Ashwagandha—The Best Supplement for Stress Support

‌‌‌‌A Brief History of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a key herb in Ayurvedic medicine, a healing system that has developed over the last 3,000 years. Ayurvedic medicine is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is to promote good health, not fight disease. Ashwagandha fits perfectly into this model.

In Ayurvedic medicine, the root and leaves of Ashwagandha are the most valued “rasayana,” or substances that possess rejuvenating properties. For over five thousand years, Ashwagandha has been much revered for its longevity-promoting and revitalizing properties. Modern science has now documented these benefits and many more.

The name Ashwagandha is Sanskrit for smell of the horse. The term is fitting, not only does the root have a unique smell, but it also increases strength. Ashwagandha is frequently referred to as “Indian ginseng” because its rejuvenating effects parallel those of ginseng. However, Ashwagandha is not a member of the same botanical family as either Panax ginseng or Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus).

Ashwagandha contains many active compounds, but the “withanolides” are thought to be the most important and often serve as marker compounds in the production of high-quality extracts.