Ashwagandha is a shrub that native to Asia and Africa. It is a medicinal herb that offers plenty of health benefits. It is mainly used to calm the brain, ease stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, reduce swelling, improve fertility, increase athletic performance, treat inflammation, and more.
Ashwagandha is also called “Indian ginseng” as it has been used in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine for centuries. This herb is of great value as it benefits both mentally and physically. Ashwagandha is considered an adaptogen, as it helps ease stress and anxiety. Ashwagandha is available in various forms.
It comes as gummies, liquid drops, capsules, or powders that can be mixed into drinks. Ashwagandha is safe for most people but note that ashwagandha is only safe to use for up to 3 months, and can cause adverse effects if taken long term. Due to its medicinal properties, it is now promoted for stress and anxiety, sleep disorders, athletic performance, and male infertility. It is a non-toxic herb that has been widely used in various medications we see today.
What is ashwagandha tea?
People have been taking ashwagandha tea because of the health benefits it offers. Many studies show that taking ashwagandha daily can help manage stress, improve stress, boost energy, and promote overall health.
Ashwagandha tea helps with digestion, muscle recovery, cortisol regulation, inflammation, hormonal balance, blood sugar, brain health, and libido enhancement. Drinking ashwagandha tea once daily for up to six months is considered safe and effective. It has a calming effect on the body, which helps ease stress and anxiety.
It also fights fatigue and energizes the body. Nowadays, ashwagandha tea is easily available in the market but ensure you purchase only high-quality ones. Ashwagandha tea is easy to make just like other teas.
Health benefits of drinking ashwagandha tea
There are various health benefits to drinking ashwagandha tea, such as;
- Promotes restful sleep:
Ashwagandha is widely known for its ability to induce sleep. It helps promote restful sleep and improves sleep quality, as it calms and relaxes the body and mind. It works great for those with insomnia and other sleep issues.
- Relives stress and anxiety:
Various studies prove that drinking ashwagandha tea can help reduce stress and anxiety. Ashwagandha has stress-relieving properties and is classified as an adaptogen. This herb contains a component that helps cope with stress. It controls mediators of stress and regulates stress response.
- Boosts athletic performance:
Ashwagandha tea helps boost athletic performance, as it improves strength and speed. It improves oxygen use during exercise and supports muscle strength.
- Improves male fertility:
This natural herb is said to improve male fertility by increasing sperm production, volume, and motility. It works well for those with low sperm counts, as it promotes fertility.
- Promotes cognitive function:
Ashwagandha promotes cognitive function and reduces symptoms of mental health conditions. It helps ease depression and its symptoms. It also boosts cognitive function, including memory, sharpness, attention, and focus.
- Reducing inflammation:
The anti-inflammatory properties of ashwagandha help reduce inflammation and swelling in the body.
- Managing blood sugar:
Ashwagandha seems to have benefits for those with diabetes or high blood sugar levels. It helps manage blood sugar levels through its effects on insulin secretion and the cell’s ability to absorb glucose from the bloodstream.
- Treating various diseases:
Drinking ashwagandha tea helps treat and prevent various health conditions like arthritis, neurogenerative disease, and certain types of cancer. Many studies show that ashwagandha has compounds that help fight certain types of cancer, slow down, stop, or reverse certain types of nerve cell damage, and ease joint pain, swelling, and other arthritis-related symptoms.
How to make ashwagandha tea?
Ashwagandha tea powder is easily available in local grocery stores or health food stores. You can make your own ashwagandha tea powder at home easily by drying the root and turning it into powder. Ashwagandha can be grown in gardens or indoors. If you are unable to grow it at home, you can purchase it from the nearby store. However, ensure you purchase only the high-quality product. Ashwagandha tea is easy to make just like other tea. You can brew ashwagandha tea by these easy steps:
- Start by boiling one cup of water.
- Add about one teaspoon of ashwagandha roots or powder into the boiling water.
- Close with a lid and turn the heat down. Allow the water to simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Then, pour the tea into a mug or glass jar.
When to drink ashwagandha tea for maximum benefits?
Drinking ashwagandha tea once daily for up to six months is considered safe and provides maximum benefits. Many studies show that taking ashwagandha tea for six months provides medical benefits. However, taking a three-month break is advised before beginning again to prevent adverse effects. The optimum time for drinking ashwagandha tea is at night as it helps get restful sleep and regulates cortisol levels better.
Cortisol is the stress hormone and drinking ashwagandha tea at night potentially helps lower cortisol levels, which promotes a calm state of mind. Also, drinking ashwagandha tea at night supports brain health by promoting relaxation, easing stress, and relieving problems like anxiety.
Side effects of drinking ashwagandha tea
Ashwagandha tea is considered safe to use up to three to six months daily. It can only be suitable for the short term, and long-term use might cause adverse effects. Pregnant and nursing women should avoid taking ashwagandha.
Also, it is not recommended for those who are about to undergo surgery and those with thyroid or autoimmune disorders. Those with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer should be careful, as ashwagandha may increase testosterone production.
Ashwagandha might interact with other medications, especially diabetes, blood pressure, immunosuppressants, sedatives, and anti-seizure medications.
Large doses of ashwagandha cause some individuals to experience the following symptoms;
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Severe liver problems or liver failure, in rare cases.
Conclusion
Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb with plenty of health benefits. It helps ease anxiety and stress, promote deep sleep, boost athletic performance, improve fertility in men, treat inflammation, regulate blood sugar levels, promote immune function, and increase cognitive function. Ashwagandha can be taken up to three months daily and long-term use might cause adverse effects.
It is recommended to take a three-month gap after beginning the use again. Most people prefer drinking ashwagandha tea to get the maximum benefits out of it. Ashwagandha tea is easy to make and it can either be grown at home or purchased from the local grocery stores. Ensure you purchase only high-quality ones from the store.
Drinking ashwagandha tea produces a calming effect on the body, which helps ease stress and anxiety. It also fights fatigue and energizes the body. Pregnant and nursing women should avoid taking ashwagandha.
Also, it is not recommended for those who are about to undergo surgery and those with thyroid or autoimmune disorders. Consuming ashwagandha in large doses can result in side effects like diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, drowsiness, and rarely liver failures.
The optimum time for drinking ashwagandha tea is at night as it helps get restful sleep and regulates stress hormones. It makes the body calm and supports brain health by promoting relaxation, easing stress, and relieving problems like anxiety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Drinking ashwagandha tea provides various health benefits for men. Some of those benefits include relieving stress, improving fertility, increasing testosterone production, sharpening focus and memory, lowering blood sugar levels, supporting heart health, boosting athletic performance, treating depression, reducing inflammation, and promoting better sleep.
Yes. Drinking ashwagandha tea helps improve skin health, as it hydrates the skin and boosts collagen production. Also, its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties help reduce acne and shield against oxidative stress.
It is safe to drink ashwagandha tea once daily for up to six months.
Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should avoid using ashwagandha. Also, it is not recommended for those who are about to undergo surgery and those who have autoimmune or thyroid disorders.
Ashwagandha is also used as a sleep aid. So, drinking ashwagandha tea can make one sleepy or drowsy.
Ashwagandha is generally considered safe to consume without significant effects. There is no evidence of ashwagandha having a negative impact on liver and kidney health.