Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), a traditional medicine in Ayurveda, is an evergreen shrub that grows in Asia and Africa. It is also known as Indian ginseng.

Ashwagandha is an herb that helps the body deal with stress. It has a long history of being useful for insomnia, anxiety, and aging. In addition, ashwagandha contains phyto-chemicals that have been shown to calm the mind, lower blood pressure, and modulate immune function. Patients who have immune disorders should seek out a professional advice via a licensed naturopathic physician before using ashwagandha due to its potent immune modulating effects and therefore can interact with any immune suppressing medications.

Even though this herb has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, recently it has gained popularity due to its effects on the thyroid. Clinically, I see many patients present with hypothyroid symptoms (fatigue, unexplained weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, and/or constipation) but all their thyroid lab tests return as normal. This is always very frustrating for patients since their conventional medical doctor then dismiss them even though their laundry list of symptoms persist.

Ashwagandha has been shown to be effective in helping with these subclinical hypothyroid symptoms. An article published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2018 showed that patients who took 600 mg of ashwagandha extract daily for 8 weeks showed significant improvements in their subclinical hypothyroid symptoms as well as improving their thyroid lab tests.

One way that ashwagandha may improve thyroid function is by lowering serum cortisol. Chronic stress increases cortisol levels which can suppress thyroid function. A study published in 2012 showed that taking 300mg 2x/day of ashwagandha after only 60 days of use significantly reduced serum cortisol levels.

More studies are needed to fully understand the effect of ashwagandha on thyroid function. In the meantime, ashwagandha may be a solution for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Since 2005, Dr. Fey has helped women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believes that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms. With her scientific background, Dr. Fey uses science based natural approaches to treating disease.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center for Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. Dr. Fey is currently offering telemedicine for patients all across the US. To contact the office, call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.  

REFERENCES

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28829155/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33338583/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8866726/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/