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Ashwagandha and Depression

Depression is a mental health disorder that had gone largely unnoticed in society until trials in recent years determined just how detrimental it can be to a person’s health, as well as just how widespread it was in most communities, with studies showing it affects over 280 million people.

As a result, anti-depressant medications have become some of the most widely prescribed and used drugs in the world. However, while they can be very effective, they can also cause side effects too. That is why many people are turning to natural alternatives, such as ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha is thought to be of great help when it comes to depression, due to several of the different mechanisms that it can stimulate. Most of these are linked to its potent adaptogenic properties, which can help the body manage stress and maintain a far better sense of balance.

However, as is understandable when it comes to an issue as serious as depression, people are often loathed to switch from proven drugs to supplements which they may never have heard of.

That is why we have decided to create the following guide to ashwagandha and depression, to hopefully help give people all of the information that they need to combat depression naturally and effectively, without putting themselves at risk of experiencing any unnecessary side effects.

Table of Contents

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb found in the roots of an evergreen shrub that is known by many names, such as the winter cherry, withania somnifera, and Indian ginseng.

Used in ayurvedic medicine and many other forms of traditional medicine around the world for centuries, especially in Asia, it has been conclusively proven to provide a number of different effects that are greatly beneficial for the human body.

Learn more about Ashwagandha and its surprising benefits here

It can treat or prevent anxiety, depression and stress, boost energy and testosterone production and levels, aid exercise performance, support brain and heart health and function, improve your mood and sleep cycle and quality, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and combat certain diseases, infections, and chronic health conditions, such as arthritis (1).

Ashwagandha supplementation is usually able to produce most of these benefits, regardless of which supplement you are taking. However, as the exact degree to which each health benefit is produced relates directly to both the quality and quantity of the ashwagandha extract that you use, the efficacy of ashwagandha supplements can vary greatly from one product to the next.

Ashwagandha and Depression: How Does it Help?

Reduces Stress & Cortisol Levels

One of the primary benefits of ashwagandha is its ability to significantly reduce the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, that are present in the human body.

Chronic stress can greatly contribute to depression by disrupting brain chemistry and emotional regulation, and in many cases, it is the primary cause of the condition.

Reducing your cortisol levels by supplementing with ashwagandha can therefore help to either prevent or ease any of the symptoms of depression that are caused or exacerbated by stress (2).

Learn more about Ashwagandha and stress here

Regulates The Production Of Neurotransmitters

Ashwagandha has been proven to be capable of influencing the production and levels of certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, both of which play a crucial role in mood regulation.

By improving the balance and levels of both of these chemicals that are present in the human brain, ashwagandha can help to elevate a person’s mood and reduce feelings such as sadness or hopelessness. As both of these feelings are greatly associated with depression, reducing or even eliminating them can help a person control or completely overcome their depression (3).

Improves Sleep Quality

Ashwagandha is perhaps best known for its ability to boost a person’s sleep cycle and quality.

As poor sleep hygiene can be both a symptom and a major contributing factor to depression, promoting restful sleep through the use of ashwagandha supplementation can help to restore energy levels and improve your mood, combatting depression and even supporting a person’s overall mental health (4)(5).

Similarly, it will also prevent you from becoming fatigued, which is another major contributor to depression, and prevent it from ever becoming an issue in the first place (6).

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Relieves Inflammation

Chronic levels of inflammation are increasingly being linked to mental health issues, including depression (7). As ashwagandha is well known for its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it can help to reduce inflammation in the brain, as well as inflammation that causes pain in the rest of the body, all of which can be beneficial for those suffering from depression (8).

Enhances The Body’s Resilience & Ability To Adapt

As a potent adaptogen, ashwagandha can help the body adapt to stress and an array of different environmental challenges far more effectively. This resilience can improve a person’s emotional stability and potentially reduce the emotional lows that characterize depression. This is very useful not only for combatting existing depression but also for preventing future bouts of it (9).

Supports The GABA Receptors

Some studies suggest that ashwagandha may interact with the GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors, which are involved in the brain’s response to both stress and anxiety. This could help to calm the nervous system, greatly reducing anxiety and improving your overall mood, both of which are extremely beneficial for people who are suffering from depression (10)(11).

Boosts Brain Health & Functions

Ashwagandha extract benefits a person’s overall mental health and functions in a great number of different ways. This includes preventing or treating memory loss, mental decline, damage to the brain cells, and issues such as Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, and improving memory recall, mental clarity, focus, and blood flow to the brain cells (12).

As the deterioration of the brain is one of the primary causes of depression, working to keep it healthy from so many different angles makes ashwagandha a great way to combat the issue.