Ashwagandha: Power of Suggestion? Or Real Sexual Benefits?

Give people anything, even sugar pills, for any medical or psychological condition, and around one-third report real benefit. That’s the power of placebos. Call it suggestion, belief, or mind-body medicine. Whatever you call it, when people embrace anything as therapeutic, when they believe in any therapy, many reasonable, not-particularly-gullible people swear it works. And when the condition has anything to do with sex, placebo treatments are even more effective, helping up to half of users. Consequently, we should be skeptical of all purported sex enhancers, especially when they sound too good to be true, or are billed as ancient, exotic remedies that Western science has ignored.

That’s why American physicians and psychologists have long felt suspicious of ashwagandha (ash-wah-GAHN-dah, Withania somnifera), an herb used for centuries in Indian medicine. At first glance, it sounds too good to be true. Its name derives from two Sanskrit roots—ashwa meaning horse, and gandha for essence, that is, the herb makes users as strong as horses. No way.

In addition, ashwagandha advocates call it a "tonic," a treatment that benefits many body systems simultaneously. Unfortunately, in American medicine, the term tonic has a long and toxic history. Many 19th-century patent medicines called tonics contained mostly alcohol and/or opium. In fact, it was the absurd claims for 19th-century tonics that spurred Congress to create the Food and Drug Administration to protect Americans from ineffective and harmful medicines.

Finally, ashwagandha advocates also call the herb an “adaptogen,” a substance that helps the body adapt to stressors. But this notion is largely foreign to Western therapeutics, which usually treats stress with tranquilizers.

So, we have every reason to feel dubious about ashwagandha.

Nonetheless, several recent credible studies show that the root of this small evergreen shrub native to India offers an array of sex-enhancing benefits for both men and women, and presumably also for those who embrace other gender identities.

Ashwagandha has been revered in India’s traditional Ayurvedic medicine for 3,000 years. Consequently, most ashwagandha research has taken place there. Some critics express skepticism about non-Western medical and psychological research. However, most Indian researchers are trained in Western research methodology, and most ashwagandha studies have been published in peer-reviewed Western academic journals. Which suggests they should be taken seriously.

Intriguing Studies of Women

Indian researchers gave 80 women, age 18 to 50, either a placebo or a standardized—that is, dose-reliable—extract of ashwagandha root (300 mg twice daily). After eight weeks, the herb group reported highly statistically significant sexual benefits: more desire, easier arousal, more vaginal self-lubrication, less sexual pain, more intense orgasms, and greater overall sexual satisfaction (p < 0.001).

Another India team gave 50 women either a placebo or ashwagandha (300 mg twice daily). After eight weeks, the herb group reported significant sexual benefits: easier arousal (p < 0.001), more self-lubrication (p < 0.001), more orgasms (p < 0.004), greater sexual satisfaction (p < 0.001), and as a result of all this erotic enhancement, more partner sex (p < 0.001).

Intriguing Studies of Men

Indian researchers gave either a placebo or ashwagandha (300 mg twice daily) to 50 men complaining of low libido. After eight weeks, their desire, testosterone levels, and sexual self-esteem all increased significantly (p < 0.0001).

Other Indian investigators gave ashwagandha (500 mg daily) to 180 infertile men and 50 with normal fertility. After three months, the normal group showed no fertility changes, but the infertile men showed higher sperm counts and improved sperm motility with fewer deformed sperm.

Overall, it sure looks like ashwagandha enhances lovemaking.

The Poor Person’s Ginseng

Since ancient times, India’s traditional Ayurvedic medical texts have recommended ashwagandha for a great variety of ills, notably fatigue, longevity, sleep problems (hence its species name, somnifera), and sexual/reproductive issues. Ashwagandha is often called the poor person’s ginseng. Like ginseng, it benefits many body systems simultaneously—see my previous post.

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Ashwagandha increases energy, reduces stress/anxiety, lowers high blood pressure, normalizes blood sugar, improves overall well-being—and enhances sex. It’s also considerably cheaper than ginseng.

How To

Ashwagandha can be found in the herb/supplement aisles of most health food stores. Follow package directions. Most studies gave participants 300 mg twice a day. That’s safe, but if you’re taking medication for significant medical or psychological issues, adverse herb-drug interactions are possible. Before trying ashwagandha, check with your physician.

If you try ashwagandha, be patient. In most studies, it took up to eight weeks for benefits to become noticeable.