Ashwagandha is an herb widely used in Ayurveda, a type of medicine based on Indian tenets of natural healing. Perhaps best known for its ability to relieve stress and anxiety, Ashwagandha is gaining popularity as an important herb to enhance overall health and well-being.
“Ashwagandha is a calming herb,” says Ryan Barish, M.D., a functional medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health. “It helps balance the stress hormone cortisol, and can be an important tool for people who have a lot of stress, anxiety, fatigue and brain fog.”
What Is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha (also called Indian ginseng or winter cherry) is a small flowering shrub that grows in India and Southeast Asia. “Ashwagandha” means “smell of the horse,” which describes the plant’s scent and hints at its function—horses are calming, strong and focused.
Extracts or powder from the root and leaves of the ashwagandha plant are used to treat a variety of conditions. The biologically active components of the ashwagandha plant’s leaves are withanolides, a naturally occurring steroid.
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