From powerlifters to hybrid athletes and beyond, everyone is looking to improve their performance. If you’ve noticed your progress has stalled (aka the dreaded fitness plateau), it may be time to invest in a new supplement.
While creatine, BCAAs, and protein powders are popular (and well-studied) performance enhancers, ashwagandha, an evergreen shrub popular in Ayurvedic medicine, may be the missing piece in improving muscle strength, growth, and endurance. F1000Research.
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Ashwagandha, found in various parts of India, Africa, and the Middle East, is known for its bioactive compounds (especially withanolides) that are said to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Now, it may have more benefits than we previously thought.
The study followed 73 healthy male and female participants, ages 18 to 45, for eight weeks. During this time, participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either 300 mg ashwagandha capsules twice daily or the same placebo pill. The study volunteers were also instructed to participate in the same eight-week resistance training program while taking ashwagandha (or placebo).
Participants were excluded if they were taking other dietary supplements, medications, or steroids used to enhance physical performance to see the true effect of ashwagandha. Individuals with a history of drug addiction, those who smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day, or those who regularly consumed more than 14 grams of alcohol per day were also excluded. Finally, participants who used various medications, such as beta-blockers, hormonal contraceptives, or psychotropic substances, in the three months prior to the study were also excluded.
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At the end of eight weeks, the researchers found that not only did the participants improve their bench press strength, but they also improved their endurance and the muscle thickness in their arms, chest and thighs in both male and female participants.
This study isn't the first to find that the popular herb has positive effects on strength. In fact, another study published in 2010 found that ashwagandha may be helpful in improving speed, lower extremity muscle strength, and neuromuscular coordination.
While ashwagandha may be a useful tool for increasing strength and endurance, more studies are needed to determine its effects over the long term and on different people, not just individuals who do resistance training.
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