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Ashwagandha Statistics & Facts

Every ashwagandha number that matters — cortisol, stress, sleep, testosterone, endurance, the honest safety picture, and the real cost per dose. The sourced data behind our benefits and side-effects guides, free to cite and embed.

Updated July 2026 · 30 peer-reviewed sources, every PMID verified · Free to cite (CC BY 4.0).

30 sources — every figure verified on PubMedIndependent — the rankings follow the data, not commissionsReviewed June 2026 · Methodology
▸ The evidence in three numbers

Ashwagandha is the most-studied adaptogen in modern supplement science. Three findings anchor the data:

−27.9%
serum cortisol vs −7.9% on placebo (KSM-66, 60 days)
12+
placebo-controlled human RCTs on standardised extracts
Rare
idiosyncratic liver injury — enzymes stable over a 12-month RCT
Our own analysis · free to cite with attribution

Ashwagandha in numbers

−27.9%
serum cortisol vs −7.9% on placebo (KSM-66, 600 mg/day, 60 days) · Chandrasekhar 2012
−44%
perceived stress (PSS) vs −5.5% on placebo — same trial · Chandrasekhar 2012
+14.7%
testosterone in aging, overweight men (vs placebo, 8 weeks) · Lopresti 2019
+96 ng/dL
testosterone with resistance training vs +18 on placebo · Wankhede 2015
12+
placebo-controlled human RCTs on standardised extracts · Arumugam 2024 meta
SMD −0.53
faster to fall asleep — sleep-onset latency, 5-trial meta · Cheah 2021
+5.67
mL/kg/min VO₂max vs +1.86 on placebo (12 weeks) · Choudhary 2015
Rare
idiosyncratic liver injury — enzymes stayed stable over a 12-month observational study · LiverTox · Salve 2025

Safety headline: well tolerated in controlled trials — adverse events mild and comparable to placebo — with three real cautions: thyroid medication, pregnancy, and rare idiosyncratic liver injury[13,15,21].

Ashwagandha, scored across goals

The fact that matters most for a decision: how strongly ashwagandha actually moves each goal, on our SAC Efficacy Score™ — the same 0–10 score we rank every substance by (weighted 45% effect size, 40% evidence strength, 15% reliability). Tap a goal to see the full ranking against everything else.

Stress & Anxiety8.3/1020-30% cortisol drop + lower anxiety scores (multiple RCTs)Testosterone7.1/10~15% testosterone rise, indirectly via cortisol reduction in stressed menSleep & Recovery6.9/10better sleep onset + fewer 3 AM wakings via lower cortisolMuscle Growth6.7/10modest strength + lean-mass gains in resistance-trained menMenopause6.6/10eases stress, sleep disruption + mood via lower cortisol
▸ Super Achiever Data

The Ashwagandha market in numbers

Our independent analysis of 10 ashwagandha products, scored on three proprietary indices — the SAC Product Score™, Transparency Index™, and real Cost-Per-Effective-Dose™. Updated July 2026.

Super Achiever Ashwagandha (1300 mg + Black Pepper)
★ Our own product · sponsored placementSuper Achiever Ashwagandha (1300 mg + Black Pepper)Our own single-herb formula: 1300 mg Withania somnifera root + black pepper for absorption — the adaptogen behind the cortisol and testosterone trials. Not a trademarked KSM-66 extract; scored fairly on the same 50/50 criteria and shown here, clearly labelled, because it's ours.$29 · 60 caps · 1300 mg + piperineShop direct →
10
Ashwagandha products analysed
40%
under-deliver the 600 mg/day KSM-66 (or 125 mg Sensoril)
0%
independently third-party tested
$0.37
median real cost per dose · range $0.23–$1.15
80%
score below 50 on our Transparency Index
Ashwagandha: real cost per 600 mg/day KSM-66 (or 125 mg Sensoril) across 10 products — from $0.23 to $1.15 per dose. Green bars deliver the clinical dose, red bars under-dose it. Source: Super Achiever Cost-Per-Effective-Dose.
What a real 600 mg/day KSM-66 (or 125 mg Sensoril) actually costs, by product — our Cost-Per-Effective-Dose™. Same active ingredient, up to 4× the price. Free to share & cite.
TRUSTWORTHY + AFFORDABLEOPAQUE + OVERPRICED050100Transparency Index™ →$0$1$2$3← cheaper · Real cost per 600 mg/day KSM-66 (or 125 mg Sensoril)Toniiq Ultra High Nutricost KSM-66 ASolaray AshwagandhAshwagandha: the Transparency–Value mapSUPER ACHIEVER DATAsuper-achiever.com
#ProductSAC Product Score™TXI™CPED™
1Toniiq Ultra High Strength KSM-66 AshwagandhaCapsule9.270$0.36Most transparent
2Double Wood KSM-66 Ashwagandha 600 mgCapsule9.070$0.37
3Life Extension Optimized Ashwagandha (Sensoril)Capsule8.640$0.25
4Nutricost KSM-66 Ashwagandha 600 mgCapsule8.520$0.23Best value
5Jarrow Formulas KSM-66 Ashwagandha 300 mgCapsule8.340$0.60
6Pure Encapsulations Ashwagandha 500 mgCapsule8.040$0.93
7NOW Foods Ashwagandha 450 mgCapsule7.620$0.30Under-dosed
8Himalaya Organic AshwagandhaCaplet7.420$0.66Under-dosed
9Solaray Ashwagandha 470 mgCapsule7.020$1.15Under-dosed
10Nature's Bounty Ashwagandha 1000 mgCapsule6.50$0.30Under-dosed

Methodology. SAC Product Score™ blends our editorial rating (RCT quality, dose, safety, value) 50/50 with community ratings. Transparency Index™ (0-100) = third-party certification (0-50) + public batch COA (0-30) + dose honesty (0-20). Cost-Per-Effective-Dose™ is the real price of one clinical dose, not one marketed "serving". Free to cite with attribution to Super Achiever.

Bottom line: which ashwagandha to actually buy

The table above sorts every product by raw SAC Product Score™, so the highest-strength extract (Toniiq UHP, 9.2) sits on top. But the best decisionfor most people isn't the biggest number — it's the exact dose the trials used, at a fair price. Here is how we'd actually choose:

  • Best overall — Double Wood KSM-66 600 mg (9.0).The precise Wankhede 2015 / Lopresti 2019 trial dose, real Ixoreal KSM-66 patent, a public per-batch COA, at ~$0.37 a day. This is what we'd put in most people's hands.
  • Best premium — Toniiq UHP (9.2).The top raw score and 10% withanolides — genuinely more standardised extract per capsule, but well above the studied dose, so you're paying for a ceiling most people don't need.
  • Best budget — Nutricost KSM-66 600 mg (8.4). Same trial dose and patent, cheapest per clinical dose (~$0.23); it loses only on the lack of a public COA.
  • Straight from us — Super Achiever Ashwagandha (1300 mg + piperine). Our own high-dose root formula, shown clearly labelled at the top of the table and scored on the same 50/50 criteria — an honest root + black-pepper option, not a trademarked extract.
See the full ranked comparison, with prices & buy links →

The data — free to share & cite

The effects with the strongest evidence, by the numbers. For the full breakdown see ashwagandha benefits and side effects.

Extracts compared

ExtractThe pick?What the evidence saysSource
KSM-66 (root only)DefaultMost trial weight — stress, strength, testosterone, cognition. ~5% withanolides, negligible withaferin A. The default.[15]
Sensoril (root + leaf)SituationalHigher withanolide concentration (~10%), lower dose (125–250 mg), more sedating — positioned for stress + sleep. Foundational Auddy study is not PubMed-indexed.[8]
Generic "root powder"SkipUnstandardised — withanolide content varies widely and is often low. Not what the RCTs measured.[13]

Myths vs. facts

The mythWhat the evidence showsSource
Ashwagandha boosts testosterone like a steroid The rise is real but indirect and modest (+14.7% in aging men; +96 vs +18 ng/dL with training) — it is downstream of the cortisol drop, not direct hormone stimulation, and it won't close a clinical deficiency.[3,4]
It destroys your liver Clinically apparent liver injury is rare and idiosyncratic; a 12-month observational study kept ALT/AST stable, and the severe cases clustered in people with pre-existing chronic liver disease.[15,16,17]
It's an abortifacient — definitely unsafe in pregnancy The abortifacient claim is a traditional one that primary evidence doesn't support (animal developmental data are reassuring). Still avoid it in pregnancy — as a precaution, because human safety data are absent.[19,20]
It's just Ayurvedic placebo 12+ placebo-controlled RCTs and multiple meta-analyses show real, reproducible effects on cortisol, sleep, and testosterone.[6,8]
You feel it instantly, like a sedative It is not benzodiazepine sedation. Sleep shifts first (2–3 weeks); stress, cortisol and testosterone changes build over 4–12 weeks.[9,1]
It works the same for everyone The biochemical cortisol drop is robust, but the pooled effect on subjective stress isn't always significant — the biggest responders are chronically stressed people with high baseline cortisol.[7,1]
More withanolides is always better Higher-concentration leaf-inclusive extracts carry more of the cytotoxic withanolides (withaferin A); the most-studied strength/testosterone extract (KSM-66) is deliberately standardised to negligible withaferin A.[15]

Go deeper

Ashwagandha benefits
Cortisol, stress, sleep, testosterone & strength — what it actually does, by the numbers.
See the benefits →
Ashwagandha side effects
Liver, thyroid, pregnancy — the honest safety picture, sourced.
See the safety →
Best ashwagandha, ranked
Our tested KSM-66 & Sensoril picks by quality, standardisation & cost.
See the ranking →
Complete ashwagandha guide
The full encyclopedic hub — what it is, how to use it, who it's for.
Read the guide →
✦ Not sure what's right for you?
Answer a few questions and the Super Achiever AI Coach builds your personalized protocol — dose, timing, and the right product for your goal.
Ask the AI Coach →

Frequently asked questions

Does ashwagandha actually lower cortisol?

Yes — this is its most-replicated effect. The cornerstone trial (Chandrasekhar 2012, KSM-66 600 mg/day for 60 days) reduced serum cortisol by 27.9% vs 7.9% on placebo, and a 2024 meta-analysis pooled a mean reduction of about 2.58 µg/dL across 9 trials. The biochemical drop is more consistent than the effect on how stressed people say they feel.

How much does ashwagandha raise testosterone?

Modestly, and indirectly. In aging, overweight men it raised testosterone about 14.7% over placebo; combined with resistance training in younger men it added roughly 96 ng/dL vs 18 on placebo. The mechanism is cortisol-down → recovery-up, not direct hormone stimulation — so it helps most where testosterone is suppressed by chronic stress, and it will not fix a diagnosed deficiency.

Is ashwagandha bad for your liver?

For most people, no — a 12-month observational study in 191 adults kept ALT and AST stable inside the normal range. But there are rare, idiosyncratic cases of ashwagandha-associated liver injury in the literature (typically appearing 2–12 weeks after starting, usually reversible within 1–5 months of stopping). The severe and fatal cases occurred mostly in people with pre-existing chronic liver disease. Stop and see a doctor if you develop jaundice, dark urine, or itching, and avoid it if you have liver disease.

How much ashwagandha should I take, and which extract?

The most-studied dose is 600 mg/day of a standardised root extract (usually 300 mg twice daily), taken with food to reduce mild stomach upset. Buy a standardised extract — KSM-66 (root-only, ~5% withanolides) has the most trial weight; Sensoril (root + leaf, ~10% withanolides) is more concentrated and sedating at lower doses. Plain unstandardised root powder is not what the trials measured.

How long until ashwagandha works?

Sleep quality usually improves first, within 2–3 weeks. Perceived stress and the wired-but-tired pattern ease over 3–6 weeks. Testosterone and other bloodwork changes take 8–12 weeks. It is not a same-day sedative — the effect builds as the HPA axis recalibrates.

Who should not take ashwagandha?

Avoid it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding (human safety data are absent), take thyroid medication or have hyperthyroidism (it can raise T3/T4 and lower TSH), have an autoimmune condition (it is mildly immunostimulating), have chronic liver disease, or take sedatives/benzodiazepines/alcohol (additive CNS depression via a GABA-ergic mechanism). Stop it about two weeks before surgery.

Does ashwagandha help sleep?

Yes. A 5-trial meta-analysis found reliable improvements in sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and how fast you fall asleep (onset latency effect size −0.53, i.e. about 12.6 minutes faster in one trial). The effect is largest at ≥600 mg/day taken for 8 weeks or more.

Does ashwagandha affect the thyroid?

It can. In subclinical hypothyroid patients it significantly raised T3 and T4 and lowered TSH — beneficial there, but a real reason for caution if you take thyroid medication or have an overactive thyroid, because the effect is additive. In people with normal thyroid function, controlled trials show no meaningful thyroid change.

Sources

Every research figure links to one of these. All PMIDs were verified to resolve to the correct paper on PubMed.

  1. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255–262. PMID 23439798
  2. 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 (Baltimore). 2019;98(37):e17186. PMID 31517876
  3. 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. Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(2):1557988319835985. PMID 30854916
  4. 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. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:43. PMID 26609282
  5. Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D. Adaptogenic and anxiolytic effects of ashwagandha root extract in healthy adults: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study. Cureus. 2019;11(12):e6466. PMID 32021735
  6. Arumugam V, et al. Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on stress and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Explore (NY). 2024;20(6):103062. PMID 39348746
  7. Albalawi AA, et al. Dual impact of Ashwagandha: significant cortisol reduction but no effects on perceived stress — a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Health. 2025. PMID 40746175
  8. Cheah KL, Norhayati MN, Husniati Yaacob L, Abdul Rahman R. Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2021;16(9):e0257843. PMID 34559859
  9. Langade D, Kanchi S, Salve J, Debnath K, Ambegaokar D. Efficacy and safety of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract in insomnia and anxiety: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Cureus. 2019;11(9):e5797. PMID 31728244
  10. Choudhary B, Shetty A, Langade DG. Efficacy of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. Ayu. 2015;36(1):63–68. PMID 26730141
  11. Choudhary D, Bhattacharyya S, Bose S. Efficacy and safety of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) root extract in improving memory and cognitive functions. J Diet Suppl. 2017;14(6):599–612. PMID 28471731
  12. Akhgarjand C, et al. Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2022;36(11):4115–4124. PMID 36017529
  13. Tandon N, Yadav SS. Safety and clinical effectiveness of Withania somnifera (Linn.) Dunal root in human ailments. J Ethnopharmacol. 2020;255:112768. PMID 32201301
  14. Verma N, et al. Safety of ashwagandha root extract: a randomized, placebo-controlled, study in healthy volunteers. Complement Ther Med. 2021;57:102642. PMID 33338583
  15. Salve J, Langade D, et al. Safety of 12-months administration of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract: an observational study. Phytother Res. 2025. PMID 41063394
  16. Björnsson HK, Björnsson ES, Avula B, et al. Ashwagandha-induced liver injury: a case series from Iceland and the US Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network. Liver Int. 2020;40(4):825–829. PMID 31991029
  17. Philips CA, et al. Ashwagandha-induced liver injury — a case series from India and literature review. Hepatol Commun. 2023;7(10):e0270. PMID 37756041
  18. Sharma AK, Basu I, Singh S. Efficacy and safety of ashwagandha root extract in subclinical hypothyroid patients: a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(3):243–248. PMID 28829155
  19. Tallon MJ, et al. A systematic and ethnobotanical review of ashwagandha's (Withania somnifera) reproductive and pregnancy safety. Phytother Res. 2025. PMID 40887707
  20. Prabu PC, Panchapakesan S. Prenatal developmental toxicity evaluation of Withania somnifera root extract in Wistar rats. Drug Chem Toxicol. 2015;38(1):50–56. PMID 24649920
  21. Ashwagandha. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2023. Reference
  22. Mehta AK, Binkley P, Gandhi SS, Ticku MK. Pharmacological effects of Withania somnifera root extract on GABAA receptor complex. Indian J Med Res. 1991;94:312–315. PMID 1660034
  23. Bani S, et al. Selective Th1 up-regulating activity of Withania somnifera aqueous extract in an experimental system using flow cytometry. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006;107(1):107–115. PMID 16603328
  24. Durg S, Shivaram SB, Bavage S. Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: an evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytomedicine. 2018;50:247–256. PMID 30466985
  25. Ambiye VR, et al. Clinical evaluation of the spermatogenic activity of the root extract of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in oligospermic males: a pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:571420. PMID 24371462
  26. Mahdi AA, et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality in stress-related male fertility. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:576962. PMID 19789214
  27. Durg S, et al. Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific evidence from experimental research to clinical application. Phytother Res. 2020;34(5):1041–1059. PMID 31975514
  28. Ballesteros-Torres JM, et al. Impact of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L.) supplementation on serum lipids and glucose: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2025. PMID 41204297
  29. Tharakan A, et al. Immunomodulatory effect of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) extract — a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Med. 2021;10(16):3644. PMID 34441940
  30. Ashwagandha. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institutes of Health. Reference

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Super Achiever Club. (2026). Ashwagandha Statistics & Facts 2026: The Complete Data Report. Retrieved from https://super-achiever.com/ashwagandha-statistics
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<a href="https://super-achiever.com/ashwagandha-statistics"><img src="https://super-achiever.com/charts/ashwagandha/cost-per-dose.svg" alt="Ashwagandha cost per clinical 600 mg dose across products — Super Achiever Club" width="540" loading="lazy"></a> <p><a href="https://super-achiever.com/ashwagandha-statistics">Data: Ashwagandha Statistics & Facts 2026: The Complete Data Report — Super Achiever Club</a></p>