Pull an ashwagandha root from dry Indian soil and the first thing you notice is the smell. Earthy, warm, faintly animal — the old Sanskrit name says it plainly: ashwa, horse, and gandha, smell. The root smells of horse. And, the tradition promises, it lends the one who takes it the strength and stamina of one. Here is the quiet paradox at the center of this plant: it is named for raw animal power, yet what people turn to it for, today more than ever, is the opposite — the ability to slow down, steady the nerves, and sleep. 

At Sarvaa, we love ashwagandha for exactly that doubleness. It is a root that builds you up and calms you down at the same time; a plant that Ayurveda has trusted for more than two thousand years and that modern laboratories have only recently begun to take seriously. It anchors two of our blends — the root adaptogens in Radiant Recovery, and the nourishing protein of Sacred Strength. Ashwagandha is not a trend that arrived with the wellness aisle. It is one of the oldest tonic herbs still in daily use anywhere in the world.

What Is Ashwagandha? 

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a small, hardy evergreen shrub in the nightshade family, native to the dry regions of India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. It grows where little else will, drawing itself up through arid, stony ground — a fitting emblem for a plant prized for resilience. Its botanical surname, somnifera, is Latin for “sleep-bringing,” a clue, planted in the name itself, to one of its oldest uses.1 

The medicine is mostly in the root. Chemically, ashwagandha’s identity rests on a family of steroidal lactones called withanolides — Withaferin A chief among them — alongside sitoindosides, alkaloids, and other plant compounds. Researchers credit the withanolides with most of the herb’s biological activity, from its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects to its influence on the stress response.1 As with any whole plant, the concentration of these compounds varies with the part used, the growing conditions, and how the root is extracted — which is why root powder, standardized extract, and traditional decoctions should never be assumed to be interchangeable. 

The Horse, the Root, and the Idea of Adapting 

Ashwagandha is the reason a once-obscure word — adaptogen — now appears on smoothie menus and supplement labels everywhere. An adaptogen is a plant compound thought to help the body adapt to stress: to resist it, recover from it, and return to balance. The term is modern, coined by Soviet researchers in the mid-twentieth century, but the idea is ancient, and ashwagandha is its most famous ambassador. 

It is worth being precise about what “adapting” means here, because the marketing rarely is. Ashwagandha does not appear to push the body in a single direction so much as help it find its footing — steadying an overactive stress response without simply sedating it, which is why the same root can be described, without contradiction, as both energizing and calming. Whether it delivers on that promise for any given person is a question research is still carefully working through. 

Ashwagandha in the Ayurvedic Tradition 

Within Ayurveda, ashwagandha is counted among the foremost rasayana herbs — the class of tonics concerned with rejuvenation, vitality, and aging well. But where amla, the rasayana we wrote about last time, is cooling and fruit-bright, ashwagandha is its grounding counterpart: warming, earthy, and rooted. If amla refreshes, ashwagandha steadies.4 

Its traditional profile reflects that character: 

• Rasa (taste): bitter, astringent, and sweet. 

• Virya (energy): heating — grounding and warming rather than cooling. 

• Vipaka (post-digestive effect): sweet, the nourishing, tissue-building finish. 

• Dosha: balancing to Vata and Kapha, with a particular gift for calming the restless, anxious, depleted quality of aggravated Vata; it may aggravate Pitta in excess.4 

Two traditional roles stand out. As a balya herb, ashwagandha was given to build strength, muscle, and stamina — to the very old, the very young, and the convalescent. As a vajikarana herb, it was part of the tradition’s reproductive and aphrodisiac medicine, used to support libido and fertility in both men and women. Above all it was thought to nourish ojas — the subtle reserve of vitality and resilience — and, true to its name, to restore deep, restful sleep. As always, these are traditional perspectives offered as context and wisdom, not as medical diagnoses or a substitute for care. 

What do you reach for when you feel scattered, depleted, stretched too thin — and does it actually leave you steadier, or just briefly distracted?

What Modern Research Is Exploring 

Ashwagandha is one of the most-studied herbs in the modern botanical literature, and the picture is genuinely encouraging. It is also worth being clear-eyed about it: many trials are small, run for only six to twelve weeks, use different extracts at different doses, and — a point too often skipped — are frequently funded by the companies that make the extract being tested.1 None of this is disqualifying, but it means the honest reading is “promising and worth following,” not “settled.” 

Stress and Cortisol 

This is ashwagandha’s best-known and best-supported use. In an often-cited 2012 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 64 chronically stressed adults took a concentrated root extract (300 mg twice daily) for 60 days. The treatment group reported substantially lower stress scores than placebo, alongside a roughly 28% drop in serum cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.2 A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis that pooled randomized trials concluded that ashwagandha meaningfully reduced anxiety and perceived stress compared with placebo, while cautioning that the underlying studies varied in quality and design.3 It is a consistent signal across many small studies, which is more than most herbs can claim, even if the definitive large trial has yet to be run. 

Sleep 

The name promised it: somnifera, sleep-bringing. Modern work has started to test the old claim. A pooled analysis of several randomized trials found that ashwagandha produced a small but statistically significant improvement in sleep, most noticeable at doses of 600 mg per day taken for eight weeks or longer, and among people who were already struggling with poor sleep.1 “Small but significant” is an honest summary — not a sedative’s knockout, but a gentle nudge toward better rest, which is very much how the tradition described it. 

Strength, Recovery, and Performance 

Here the ancient balya (strength-building) reputation meets the gym. In a 2015 eight-week study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 57 men doing resistance training took 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily. Compared with placebo, they gained significantly more strength on the bench press and leg extension, added more muscle size in the arms and chest, lost more body fat, showed less exercise-induced muscle damage, and saw a larger rise in testosterone.5 A separate 2021 randomized trial in healthy athletic adults reported improved cardiorespiratory endurance and VO₂ max after eight weeks of root extract.6 It is a small, mostly male, mostly short-term body of work, but it points in a striking direction for a root that farmers once fed to weakened cattle. 

Hormones and Sexual Health 

The traditional vajikarana use has drawn modern interest too. In a 2019 crossover study of aging, overweight men with mild fatigue, an extract raised DHEA-S by about 18% and testosterone by about 15% over placebo, though several subjective measures of well-being did not differ significantly between groups.7 And ashwagandha’s benefits are not only a men’s story: a 2022 randomized, placebo-controlled study of 80 healthy women found that 300 mg of root extract twice daily for eight weeks significantly improved measures of sexual function and satisfaction while reducing sexual distress.8 As everywhere in this literature, the studies are small, but the tradition’s instinct that this is a whole-body vitality tonic, not a single-symptom fix, keeps finding partial confirmation. 

The Brain 

The most speculative — and most fascinating — frontier is the nervous system. Because withanolides act as antioxidants and calm inflammation, researchers have asked whether ashwagandha might protect the aging brain. In laboratory and animal models, extracts have been reported to reduce amyloid-related toxicity, support the survival of neurons, raise dopamine, and lower oxidative stress in models of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease.9 This is important to hold at the right distance: it is preclinical work — cells and animals, not people — and it is a long road from a promising mechanism to a proven benefit. But it is a remarkable thing to watch modern neuroscience point its instruments at a root chosen for the mind two thousand years ago and find something worth measuring. 

A Note on Safety 

Ashwagandha is generally well tolerated when taken as directed for up to about three months, with the most common side effects being mild: drowsiness, loose stools, or an upset stomach.1 Still, it is a potent botanical rather than a simple food like amla, and a few cautions are worth knowing. 

There have been rare case reports of liver injury associated with ashwagandha supplements, so it is not an herb to megadose or take indefinitely without a reason. Because it can nudge thyroid hormone levels upward, anyone with a thyroid condition should be careful. It may lower blood sugar and blood pressure, which matters if you take medication for either. As a member of the nightshade family and a plant that can stimulate the immune system, it warrants caution for people with nightshade sensitivities or autoimmune conditions. It should not be used during pregnancy, where it has traditionally been considered capable of causing miscarriage. And it can interact with sedatives, thyroid medication, blood-sugar and blood-pressure drugs, and immunosuppressants.1 

The simple version: ashwagandha is a potent botanical, not a snack. If you are pregnant or nursing, have a thyroid or autoimmune condition, take regular medication, or are preparing for surgery, talk with a knowledgeable healthcare professional before adding it to your routine. 

Bringing Ashwagandha Into Daily Life 

Traditionally, ashwagandha was rarely eaten cold or raw. It was warmed. The classic preparation folds a spoonful of root powder into hot milk (dairy or plant) with a little ghee and honey and a pinch of warming spice — the original “moon milk,” taken in the evening to settle the body toward sleep. The warmth is not incidental; in the tradition, a warming, grounding herb is best delivered by a warming, grounding vehicle. 

The bitterness is real, so most people meet ashwagandha in gentler company: blended into a spiced latte, stirred into a smoothie, or built into a whole-food formula alongside other roots. If you would like the simplest way in, our Radiant Recovery pairs ashwagandha with maca, rhodiola, burdock, turmeric, and a family of functional mushrooms — a whole-food adaptogen blend made to take the edge off stress and support recovery. And if you would rather fold it into daily nourishment, our Sacred Strength carries the same root adaptogens inside a plant protein, echoing the old balya idea that strength is something you build, meal by meal. 

Most trials landed in the range of 300 to 600 mg of a concentrated root extract per day, often split into two doses, taken for at least six to eight weeks before judging the effect.1 Whole-food blends are gentler and less concentrated by nature. Either way, ashwagandha rewards the patient: like the tradition it comes from, it is built for the long, quiet practice, not the single heroic dose.  

Key Takeaways 

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a root long used in Ayurveda as a premier rasayana — a grounding, warming tonic, the counterpart to cooling amla. 

• Its active compounds are the withanolides, credited with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and stress-modulating effects. 

• It is the herb that made “adaptogen” a household word — a plant thought to help the body adapt to stress and return to balance. 

• Its best-supported modern use is stress and cortisol reduction; there are also promising early signals for sleep, strength and athletic performance, hormones and sexual health, and (preclinically) brain protection. 

• The evidence is encouraging but early — small, short, often industry-funded trials — and best read as “promising,” not “proven.” 

• It needs more care than a food: avoid in pregnancy, use caution with thyroid, autoimmune, and medication use, and check with a professional first. 

• Start gently and warm: a spoonful of Radiant Recovery or Sacred Strength is an easy, whole-food way in.  

A Grounded Kind of Strength 

We tend to imagine strength as something loud — effort, push, force. Ashwagandha proposes a quieter version. Real resilience, the root suggests, is not the absence of stress but the capacity to meet it and return to yourself: to stay rooted when the wind picks up. That is what the old texts meant by the strength of a horse, and it is what a restless age keeps rediscovering. Not a cure, not a miracle — an ancient root that people kept coming back to because it helped them feel steadier, stronger, and more like themselves. There is something quietly reassuring in that. 

If you would like an easy way to bring ashwagandha into your day, our Radiant Recovery blends it with some of the most trusted adaptogenic roots and mushrooms on earth, created to work in harmony with daily nourishment, movement, and rest. Or, if strength is the quality you are building, our Sacred Strength carries the same roots inside a nourishing plant protein. And if this sparked something, share it with someone who could use a little more steadiness in their week.  

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at care@sarvaaorganics.com for further guidance or to share your wellness journey. We’d love to hear from you. 

Be Well, 

Joshua and the Sarvaa Crew 

Sources Cited 

1 National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. “Ashwagandha: Is It Helpful for Stress, Anxiety, or Sleep?” Health Professional Fact Sheet. (Overview of active compounds, sleep and stress evidence, safety, and dosing.) 

2 Chandrasekhar, K., Kapoor, J., & Anishetty, S. (2012). “A Prospective, Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Safety and Efficacy of a High-Concentration Full-Spectrum Extract of Ashwagandha Root in Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Adults.” Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine 34 (3): 255–262. (64 adults; ~27.9% serum cortisol reduction.) 

3 Akhgarjand, C., et al. (2022). “Does Ashwagandha Supplementation Have a Beneficial Effect on the Management of Anxiety and Stress? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Phytotherapy Research 36 (11): 4115–4124. 

4 Banyan Botanicals. (n.d.). “Ashwagandha.” Traditional Ayurvedic perspective and energetics (taste, virya, dosha). 

5 Wankhede, S., et al. (2015). “Examining the Effect of Withania somnifera Supplementation on Muscle Strength and Recovery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 12: 43. 

6 Tiwari, S., Gupta, S. K., & Pathak, A. K. (2021). “A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial on the Effect of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Improving Cardiorespiratory Endurance and Recovery in Healthy Athletic Adults.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology 272: 113929. 

7 Lopresti, A. L., Drummond, P. D., & Smith, S. J. (2019). “A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males.” American Journal of Men’s Health 13 (2). (DHEA-S +18%, testosterone +15%.) 

8 Ajgaonkar, A., et al. (2022). “Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract for Improvement of Sexual Health in Healthy Women: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.” Cureus 14 (10): e30787. 

9 Bhat, J. A., et al. (2022). “Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha); Current Understanding and Future Prospect as a Potential Drug Candidate.” Frontiers in Pharmacology 13: 1029123. (Review of preclinical / cell and animal evidence.) 

Disclaimer: Insights are based on nutritional science, naturopathic principles, Ayurveda, and traditional herbal practice. Ingredient benefits reflect historical use and modern research on nutritional composition. Educational use only. This information is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.