Effects Of Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) And Terminalia Arjuna (Arjuna) On Physical Performance And Cardiorespiratory Endurance In Healthy Young Adults
| Effect |
Increase |
| Trial Design |
Double blind |
| Trial Length |
1-6 months |
| Number of Subjects |
40 |
| Gender |
Both Genders |
| Age Range |
18-29 |
| Body Types |
Average |
Notes for this study:
Supplementation of 500mg of the water extract of ashawanghda has been noted to improve power output and velocity of sprints, as well as to improve VO2 max without affecting blood pressure.
Examining The Effect Of Withania Somnifera Supplementation On Muscle Strength And Recovery: A Randomized Controlled Trial
| Effect |
Increase |
| Values |
45.05 kg vs. 26.42 kg improvements in 1RM bench press and 14.50 vs. 9.77 kg improvements in leg extension for ashwagandha vs. placebo, respectively. Intergroup comparisons were statistically significant. |
| Trial Design |
Randomized trial |
| Trial Length |
1-6 months |
| Number of Subjects |
57 |
| Gender |
Male |
| Age Range |
18-29, 30-44, 45-64 |
| Body Types |
Untrained |
Notes for this study:
Untrained men were put on a periodized strength training program and given either placebo or 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily for 8 weeks. The ashwagandha group improved their 1RM of bench press by almost 20 kg over placebo and leg extension by almost 5 kg. Muscle size, serum testosterone, and muscle recovery as measured by plasma creatine kinase was also improved versus placebo.
Exploratory Study To Evaluate Tolerability, Safety, And Activity Of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) In Healthy Volunteers
| Effect |
Increase |
| Trial Design |
Cohort |
| Trial Length |
1-6 months |
| Number of Subjects |
17 |
| Gender |
Both Genders |
| Age Range |
18-29 |
| Body Types |
Average |
Notes for this study:
In an exploratory toxicological study in otherwise healthy persons, supplementation of a water extract at 750 mg for 10 days followed by 1,000 mg and 1,250 mg for 10 days each (equivalent to 6 g, 8g , and 10 g of the dry root) noted a 9.3% reduction in total cholesterol which was thought to be due to LDL cholesterol (trending to decrease) and a significant increase in strength in the quadricep and back extensor muscles (but not grip) was noted after 30 days despite no exercise.
Effects Of An Aqueous Extract Of Withania Somnifera On Strength Training Adaptations And Recovery: The STAR Trial
| Effect |
Increase |
| Values |
Statistically significant for 1-RM only (primary outcome). Bench press 1-RM (kg). Placebo: before 97.0 ± 22.4, after 105.0 ± 23.3. Ashwagandha: before 93.7 ± 21.3, after 106.5 ± 24.7 . Squat 1-RM. Placebo: before 103.8 ± 27.4, after 113.9 ± 27.2. Ashwagandha: before 105.0 ± 30.2, after 124.1 ± 32.0. Average power all sets squats (watts). Placebo: before 1442 ± 240, after 1486 ± 227. Ashwagandha: before 1443 ± 206, after 1510 ± 220. Bench press. Placebo: before 396 ± 127, after 423 ± 111. Ashwagandha: before 379 ± 101, after 106.5 ± 24.7. Peak power (watts). Bench press: Placebo: before 529 ± 154, after 554 ± 156. Ashwagandha: before 492 ± 131, after 548 ± 133. Squat: Placebo: before 2444 ± 271, after 2580 ± 217. Ashwagandha: before 2424 ± 347, after 2628 ± 197 |
| Trial Design |
Randomized trial |
| Trial Length |
1-6 months |
| Number of Subjects |
40 |
| Gender |
Male |
| Age Range |
18-29, 30-44, 45-64 |
| Body Types |
Obese, Overweight, Average |
Notes for this study:
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.
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 issues for this study:
"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."
