Thirty days of ashwagandha supplementing improves memory, attention and reaction time

According to market tracking data, an herb that has beed used medicinally for millennia—ashwagandha—has soared in popularity in recent years.

Herb Market Report states that herbal supplements with ashwagandha hit $111 million in sales in the U.S. for 2022, an increase of 20% over the previous year.

This surge saw ashwagandha leap to number five on the best-selling list in what is labeled the “mainstream channel.” In 2019, the herb was only number 33 in this channel.

According the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has a history of use in Ayurvedic Medicine dating back well over 3,000 years.

Tradional use of ashwagandha originated and expanded on the Asian continent in the area that today encompasses India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Written and documented medicinal use of ashwagandha is thought to have first appeared in the teachings of renowned scholar Punarvasu Atreya. It was then further recorded in subsequent works that make up the extensive Ayurvedic Medicine tradition.

The name of the herb derives from Sanskrit, and means “smells like a horse”, which refers to the strong smell of the root which is similar to the repugnant odor of horse sweat or urine. The species name Somnifera means “sleep-inducing” in Latin.

So, what drives the soaring popularity of ashwagandha in western countries?

First, ashwagandha is a naturally occurring adaptogen—meaning it has the unique ability to help the body “adapt” to stressors. This has made it popular choice for supporting, anxiety, stress, depression, lack of energy and irritability.

Related 2023 studies

An Australian study found ashwagandha root extract was able to “significantly reduce symptoms of fatigue” when compared to a placebo group. Meanwhile, a systematic review conducted in Italy found a significant association between ashwagandha supplementing and reduced cortisol levels in individuals suffering from stress.

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In 2022 researchers at Texas A&M University and the University of Wisconsin reported that a single large 400 mg dose of an ashwagandha extract had the ability to “improve working memory and maintain reaction times” in study participants.

Now a follow-up study, also conducted at Texas A&M University, found that “repeated supplementation” with a smaller dose of ashwagandha boosted cognitive ability in healthy adults. The functions measured included memory, attention, vigilance and reaction time.

The relatively-small study—a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial—included 59 men and women with an average age of 22.

The volunteers were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 225 mg per day of ashwagandha extract for 30 days. The participants underwent a battery of cognitive tests after one dose (acute supplementation) and after repeated dosing for 30 days.

When compared to the study baseline, the researchers found ashwagandha supplementation was associated with improvements in word recall, choice reaction time, picture recognition, and measures of tension and fatigue.