How to Use Ashwagandha Powder for the Best Results

How to Use Ashwagandha Powder for the Best Results

A cornerstone of traditional Indian medicine, ashwagandha has been used since 6,000 B.C.E. to promote health in people of all ages.¹ Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub found native to areas of India, the Middle East, and Africa.² And it can be taken as a tea, powder, pill, root, or extract.

Today, people use ashwagandha root powder as a general supplement to help boost energy and everyday wellness.²

While it’s always best to consult with a medical professional about your specific health needs, learning how to use ashwagandha powder can help you identify whether trying this powerful herb is right for you.

Benefits of Ashwagandha

For thousands of years, ashwagandha has been touted as a general wellness tonic. With various ashwagandha benefits for men and women, it is popularly used as a wellness remedy and recent studies suggest ashwagandha could show effectiveness in the following areas:

• Memory and Cognition – One study indicated that taking ashwagandha daily and at a given dosage could significantly improve memory and cognition in adults.³
• Stress Support – One study found that taking ashwagandha induced a calming effect in mice.¹ This suggests that you could use ashwagandha for mental health because consumption of this powder could potentially produce a calming effect in humans as well.
• Joint Health – Several studies suggest that ashwagandha powder may help with joint stiffness or physical aches.¹
• Endurance – One study found consuming a specific dosage of ashwagandha increased physical endurance in rats.¹ This suggests consuming ashwagandha powder could potentially produce a similar effect in humans as well.

Additional benefits of ashwagandha are currently being studied.

Sometimes the abundance of information in the wellness industry can make it challenging to tell what a supplement will help with, and when it’s best to pursue other medical options. (For example, using an ashwagandha supplement is not recommended to be used during pregnancy).⁴

If you're looking to add Ashwagandha into your daily routine, it is best to consult your doctor.

How to Incorporate Ashwagandha into Your Wellness Routine

If you feel yourself regularly experiencing feelings of unease, poor memory, or physical discomfort, an ashwagandha supplement may be beneficial.

To incorporate an ashwagandha extract, powder, or pill into your daily routine, pay special attention to dosage, preparation, and timing.

Ashwagandha Dosage

As you explore ashwagandha powder and its potential uses, we recommend paying close attention to dosage. Experts note that consuming a precise, recommended dose was, and continues to be, an important factor in the positive effects that can occur through traditional ashwagandha uses.⁵

With a powder, you can know—and control—the exact dosage you're consuming, unlike a blended health drink that lists ashwagandha as one of many ingredients.

Studies have shown that daily doses of 125 mg of ashwagandha help to provide mental relaxation⁶ And it’s recommended to take 500 to 600 mg of ashwagandha a day to reduce feelings of stress and unease.⁷

However, it’s also best to follow the instructions on your supplement’s packaging.

Ashwagandha Powder Preparation

While an ashwagandha capsule can be swallowed whole and tinctures can be dropped into a variety of recipes, ashwagandha powder is best prepared as a hot drink. As you explore how to take ashwagandha powder, consider these two drink preparation possibilities:

• Prepare with Milk – Mix the dosage recommended on the package into a glass of warm milk. You can add honey for a sweeter taste. If you prefer to avoid cow milk, try a milk substitute like almond or oat milk. People who find warm milk calming before bed may find this option especially soothing.
• Prepare with Water – Mix the dosage recommended on the package with hot, but not quite boiling, water. People who enjoy herbal tea may gravitate toward ashwagandha tea.

Lastly, if any potential health benefit of ashwagandha powder intrigues you, but you find yourself disliking the taste, consider consuming the powder in capsule form. Taking an ashwagandha capsule is simple and can help you to take the precise dose recommended for you. That helps ensure the amount of ashwagandha you consume aligns with the health benefits you hope to achieve.

Ashwagandha Timing

Ashwagandha’s benefits are more likely to manifest when you take ashwagandha consistently over a long period of time, such as several weeks.⁸

That being said, you can take ashwagandha at any time of day or night. When choosing your time, consider the following:

• To reduce the chance of an upset stomach, take it after eating⁸
• To promote relaxation and potentially improve sleep quality, consider taking it before bed⁸
• To promote consistent consumption, pick a time of day that always works well for you to consume your ashwagandha powder⁸

Most importantly, find a routine that fits your body and schedule.

Starwest Botanicals: Your Source for High-Quality Organic Ashwagandha Powder

Whether you’re incorporating ashwagandha powder into your morning, afternoon, or evening, its herbal properties may help to improve your overall wellness with mind-body support.

When it comes to your health, we always recommend turning to providers you can trust, especially when trying out a new product. And at Starwest Botanicals, we offer organic ashwagandha powder sourced directly from India.

Trust, transparency, and traceability are at the heart of what we practice as a company. Since Starwest Botanicals’ founding in 1975, we’ve provided potent, high-quality, rigorously sourced herbs that work for the purpose intended.

That mission fueled our growth. For four decades, our loyal customers have trusted us to support their health goals. Today, we serve as one of the largest suppliers of organic herbs in the United States.

Whether you’re seeking herbs, tea, essential oils, natural body care, or a product like ashwagandha powder, we offer quality you can trust.

Sources:

¹African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines. An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/

²Medical News Today. What are the benefits of Ashwagandha? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318407#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

³Journal of Dietary Supplements. Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28471731/

⁴Starwest Botanicals. Ashwagandha Root. https://www.starwest-botanicals.com/category/Ashwagandha-root/

⁵New York Times. Do Those Stress-Relieving Drinks Really Work? https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/15/well/eat/wellness-cbd-drinks.html

⁶Original Research. A Standardized Withania Somnifera Extract Significantly Reduces Stress-Related Parameters in Chronically Stressed Humans: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. https://blog.priceplow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/withania_review.pdf

⁷Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/

⁸Healthline. When Is the Best Time to Take Ashwagandha? https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ashwagandha-in-the-morning-or-night#timing