between groups for body fat percentage, lean mass, fat mass, Android/Gynoid Ratio, visceral fat, or body mass. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on subjective assessments on a visual analog scale for perceived recovery, invigoration, mood, desire to work out, willingness to train, optimism, or soreness.
For blood testing, a large number of things were measured but none of it is particularly noteworthy (available in the values box in each respective outcome).
"Funding for this study was provided by Natreon, Inc. (New Brunswick, NJ, USA) through a restricted grant. The sponsor of the study was not involved in the conduct, interpretation, or the preparation of the final manuscript. A blinded third-party audited the collected data for accuracy and performed the statistical analyses."
