The Study
Effects of Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera) standardized root extract on physical endurance and VO 2max in healthy adults performing resistance training: An eight-week, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
This study is like a carefully designed test where some people got real Ashwagandha pills and others got fake pills, and nobody knew which ones they had - not even the researchers. Both groups did the same workout program. After 8 weeks, the people who took real Ashwagandha got stronger and could run longer than the fake pill group. Because of this careful setup, we can actually say the herb made the difference - it's not just a coincidence.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Taking Ashwagandha supplement while doing weight training helps people build more muscle strength and endurance compared to doing weight training alone.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 561 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, meaningful for humans.
- 2The improvements in muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance are substantial enough to be practically relevant for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
- 3Adults taking 600mg/day Ashwagandha for 8 weeks gained 23.5% more bench press strength and 15% more leg press strength than placebo group.
- 4VO2max improved by ~9.5% in males and ~7% in females.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
F1000Research
Year
2023
Authors
N. Verma, Sandeep Gupta, S. Patil, S. Tiwari, Ashok Kumar Mishra
Related Content
Claims (9)
Taking a specific ashwagandha supplement called KSM-66 at 300-600mg every day for about 2 months can change how strong you are, how long you can exercise, and your stress hormone levels.
Taking ashwagandha root extract while doing resistance training for 8 weeks helps people build more upper body strength, with bigger improvements in women than in men.
Taking 600mg of Ashwagandha root extract every day while doing strength training helps people build more lower body muscle strength than just doing strength training with a fake pill (placebo). Men got about twice the benefit as women in the study.
Taking 600mg of ashwagandha root extract every day while doing weight training for 8 weeks makes your heart and lungs work better - men improved their endurance by about 9.5% and women by about 7%, compared to people who took a dummy pill instead.
Taking ashwagandha root extract (600mg daily) while doing weight training for 8 weeks makes your arms and chest grow bigger than just doing weight training with a fake pill (placebo).
Taking 600mg of ashwagandha root extract daily for 8 weeks while doing weight training doesn't cause any bad side effects in healthy adults under 45.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.