Ashwagandha is an herb that's increasingly popular on social media for a range of health benefits. It's all over TikTok, where users claim taking ashwagandha can help with stress, sleep, focus and more. Although ashwagandha has gained recent traction online, the plant has been used in traditional medicine systems for thousands of years.
It has also been well-studied, but you may be wondering what the science says about its benefits and risks. While ashwagandha can be safe to use in the short term, it's not recommended for everyone. What is ashwagandha and how is it used, what are the potential health benefits, and what are the risks? Experts discuss.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera is an evergreen shrub grown in dry regions of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, . Also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, the ancient herb has been used for medicinal purposes dating back to 6,000 B.C.
"It comes from Ayurveda, which is traditional Indian medicine," Dr. Zachary Mulvihill, a physician with the Integrative Health and Wellbeing Program at NewYork-Presbyterian, tells TODAY.com.
The roots of the plant are commonly dried and ground into a powder. Ashwagandha comes in a variety of forms, including powder, capsules, tablets and gummies. It is also available as a liquid extract or tincture, which contains some alcohol and is more potent, Mulvihill adds.
Ashwagandha may be mixed into creams or oils, which are applied topically. The ashwagandha plant is rich in bioactive substances call.
