Again, no picture this week. I did actually grow this a few years ago (NE Colorado), but didn’t take photos.

Ashwagandha is a relative of tomatoes and tomatillos and looks a lot like a tomatillo plant. If I remember correctly, the fruits even have the little paper-like coverings like them. The thing to take away from this is if you are allergic to the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant), ashwagandha might be problematic for you.

I see Withania somnifera placed in all kinds of products – supplements, drinks, gummies – and yet if you ask someone how it works or what it does, they can’t always articulate that well. I’m not sure I can either.

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen. Very (very) simply, adaptogens help you adapt. They help you keep proper balance, conserve energy, and cope with stress (physical and emotional). In some ways, ashwagandha’s properties are oxymoronic – it helps with energy and sleep, it elevates mood while calming it, and it tones (tightens) while lowering blood pressure. It should not be used while pregnant but can be helpful with chronic inflammation, immunosuppression due to chemotherapy, and cognitive deficits related to aging.

I have found it helpful and it is part of an energy adaptogen blend I make, but only for short amounts of time. Herbs are great, but for the most part, are not really meant to be taken long term.

If you are struggling with energy (and don’t we all want more), herbs like ashwagandha can be helpful in the short term, but for long term resolution, you need to look at lifestyle. Are you getting enough sleep? What is your diet like? How are you dealing with your stress?

While ashwagandha won’t give you wings like Red Bull, it also won’t raise your heartrate into scary levels. Just like Saint John’s wort, ashwagandha is great in certain conditions for a limited time. Just don’t believe it will do everything the marketer is trying to sell you on.