An easy guide to Ashwagandha
We like to say that ashwagandha brings balance. Used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, here in the West we’re finally catching on to the physical, mental, stabilising and performance increasing capabilities of this ancient plant. Organic, natural, stress-busting goodness that can make your days and nights just that bit easier and more productive all round.
Known as an adaptogen, ashwagandha works to stabilise and optimise the hormones that help us deal with stress - particularly cortisol. By interacting with the same receptors in the body that cortisol does, ashwagandha can regulate its effects around the body.
Sleep improves, energy increases, muscles strengthen, cognition is enhanced, hormones are balanced and even libido gets a boost.
Research has shown that ashwagandha possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, hematopoietic (building blood cells) and rejuvenating properties.
The extract used in Ashwagandha Zooki has been used in over 20 clinical trials which have shown significant benefits for improving stress, sleep, anxiety, depression, hormonal levels for both men and women, brain health and libido. Not too bad for a humble root that’s named after the smell of a horse.
Ashwagandha has a direct effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) by interacting with exactly the same receptors as cortisol and corticosterone.
It also decreases the release of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter and increases the release of GABA, an inhibitory, calming neurotransmitter.
Life is often tough. And it’s also known that people respond differently to stress depending on their genetic makeup. If you have negative variants of some specific genes (NR3C - we’re looking at you), you are programmed to produce more cortisol and feel the effects of a stressful situation more strongly. By directly interacting with the receptors for these genes, ashwagandha helps to mitigate the heightened cortisol response and lower the circulating levels of both cortisol and cortisone.
A review of 4 studies found that ashwagandha significantly increased sperm concentration, semen volume, and sperm motility in men with low sperm counts, but also increased sperm concentration and motility in men with normal sperm count. For women, ashwagandha has been shown to help decrease oestrogen dominance, often associated with conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS.
It’s thought that certain compounds in ashwagandha can encourage the uptake of glucose out of the bloodstream into body cells, reducing blood sugar levels. It does this by reducing streptozocin, which inhibits insulin production. Studies on people with existing Type 2 diabetes found that supplementation with ashwagandha significantly reduced blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin, blood lipids, and oxidative stress markers.
This is another area where the research is showing some promising results. One study with 50 participants showed improvements in immediate and general memory, attention and information-processing speed. Another concentrated on older adults found multiple improvements in several cognitive functions. It is thought the benefits are due to the possible antioxidant effects of withaferin A in the brain itself.
Ashwagandha’s effect on quality of sleep arises from its ability to decrease the release of stimulating neurotransmitters (glutamate) and increase the release of calming ones (GABA). On trials of over 400 people, the best results occurred with people suffering from sleep problems or insomnia. It’s the glycowithanolides that provoke the calming effect so buying a full spectrum extract that contains all of these active ingredients is important. It’s also important to note that the best effects were gained when participants took the supplement for 8 weeks or longer.
It wasn’t long ago that we first heard about cytokines. And in the last few years we’ve learned a lot about their inflammatory properties, especially when inflammation becomes chronic or out of control. Ashwagandha works by downregulating inflammatory cytokine pathways at the same time as promoting the expression of anti-inflammatory agents. One study showed that C-reactive protein, a commonly measured inflammatory marker, significantly reduced in adults experiencing stress after taking ashwagandha for 60 days.
Both professional and amateur sports people are becoming increasingly convinced about the benefits of taking ashwagandha. And no wonder when it’s been shown to improve upper and lower body strength, power, and recovery as well as enhancing VO2 max. It can also help support endurance by increasing levels of haemoglobin in the blood allowing more oxygen to be transported around the body which in turn can enhance performance.
Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen - a substance that helps your body adapt to stress. It’s thought this remarkable herb enhances testosterone production by reducing cortisol levels through the modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the central stress response system, and by directly stimulating enzymes involved in testosterone biosynthesis.
As there are so many different benefits from ashwagandha, it’s important to have a full-spectrum extract such as "KSM-66" so that you take advantage of the widest range of bioactive compounds possible. The active compounds within Ashwagandha are also insoluble in water and hard for the body to absorb, so taking them with lipids like in Ashwagandha Zooki is a good way to ensure they make it into your system.
Similar to turmeric supplements, some companies will add black pepper to Ashwagandha to increase efficacy. This works by switching off enzymes in the liver that remove ashwagandha from the body once it’s been absorbed.
However, these enzymes are also important for removing actual toxins from the body, so it’s often said that adding black pepper is not a good idea. A much better way to improve efficacy is to wrap the ashwagandha extract in lipids - increasing absorption of ashwagandha without the side effects.
As Ashwagandha can have a large impact on many functions within the body, we always recommend consulting with a medical professional if pregnant, breastfeeding, on existing medication or on the oral contraceptive pill before including Ashwagandha in your daily routine.
Common contraindications of Ashwagandha include sedatives, diabetes medication, medication for high blood pressure, immuno-suppressants and thyroid medications.
Each sachet contains 500mg of KSM-66 full spectrum ashwagandha root extract.
Ashwagandha Zooki is sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, soy free and contains zero artificial ingredients. To see the full list, scroll up to the top of the page and click the "Nutritional information" link placed just above the price of the product.
Ashwagandha, also known as Withania somnifera, is a medicinal herb widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. It's recognized for its adaptogenic properties, helping the body to manage stress. It also supports cognitive function, energy levels, overall wellbeing and much more!
We always recommend people who are pregnant or breastfeeding check with a medical professional before they take any new dietary supplement.
Ashwagandha Zooki is the world’s first ever liposomal KSM-66 ashwagandha. This means we have combined the standardised, full-spectrum nature of KSM-66 with our own unique liposomal delivery system to deliver a world’s first, top of the range Ashwagandha product - providing enhanced absorption and in turn, increased benefit from the root.
Ashwagandha Zooki is perfectly suitable for vegetarians and vegans alike.
Ashwagandha Zooki is free from gluten, soy, dairy, alcohol and sugar.
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