Ashwagandha is a herb that has been part of ancient medicinal practices for the various health benefits that it provides. Ayurvedic medicine makes particular mention of the herb with reference to its sexually enhancing properties and it was regularly prescribed for erectile dysfunction and low libido.
Recent interest in Ashwagandha and its sexually enhancing properties has yielded results that point out benefits beyond the sexual enhancement the herb offers.
This blog will provide an in-depth guide into Ashwagandha, its origins and Ashwagandha benefits for men. As such, it will also discuss the ways in which you can use the herb as a supplement, describing the various methods people have used to maximize its effects.
- What is Ashwagandha?
- What are adaptogens?
- Ashwagandha benefits for men
- Other Ashwagandha health benefits
- How to supplement Ashwagandha
What is Ashwagandha?
The scientific name for Ashwagandha is Withania Somnifera and it’s also called the “Indian Winter Cherry” or Indian Ginseng. Mentions of the herb are frequent in Ayurvedic medicine, where it has been used for multiple purposes including but not restricted to promoting youthfulness.
In traditional medicine, Ashwagandha is dried and crushed to form a powder that can be mixed in water or clarified butter to be consumed by both children and adults. When used by either age group, Ashwagandha has been associated with stress relief, analgesic effects and antioxidant effects which improve the quality of skin, hair and nails.
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One of the most prominent uses of Ashwagandha is that of a male sexual performance enhancers, where it has been known to boost testosterone levels in the body and eliminate symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction (ED). Although the herb also has several known health benefits for women, it’s mostly prescribed to men who’re trying to overcome sexual dysfunction.
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What are Adaptogens?
Among the notable characteristics of Ashwagandha are its properties as an adaptogen. Adaptogens are a class of herbs that have been known to help protect the human body against a wide range of stressors biological, chemical and physical in nature.
The term was coined in the 1940s by scientists when attempting to describe a specific set of herbs which had non-specific beneficial effects for the human body. When consumed, adaptogens can help combat the effects of pollution, climate change, and many other environmentally induced bodily dysfunctions.
In particular, for a herb to qualify as an adaptogen, it must display the following characteristics:
- These herbs must have non-specific effects across the body. This means that they should affect different people in different ways and not in one specific region of the body.
- These herbs must help maintain regulative bodily processes, especially in situations where regulative processes are being tampered with by internal/external stressors.
- These herbs must not hamper existing bodily functions or induce any dysfunctions.
Ashwagandha meets all of these requirements, owing to the wide range of beneficial effects it has on the human body. It can improve cardiovascular health, promote healthy cognition, and it also improves the state of the male reproductive system.
One notable aspect of the effects of Ashwagandha is that it allows the body to continue regulating itself to adapt to changes in their biological/environmental conditions. Instead of enhancing the abilities of these biological systems, it helps the body continue functioning normally despite the changes in the environment it faces.
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Finally, one of the most important observations from the use of Ashwagandha is the absence of any side-effects from its use.
For the aforementioned reasons, Ashwagandha has become something of a wonder-herb in healthcare where it is being widely studied to help enhance its medicinal value. With modern research techniques, we have discovered many more of its benefits than we knew of from ancient medical traditions.
Ashwagandha Benefits for Men
Ashwagandha has notable benefits for the performance of the male reproductive system. It has been known to eradicate erectile dysfunction, improve semen quality to cure infertility, and it can boost testosterone levels in the body.
Among the various health benefits that herb has to offer, the benefits for men are the most pronounced and account for the exclusive use of Ashwagandha as a sexual enhancement agent.
In particular, benefits of Ashwagandha powder for men include (but are not limited to) the following.
Curing Infertility
Although there is very little evidence on the ways in which Ashwagandha improves the functioning of the male reproductive system, statistical evidence indicates that it can enhance fertility in men.
According to research reviews and observations, Ashwagandha improves the quality of semen production because of the presence of alkaloid and steroids in the herb.
These chemicals are responsible for improving testicular functioning and boost the production of semen, with healthier sperm cells compared to people who hadn’t taken Ashwagandha.
Improving Erectile Dysfunction
Emotional distress and anxiety are some of the most frequently quoted reasons for erectile dysfunction. It’s so common that most doctors actually prescribe anti-anxiety medication to help people overcome their ED. Ashwagandha has been seen to produce effects similar to those of anxiolytics to eradicate stress-induced ED.
According to research, when administered with Ashwagandha, people reported lower rates of stress and anxiety, in addition to improved sexual performance in men. This is seen as something of a victory in medicine because when compared to anti-anxiety medication, Ashwagandha causes little to no side-effects.
Increasing Testosterone Production
Stress and anxiety are often associated with falling testosterone levels in men. It is the most pronounced when men go through major depressive episodes and especially as they age.
The falling production of testosterone can serve as the cause of ED, lacking muscle development, and the overall loss of body energy levels.
Research indicates that when men who are administered with Ashwagandha see increased testosterone serum levels and luteinizing hormone levels which are responsible for successful erections.
Other Ashwagandha Health Benefits
Besides the benefits of Ashwagandha specific to men, the herb also offers multiple other health benefits that both men and women can enjoy. A lot of the sexual and reproductive benefits of Ashwagandha are also derived from its general health benefits. In specific, the health benefits of Ashwagandha include:
Stress and Anxiety Management
Stress and anxiety are two of the most frequently reported psychological conditions in addition to depression. Considering the psychological and physiological effects of these conditions, sufferers become far more susceptible to developing conditions like high blood pressure, insomnia and even depression.
Ashwagandha has been known to induce stress relieving effects, by stimulating the production of GABA and serotonin in the body.
Incidentally, this process is also how Ashwagandha can help cure stress induced erectile dysfunction. People who use Ashwagandha are much more likely to report feelings of happiness and relaxation than those who have not.
With the absence of side-effects from the use of Ashwagandha, it’s slowly gaining popularity as a treatment for anxiety and stress.
Improved Cardiovascular Functioning
Ashwagandha has also been shown to improve cardiovascular functioning by increasing cardio-respiratory endurance in men and women.
Studies conducted on the effects of Ashwagandha on stamina in athletes found that athletes who had been administered with Ashwagandha could keep running for far longer before they reached the point of exhaustion.
In particular, the study found that the time to exhaustion increased by 10.7% which was attributed to increased metabolic action on fatty acid oxidation because of the use of Ashwagandha.
Curing Insomnia
Insomnia is linked with many other psychological disorders including depression and anxiety. It’s also one of the most commonly reported psychological disorders in men and women across the world.
Ashwagandha has been known to help induce sleep in people suffering from insomnia. Ashwagandha contains Triethylene Glycol which has been related to increased rate of non-random rapid eye movement which is an indicator of deep dream states.
Additionally, because of the stress relieving effects, Ashwagandha is much more likely to improve the quality of sleep in people suffering from chronic stress. Thus, making Ashwagandha a regular part of your dietary regimens can significantly improve quality of sleep.
Prevention and Treatment of Cancer
Although we do not fully understand how Ashwagandha might affect cancer cells, research does indicate that it manipulates the functioning of cancer cells in patients. The differences between cell behavior before and after the administration of Ashwagandha point out the potential of the herb in treating cancer or preventing it.
One thing is for certain; the herb can be used to help with the after-effects of chemotherapy to help relieve body aches, nausea and the psychological stress associated with the condition itself.
Research studies point out that people who have taken Ashwagandha as a part of their cancer treatments had higher 24-month survival rates compared to those who didn’t.
Enhanced Muscle Development
Ashwagandha has also been associated with improved muscle formation and gains in upper-body strength. Studies conducted on the effects of Ashwagandha point out that moderately active people perform much better in resistance training exercises and exhibit better strength development after administration.
These effects have been specifically noted with solutions of Ashwagandha rather than through any other mode of administration.
Weight Management
Dietary regimen management is an integral part of developing long-term weight loss strategies for the obese. Curbing eating habits and food cravings present one of the biggest challenges to weight management.
Many dieticians prescribe Ashwagandha to help curb these feelings and the stress associated with cravings to help people lose weight much faster. When used as part of a curative dietary measure, Ashwagandha with its anxiolytics effects can allow for the creation of much more effective nutrition and diet management plans.
Improved Brain Plasticity
Ashwagandha also exerts neuroprotective effects for people who are suffering from cognitive dysfunctions. The alkaloids and steroids found in the herb have been seen to improve brain plasticity in specific sections of the organ.
The human brain can change its structure to form neural connections which didn’t exist before, a characteristic called brain plasticity. Conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can affect this plasticity to reduce the responsiveness of the brain and can hinder the development of your cognitive capabilities.
Ashwagandha can help restore brain plasticity if it has been reduced because of pre-existing conditions.
Antioxidant and Anti-Toxic Effects
Alkaloids are a class of naturally occurring chemicals which have been known to present antioxidant effects on the body. Ashwagandha is loaded with flavonoids which can prevent the development of many illnesses like dementia, arthritis and bacterial infections because of its antioxidant potential.
Additionally, the herb has been associated with reversing the effects of lead poisoning and other minerals like excessive copper, magnesium and potassium which cause cardiovascular dysfunction.
How to Supplement Ashwagandha?
There isn’t enough research that may have established the minimum dose for the use of Ashwagandha to maximize its therapeutic effects. However, according to evidence from Ayurvedic sources, the herb can be used for 8 weeks with 250g doses everyday to achieve its benefits.
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Although Ashwagandha has a wide range of effects in the body and it has proven to be beneficial; the inability to pin down its effects translates into problems with formalizing a dose for the herb.
Ultimately, it comes down to your age and if you’re suffering from any pre-existing conditions which could help point towards the optimal dosage. You might want to consult your doctors before you begin to supplement Ashwagandha to avoid any drug interactions or to minimize any allergic reactions.
Conclusion
Ashwagandha benefits for men are varied and the sky’s the limit in terms of how effective it can be in helping with your sexual problems or boosting your testosterone production.
Even though we may not understand how exactly the drug takes effect and at what doses, there is minimal risk of consuming the herb because there are no observable side-effects.
As such, given the evidence for its effectiveness and no risk of adverse reactions, making Ashwagandha a part of your regular dietary regimens can have you living a much more healthy and productive life.
Compared to other, pharmaceutical or artificially manufactured male supplements, Ashwagandha presents a brilliant alternative because of its efficacy. It can improve your overall health and boost the production of testosterone to improve both your physiological and psychological well being.
