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What are the benefits of ashwagandha for men?
Written byEmily Coates
Reviewed byDr Anojan Arulananthan
From enhancing muscle growth to supporting testosterone levels, let’s find out more about how exactly ashwagandha can benefit men's health
Summary
1Ashwagandha for testosterone
Aside from its reputation in supporting stress levels, ashwagandha is often linked to increasing testosterone levels...
2Ashwagandha for sex drive
As ashwagandha helps reduce stress levels in the body, it’s believed this could also have a correlation with sex drive...
3Ashwagandha for exercise
Although this benefits everyone regardless of gender, it’s believed that ashwagandha can support in some areas of exercise...
Familiar with ashwagandha? It’s likely you’ve heard people singing its praises, including its potential abilities to help with sleep and reduce stress as well as support athletic performance and physical endurance.
However, there are some potential benefits that directly affect men. Testosterone levels help regulate libido, bone and muscle mass, fat distribution and production of sperm among other things, and there are some studies that show ashwagandha may help with male reproductive hormone levels.
But how much truth is there? Let’s discuss...
Ashwagandha benefits for men
As an adaptogen – a plant or root that helps with balancing stress – the ashwagandha herb is best known for reducing levels of cortisol in the body.1 (That’s the hormone that helps your body respond to stressful situations).
However, emerging research has since linked ashwagandha with a number of other potential benefits around endurance, sleep and relaxation, stress and anxiety as well as supporting brain function and memory.2
Many of these benefits are applicable to everyone, but there are some advantages of taking ashwagandha that could directly affect males only.
Ashwagandha for testosterone
Aside from its reputation in supporting stress levels, ashwagandha's often linked to increasing testosterone levels in men.3 Plus, it’s a useful supplement to support a range of factors to do with men’s sexual health and wellbeing.
One study tested the benefits of ashwagandha on sperm quality in men with fertility challenges. Participants experienced a 10-22% increase in testosterone levels.4 Another small study of 57 men found that taking 600mg of ashwagandha extract for eight weeks increased testosterone levels by nearly 15%.3 So it’s likely that ashwagandha may help increase testosterone levels in certain individuals.
Ashwagandha can be a popular supplement to take in ageing men, as testosterone levels may begin to drop by about 1% every year after the age of 30. However, if you believe you're experiencing low testosterone levels, speak to your GP for more information.
Ashwagandha for sex drive
With its ability to enhance testosterone levels, ashwagandha helps to support male vitality and libido.5
In 2019, a small study of 43 healthy men (aged 40-70) over 16 weeks found participants reporting “improvements in fatigue, vigour and sexual and psychological wellbeing”.3 Of course, self-reporting can be problematic as we might feel more energetic, positive or desired from one day to the next – but it’s an interesting result.
As we know, ashwagandha helps reduce stress levels in the body, so it’s believed this could also have a correlation with sex drive and sexual performance (as ongoing stress is a common factor). As a result, stress relief can positively impact sex drive, providing a calming effect which enhances both desire and pleasure.6
Ashwagandha for fertility
As well as increasing sexual desire and testosterone levels, some studies have suggested that taking ashwagandha may help to improve sperm count, sperm motility and overall semen quality.7
A three-month study analysed 75 men who experienced infertility and found that a daily dose of 5g of ashwagandha increased both sperm count and motility.8 Studies which saw an increase in participants’ testosterone levels also saw an increase in their partners becoming pregnant – leading to a possible link between ashwagandha, testosterone and fertility.
However, another three-month study in men with seminal causes of infertility didn’t show any improvement, so more research is needed.9
So, coupled with raised testosterone levels and increased sex drive, it’s plausible that ashwagandha may provide a benefit in some men’s fertility.
Ashwagandha for exercise
This benefits everyone regardless of gender, but it’s also believed that ashwagandha may support muscle growth and strength because it’s paired with a rise in testosterone. Research to support this concluded that, in a study of healthy men, there was a significant increase in strength in muscle activity, as well as a reduction in total body fat percentage.10
Another study saw “significant increases in muscle mass and strength” in participants undergoing resistance training for eight weeks. This was while taking 300mg of ashwagandha root extract twice a day.11
Ashwagandha supplementation has also been seen to increase VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen someone can use during vigorous exercise) in some studies, which could increase aerobic exercise performance.12
The final say
The most-researched claims of ashwagandha point towards gender-neutral benefits, particularly when it comes to supporting your stress levels.2 However, small studies are demonstrating that ashwagandha may also be a useful ingredient to support men’s sexual health and wellbeing.
So, while there’s not enough scientific evidence to suggest that ashwagandha is effective in providing treatment for patients with the likes of erectile dysfunction, it’s worth looking into how it can support things like men’s hormone levels and male vitality.
Looking to support your everyday health? Why not check out how dad and personal trainer Ryan Libbey stays energised or take some time for your mental health with our thoughts on how to rest and reset at home.
The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
This product is not suitable if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications, or have endocrine disorders, liver or heart problems, or clinical depression. This product is not intended for use by persons under the age of 18.
- National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Ashwagandha: Is It Helpful for stress, anxiety, or sleep? [Internet]. ods.od.nih.gov. 2023. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Ashwagandha-HealthProfessional/
- Frank K, Patel K, Lopez G, Willis B. Ashwagandha Research Analysis. examinecom [Internet]. 2020 Dec 28; Available from: https://examine.com/supplements/ashwagandha/
- Lopresti AL, Drummond PD, Smith SJ. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males. American Journal of Men’s Health [Internet]. 2019 Mar;13(2):155798831983598. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6438434/
- Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, Ahmad MK, Rajender S, Shankhwar SN, Singh V, et al. Withania somniferaImproves Semen Quality in Stress-Related Male Fertility. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011;2011:1–9.
- Chauhan S, Srivastava MK, Pathak AK. Effect of standardized root extract of ashwagandha (withania somnifera) on well‐being and sexual performance in adult males: A randomized controlled trial. Health Science Reports. 2022 Jul;5(4).
- Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Malvi H, Kodgule R. An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine [Internet]. 2019 Sep;98(37):e17186. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31517876
- Nasimi Doost Azgomi R, Zomorrodi A, Nazemyieh H, Fazljou SMB, Sadeghi Bazargani H, Nejatbakhsh F, et al. Effects of Withania somnifera on Reproductive System: A Systematic Review of the Available Evidence. BioMed Research International [Internet]. 2018 Jan 24;2018(1). Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5833251/
- Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, Islam N, Rajender S, Madhukar D, et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertility and sterility [Internet]. 2010;94(3):989–96. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19501822
- Ambiye VR et al. Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study. Evidence-Based and Complementary Medicine [Internet]. 2013 Nov 28 [cited 2024 Nov 8]. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3863556/pdf/ECAM2013-571420.pdf
- Raut AA, Rege NN, Tadvi FM, Solanki PV, Kene KR, Shirolkar SG, et al. Exploratory study to evaluate tolerability, safety, and activity of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in healthy volunteers. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine [Internet]. 2012;3(3):111–4. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23125505
- Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S. Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition [Internet]. 2015;12(1):43. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26609282
- Choudhary B, Shetty A, Langade DG. Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. Ayu [Internet]. 2015 Jan-Mar [cited 2024 Nov 8]; 36(1): 63-68. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4687242/
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