Ashwagandha has an extensive and revered history within the ancient Ayurveda tradition of medicine as a Rasayana – a life lengthening herb.

It is native to India, particularly in the Utter Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh regions, and can be found growing as a roadside weed.

This common plant was once only available in India, but can now be purchased around the world. It is cultivated in dry regions of Asia, and now also in certain regions of the US including California.

If you want to buy Ashwagandha root extracts or supplements, there are several different forms of this beneficial herb available.

Ashwagandha as an Adaptogen

Ashwagandha belongs to the family of adaptogens.

These are herbs which are known to have several properties beneficial to health.

To be a true adaptogen, a herb should comply in three distinct areas:

It must be non-toxic.

It should produce a non-specific response in resisting stressors.

It should have a normalizing or balancing influence in respect of physiology.

Research shows that Ashwagandha meets all of these criteria. Its reputation as an adaptogen, although only recently exported in the wider world, has long since been appreciated in India.

How Can I Buy Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is now easily obtainable in many different forms. In most countries it can be purchased in any reputable herbalist or health store. As an alternative it is widely available on-line where it tends to be more competitively priced.

This versatile herb is produced in a variety of compounds ranging from tablets to tinctures and tea-bags. It can also be bought as a syrup, tonic, or capsules. In many countries Ashwagandha can also be purchased as a live plant from commercial growers or in seed form from gardening suppliers.

Although the herb is best grown in drier, sandy soils, success has been obtained in several countries. However if the conditions are conducive to growing it should be noted that the herb can be self-seeding and could propagate as a weed.

The benefits of growing the whole plant can be measured against buying manufactured compounds depending on intended usage and convenience.

Using Supplements vs. Plant Extracts

A whole plant will provide the grower with fresh Ashwagandha root which has better medicinal properties than roots which have been allowed to age. It also provides the user with leaves which can be used in treating inflammatory ailments when applied to the affected areas.

The leaves are also said to be effective as a general insect repellent. The ripe fruit of the plant, which is a small orange/red bulb, can be utilized in cheese-making as an appropriate alternative to rennet.

However, cultivation of Ashwagandha plants can be time-intensive and requires the right climate. It will take 6 months to harvest a plant. When looking to buy Ashwagandha it is useful to know that the plant can also be known not only by its botanical name of Withania Somnifera but also as Indian Ginseng, (Indian) Winter Cherry or King of Ayurveda.

How Is Ashwagandha Used?

This herb appears to have many uses and positive effects on numerous conditions. Although some research has been undertaken, it is generally accepted that more needs to be done in respect of larger scale studies. These are necessary to confirm suspected beneficial effects and understand the interactions of the chemical components on specific diseases.

The primary use of Ashwagandha as a home remedy in the modern world is in reducing symptoms related to stress. Research studies which have been performed to date support that Ashwagandha has chemical components which will produce beneficial results.

Although stressors exist in respect of physical, environmental, and chemical factors, it is of stress relating to mental or emotional strain which is proven to be positively affected by Ashwagandha. This is achieved by reducing cortisol levels – a stress hormone that is also linked to weight gain.

The supplement is also used in herbal remedies for depression and it shows some benefits as a natural sleep aid. There are numerous other conditions which may be positively affected by Ashwagandha usage.

In addition to the beneficial effects on emotional stress, there are also improvements related to physical stress immunity. The herb is also implicated in beneficial effects on a variety of other conditions which include:

Potential Anti-Cancer Effects

Inflammation

Neurologically degenerative conditions

Diabetes

Infertility

Cholesterol reduction

Wound healing

Osteoporosis

Rheumatism

Ashwagandha in Contemporary Medicine

The practicing of Ayurvedic medicine stems back thousands of years, and during this time the Ashwagandha has been held in high regard. It is one of the most revered herbs in a medical tradition which formulates around the understanding that the body must be in balanced harmony to ward off illness and disease.

Today, the Ashwagandha herb is purchased as an adaptogen to enable consumers to combat more effectively the strains of a fast-moving and dynamic world.

Sales of Ashwagandha in all its forms are consistently rising and consumers are now able to buy the herb in many product. These range from seeds for home production, to buying convenient supplementation in tablets or capsules. This ancient herbal remedy has also succeeded in attracting global scientific attention.

Research is being funded to establish the true extent of how Ashwagandha can contribute to contemporary medicine. Before you buy Ashwagandha online, it is recommended that you speak to your doctor to determine whether this supplement is right for you.

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Article last updated on:by Nootriment