Ashwagandha: Herbal Remedy with Dangerous Repercussions
Ashwagandha is a powerful herb. In this week’s post, I share the hidden dangers of this adaptogenic herb.
What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha, also known as winter cherry, is a powerful herb in Ayurvedic medicine. The herb grows in India, the Middle East, and northern Africa, and like tomatoes and peppers, is a nightshade. Nightshades can cause joint issues or flare up autoimmune symptoms in some individuals. Due to its increasing popularity in the west, it is now also being grown in North America.
Ashwagandha proponents claim this herb can be used to alleviate stress, fatigue, low energy, improve problems with learning and concentration, reduce anxiety, stabilize brain-cell degeneration, lower cholesterol, and reduce inflammation. This popular herb is also being touted as a fantastic immune booster and superfood.
Many people, however, experience negative reactions to ashwagandha. Like all herbs, ashwagandha cannot be recommended without a thorough understanding of how it will react in unique individuals with specific conditions and in specific circumstances.
Side Effects of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is often called “Indian ginseng” because it can be energizing, but botanically speaking, ginseng and Ashwagandha are completely unrelated. I urge you to be careful about buying into any “one size fits all” marketing claims.
Ashwagandha can do a lot of damage to people with abnormal methylation issues and copper toxicity. The overall long-term safety of ashwagandha is also unknown.
Here are some common negative reactions to ashwagandha:
1. Gastrointestinal Issues
Common gastrointestinal side effects of ashwagandha are diarrhea and nausea. Excessive ashwagandha intake can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and can exacerbate a pre-exisiting gut infection.
2. Increased Fatigue
Ashwagandha is touted as a wonderful remedy for adrenal fatigue (or more accurately put, hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis dysfunction (HPA-D). In my clinic, though, I’ve noticed that adrenal fatigue is a secondary concern compared to copper toxicity, undermethylation, pyrrole disorder, zinc deficiency, and systemic oxidative stress. By not addressing the underlying disorder first, ashwagandha can actually intensify any pre-existing symptoms of fatigue.
The first question one should ask is “what’s causing my adrenal fatigue to begin with?“ The answer might be related to a gut infection such as SIBO or yeast overgrowth, or any of the imbalances I mention above.
Excess copper, elevated kryptopyrroles, and undermethylation are classic underlying causes of chronic fatigue and oxidative stress. Copper is especially insidious. It causes an increase in norepinephrine while lowering dopamine, which puts stress on the adrenal glands, thus impairing hormone activity and increasing fatigue.
3. Depression
Part of the hype around ashwagandha involves its supposed mood-elevating properties, yet ashwagandha may actually contribute to depression. Its Ayurvedic properties include building, stabilizing, and the lowering of “qi” so anyone who already experiences low energy, lack of motivation, mental fog, or occasional depressive states should be wary.
Ashwagandha can also cause blood sugar levels to drop rapidly. Low blood sugar results in physical weakness, mental dullness, and confusion, which are all symptoms known to increase the likelihood of depression.
4. Insomnia
Because it’s been known to elevate heart rate, ashwagandha can increase insomniac tendencies. Additional side effects of ashwagandha are headaches and gastrointestinal distress, which can also prevent restful sleep.
5. Anxiety
The Ayurvedic energy of ashwagandha is “heating,” meaning it tends to increase inflammation as well as “hot” emotions such as irritation and frustration — both of which contribute to anxiety.
As mentioned above, ashwagandha can cause a rapid drop in blood sugar levels, and low blood sugar symptoms can both mirror and increase the intensity of anxiety. An increased heart rate, racing mind, shakiness, irritability, and panic are all symptoms that can intensify due to low blood sugar.
6. Disruption of Hormones
Proponents of ashwagandha don’t understand the connection between copper overload, methylation cycles, and adrenal fatigue, and ashwagandha’s role in hormonal disruption.
Hormone production requires a feedback mechanism, which is why we look at the methylation cycle instead of simply measuring hormone levels. If the methylation cycle is imbalanced, resulting disorders can disrupt the hormones, neurotransmitters, and feedback mechanisms that drive hormone production — especially those produced by the adrenal glands.
Hormone therapy, glandulars (such as desiccated glandular supplements), and/or herbal remedies may be problematic for you and may create adverse symptoms that can impair your progress and increase adrenal issues, especially if you have a methylation disorder, copper toxicity, and/or a gut infection.
This is because most adrenal supplements contain copper-carrying and stimulatory ingredients (such as organs and glands, and adaptogenic herbs) that can be detrimental and lead to adverse reactions. This is why I always test copper and methylation along with hormone testing that includes cortisol patterns and sex hormone cycling.
Have You Had a Bad Reaction to Ashwagandha?
If you’ve had a negative experience with ashwagandha, I’d love to hear your story in the comments below. If taking this herb made you feel worse instead of better, please know that you are not alone. To date, no studies have been done to verify the adverse events associated with ashwagandha, especially in individuals with copper toxicity, methylation imbalances, and gut infections. This article is the result of clinical study and application with this powerful adaptogenic herb.
Nutrition Counseling To Help You Thrive
To address oxidative stress, I aim to identify and address the root biochemical cause of your symptoms.
I offer a free 1:1 consultation to help you disconnect from the hype and the marketing jargon, and address the true source(s) of your discomfort. It’s time for your healing journey to truly begin.
I started ashwagandha a few days ago. Took maybe 5×300 mg yesterday. Result: BP went up to 160 yesterday and I felt really uncomfortable. (On top of this I had started a slightly wrong type of beta blocker around the same time. But I got my regular one today which is more long lasting. The drug was the same tho.) Today bp was fine. But I felt so hot I had to strip myself to very little clothing. It took me a couple of hours to cool down. I feel too much of the ashwagandha put my system in overdrive, like hyperthyroid. Maybe cortisol was high, too. My mind was working at a crazy speed like the birds in Gyro Gearloose’s thinking cap. Like in a bit of a manic state.
I don’t know whom ashwagandha benefits. I was told it could help you go back to sleep if you wake up during the night. So I took one or two around 4 am. But they didn’t help me sleep. I was awake till getting up.
I feel my system is calming down now. I’d better not take another pill before I’m back to normal.
When taking just one a day I didn’t feel much difference. But will try again taking one after a few days. I do think it helped with anxiety at first. Maybe.
I bought the 2100mg supplement off Amazon (big mistake) thinking I was going to casually enjoy being relaxed and calmer after hearing so many people swear by this plant as a general supplement. Within 2 days of my first dose I was experiencing crippling anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, IBS flare ups, fatigue, loss of appetite, adrenal fatigue, and depression. I didn’t pin my symptoms down to the ashwagandha for a week in which I had been using it on and off including one night I actually took 2800mg hoping it would help with my sudden bout of insomnia. That was my last dose 3 days ago. As of today I am still experiencing all of my symptoms and have slept about 15 total hours in a week and 1/2. I’ve read people who already have hyperthyroidism or are borderline can be pushed into thyrotoxicosis. I am hoping now that I have stopped taking the supplement my symptoms will subside soon and I can return to a normal life without permanent damage. This supplement is extremely dangerous without knowing the conditions of your body and should not be taken without the proper research and help of a physician. I have been a bit of a cowboy over the years when it comes to supplements and trying herbal remedies but I will never again take such a large dose of anything without proper research and trials.
I just used ashwagandha for my first time last night and it kicked in hard. I’ve been fatigue today, and my mind is a little bit foggy. I have a bipolar disorder so my reason for use was to lessen my issues. Now I’m in fear that it will not help in the right ways. I don’t want to be numb, I just want something to balance my emotions out without medicine. Is there any other supplements that you would recommend for me? (or others who have similar issues)
I have been taking 1000mg of ashwaganda for only 6 days. I started taking the gummie with other supplements (multivitamin and thermogenic).
Usually I take after eating, but today I took the vitamin regiment on an empty stomach…an hour later I came down with what seemed like a full blown panic attack (which I am still not ruling out). As I type this comment, which is almost two hours
(liquid iv, milk and a protein bar) later, I am still resting with a somewhat elevated heart rate.
Since taking, I have also noticed blood in my stool. I don’t know if the dosage is too high but those gummies are going in the trash.
Hi there!!
Yes finally there is some light on the Herb , I have a severe reaction violent, vomiting, Diarrhea foaming through my nose up ALL night long anytime I touch any amount of the stuff I become ill, I’ve been to the E.R twice once the herb caused me to pass out and I split my face open and went to the ER the only thing that I felt before the pass out were severe cramps and then horrendous diarrhea. There’s something in there that just Does Not mix with my body chemistry , my latest episode that landed me in the ER was my strongest physical reaction yet( it was in some natural nighttime sleep aid) two days later I still can’t eat and I have no energy and still have low blood pressure.
I know I have methylation issus but didn’t know they were contraindicated for ashwagandha. 5 days on this herb and my brain fog is back, I haven’t had it for 5 years. Also, mood wise I feel like I normally feel one day before my period – irritable and sad for no reason. The fatigue is worst I’ve had in 10 years too. I’m glad I found your article, I though the side effects were all in my head.
Hi, thanks for the support you are giving here regarding this herb.
I only took it for a week as it said it’d help with my menopause.
Within 3 days I developed cysts on my hair, under the hair, some quite big, and began my ear.
Nowhere else.
My breast were very swollen and hurt, and I began to develop a dull period pain on one side.
I had 1 small cyst on my scalp which developed when I was in my 30’s.
My grandmother had them too.
I’m 56 now, and this is the first time in my life that I’ve had them all develop in a matter of days.
I know it’s the herb. It was in a capsule form. Quite a high dose.
I’m going to the pharmacy tomorrow, get some advice, and see if it’s worth seeing a doctor.
1 is the size of a walnut.
Beware ladies please!
Where is the proof of your assertions, please?
I clearly stated at the end of the article “To date, no studies have been done to verify the adverse events associated with ashwagandha, especially in individuals with copper toxicity, methylation imbalances, and gut infections. This article is the result of clinical study and application with this powerful adaptogenic herb.”
Furthermore, the “proof” is in the over 700 comments to this article from people all over the world that have had a negative reaction to ashwagandha. Additionally, there are studies showing negative impacts to the liver.
I took 2 of the Blackmores ashwagandha+ today as my friend suggested it to me for my anxiety and depression and 2 hours later my arms have been very itchy and red is this one of the side affect
Can anyone please tell me How long does it take to leave the body completely?
I wish there was a one-size-fits-all answer but since everyone’s chemistry and gut microbiome are different, that is difficult to answer.
I take the gummies 300 mg.
I have had no bad reaction I take for anxiety and sleep.
I began a nighttime supplement with my son and daughter that was included in a product bundle called Tru Height. I started with half the dose recommended to see what the effects would be. The supplement , when taking 2, is made of 1mg of melatonin and 75mg of ashwagandha. So they were taking 1/2 of that. Within 3 nights my son was experiencing waking dreams with hallucinations, upset stomach, and symptoms of a cold, a fever. We took him off of the supplement immediately. He also has adhd and is on a low dose stimulant everyday. I’m not sure the contraindications of taking this supplement with a stimulant, however our experience was not good.
felt dizziness as I go for a walk
I started taking ashwagandha 6 months ago due to the anxiety induced from dealing with several serious life issues simultaneously. I’d bought the 1300 MG capsule version, and have been taking 2 capsules a day since. Instead of my anxiety easing, it got markedly worse, elevating into severe panic attacks that have been almost continuous. I also developed nausea and daily diarrhea, along with insomnia (many nights with 1 to 2 hrs sleep), uncomfortable constant sweating, very low energy, confusion and brain fog.
After just learning about the potential negative effects of ashwagandha, I discontinued use of this supplement. Within just a few days, almost all the symptoms resolved to a large extent. While this may be a beneficial supplement for many people, I feel it is critical that people thinking about trying ashwagandha to be fully educated beforehand.
Hi there
I’ve been taking ashwaghanda 30 or so days and been experiencing headaches and feeling sick last few days I do get anxious so experience dizziness sometimes ( but I have a left hearing issue as loss due to virus in my inner ear) with this in mind, I seem to be waking up more? Hot sweating too I was wondering if I should drop from 500 mg to 250 mg see how I feel?
March 8,2023- fasted for 20 hours. Wanted to drink a tea called “Yogi elderberry lemon balm Immune system + stress with ashwagandgha.” After an hour my back started to itch. I thought I had a bug bit me, then noticed my arms started having red dots. After 2-5 hours. My whole body is breaking out in hives. I was ruling out what it could be in the ingredient of the tea and then found this website, I did not consume any capsules or powder. All I did was drink tea with that had that ingredient and here I am with rush all over my body. I even feel so tired, made me feel like my mind is just foggy. I had to make sure I write my story before I don’t. Be careful with this ingredient!
Interesting, I’ve been taking the Forest Super Foods Ashwagandha Root with no other ingredients 2gm BD for GAD, insomnia, stress. I’ve been getting progressively worse. The frustration and anxiety at work unbelievable. The increase in fatigue, falling asleep midsentance and nodding off behind the wheel noted. Gastric upset, nausea and diarrhoea and headaches really becoming impactful on my daily life. I’ve had increasing neuropathy of feet and lower limb odema. Only getting 2 if lucky 3hrs sleep. Only other supplements taken Reishi and Lions Mane. I became so distressed insisted on getting my bloods taken because my whole body feels very wrong and I feel ‘quite sick’. All bloods WNL but only just except WCC and FBC. What came back as astounding was my B6 level was 1300nmol/L (should be less than 160). I’ve been referred to a Professor Practioner for followup. To say I feel bad is an understatement. I’ve stopped immediately taking Ashwagandha and hope the healing might start. I wasn’t well before, hence taking this herb. But I’m seriously unwell now. Be wary of this herb.
Yes I had a horrible reaction . I was so depressed I didn’t want to get out of bed . I was having suicidal thoughts. I had extreme anxiety and insomnia . It was awful!! I had nightmares. I tried it for a couple weeks and stopped then decided to try it again 2 months later and the same thing happened. I was nauseous. I didn’t notice anything positive from it.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Karen. Herbs are powerful and must be taken with caution.
I’ve just taken a supplement for 3 days and I couldn’t sit still even though my skin and stomach felt on fire and my stress levels were ridiculously high.
Today I’ve not taken any and I am slowly calming down, though still feel unwell, hot, burning stomach, tingly hands and sore muscles. I thought I may have a virus but the anxiety made me really worried. Now I’ve read all the comments I am sure it’s the supplement.
Bought a bottle of the herb took it everyday until it was empty. I also smoked marijuana every day while taking herb Shortly after stopping the conception of the herb, I fell into a deep depression, which lasted about two months couldn’t figure out why I was so depressed. I’m not usually a depressed person but after doing some research and reading this article, I understand. I also know that if I’m going to be smoking, I shouldn’t be taking that specific herb the two put together just brings me way too low.
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Desirea. Cannabis also comes with a lot of side-effects. Click here to learn more.
Hi I often took Ashwaghanda gummies when feeling anxious and they calmed me but recently when I took 1 brand of a gummy with 5htp mixed plus two more of another brand- it made me super sleepy – I went to sleep and woke up with intense itchy joints/fingers on my hands. This alerted me to potential liver damages- so I got up and took activated charcoal and drank a lot of water to cleanse the toxins. The itching eventually went away the more water I drank and now I respect the dosage – you are not supposed to overdo ashwaghanda. I’m gonna take care of my body more and drink more water and les caffeine and I’m healing myself right now and will make a tumeric ginger tea shortly. Tumeric is supposed to be good for the liver 🙂
Took Nootropics Ashwagandha 300mg once a day (at night) for about 3 weeks total, for anxiety/stress on advice from a naturopath doc I was referred to. Only other thing I take is a multivitamin and Vit D supp. Otherwise very healthy by all metrics (except anxiety lol).
Intestinal cramping first day, got a little better by 3rd day but bloating feeling never left (gas). Headaches. Eye pain.
Started feeling anxious in a different way than what I had felt, almost like paranoia. By end of first week extremities felt freezing cold, big dark bags under eyes, rapid heart rate with extreme palpitations, breathless just walking around block.
Then the massive mood swings kicked in. Holy moly. Scary. Called doc, she said ride it out, it’s “normal”. Lol
Everything got worse. Vomiting. Worse headaches. Fragmented thoughts. Self harm thoughts. People said I changed. Spooky.
Couldn’t stand it anymore and stopped, within 3 days I was completely fine.
Called my GP, he said he’s had about a dozen cases of this in past year and asked for the bottle to send to a lab for testing.
Heart pain and itching and rash. Was taking it for around a year, seems to slowly got worse n worse.
I am 67 years old with heart disease. I saw that ashwsganda was in relaxium so I bought it and took with melatonin not realizing I was taking 4.8 times more than the amount in relaxium. Terrible night. Woke up flushed with heart racing, nausea.
Finally was able to go back to sleep which is what I wanted anyway.
I’ve been taking ashwagandha for around 3-4 weeks now. I started taking it to assist with a high stress job that increased my cortisol and over worked my adrenal glands on a daily basis.
Today I woke up feeling extremely dizzy and light headed in the morning. When I immediately woke up the room was spinning from the moment I opened my eyes. It may be a symptom from taking ashwagandha. I have noticed that I have felt slightly more flat and less energetic than normal since taking the supplement. I have no issues sleeping and tend to over sleep majority of the time before taking the supplement. Due to excessive sleep, I do believe ashwagandha might not be the best choice for myself
Great post. I’ve heard Ashwagandha can cause cortisol drop. I’m on it and lately I’ve been feeling a bit blunt – like I don’t care too much. Still, is better than the anxiety I used to feel. I sleep better as well, maybe too good. I find it difficult to get out of bed sometimes. After reading the comments, I supose is not for everyone.
I took one capsule and I felt really weird and not like myself. The next morning I felt really weak dizzy and nauseous like I had low blood sugar. Felt like I had a yucky mental hangover for two days.
I took lowest dosa of ashwagandha for 3 weeks. I felt good in terms of energy and stamina. I was able to exercise well. But it didn’t suit my stomach and I felt really cold in my extremities at night. It took me a while to understand that cold hand and feet could be the side effects of ashwagandha may be due to lowering BP effect.
Still I continued taking it since I was feeling good in general. Then I had to stop it gradually due to these side effects.
Now I don’t take it but it had made the nerves of my lower limbs weak. My foot muscles ache all the time and have developed weird tingling and pain in my foot and lower limbs. Feels like my nerves are damaged.
It’s already six months but my symptoms have not improved . Saw a doctor who gave me neproxin painkiller.
I feel helpless. It has affected my daily routine. Can’t walk much and I feel nerve pain in the limbs.
I just started taking the powder form, I think I was taking more than the recommended 1tsp (6 gram) dose and this caused stomach pain and diarrhea typically within 30 min to 1 hour of taking it. I lowered the dose quite significantly and still I have diarrhea right after taking. I think I should just stop taking it all together.
I started taking ashwagand about 3 weeks ago I was thinking maybe it would help me level out I thought I might have been pilot bipolar you know having energy one minute and being really tired the next and all it did was make me really mean to people eating all day long could not sleep at all very agitated couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me I really really was feeling bad about myself really bad about myself thinking why am I so mean what is wrong with me why can’t I control this I sat here and prayed for a minute and it dawned on me so I looked up ashwagandha to see if it could have a backfiring result I take a lot of supplements I’m 69 I’m only on one medication that’s prevent Grandma seizures I don’t take any other medicines the rest of it’s all for my brain vitamin C vitamin D vitamin B12 a lot of fish oil just anything that’ll that’ll calcium of course for my bones but I don’t take anything else and I took it to lay down and it helped me sleep the first few times then I noticed I was tossing and turning I couldn’t get comfortable and worst of all it was making me act really mean to people and get really irritated for no reason I was really coming down hard on myself when I was praying and it dawned on me what was I doing different I went flushed it down the toilet
Ashwagandha causes sexual dysfunction too. Been suffering for a 1 year now.
I have IBS and would like to know if this will make my symptoms worse
I am so thankful that I found this article, and I will now longer be taking my current supplement to help with my menopause.
I have been in and out of the doctors for the last 2 months, and have now just clicked this may be the answer I only hope so. With the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, tired, bloated, and now my concentration has gone to hell with nausea and visit to the toilet ruling my life.
No more………. I surprised more by the fact that so called health companies don’t have bigger warnings or regulations around drugs that can potential damage your organs and land you in hospital.
I have sent all information to my doctor and can only hope my symptoms improve morning forward. As I’m booked in for a Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy first week in March.
I’ve tried it twice now (added the powder to my smoothie), and gotten violently sick. Like coming out of both ends within two to three hours of taking it. I’ve done the same smoothie for years now, and saw the powder at my local health store. I decided to try it and added about a fourth of a tsp. I’m shocked at how sick I’ve been.
I started taking Ashwagandha for anxiety and thought it was helping but noticed that I was getting an upset tummy so stopped taking it. One day when my anxiety was really bad I took it before bed and it literally kept me glued to the bathroom for hours. Then a few weeks later I took one after being constipated for a few days and it was an awful experience I couldn’t do anything all day and left me very weak and dehydrated. Nausea and diarrhoea like you wouldn’t believe. Never again these things are going in the bin!
So I’ve been taking this now for about a week and at first I thought it was just menopause but I quit taking it two days in a row and the symptoms went away which were my face is all like prickly tingly my throat where my Adam’s apple is at feels like I have a hand around it like somebody’s choking me and my inside of my head feels all tingly so I’m like I googled the symptoms about that and this popped up so my well maybe this has to do with the supplement I don’t know just putting it out there
I purchased Neuriva Sleep Support Ashwagandha and took 1 pill nightly for 30 days without any issue. I purchased a second bottle and each pill made me deathly ill (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea). It took me a few weeks to figure out what was causing the problem since I stopped taking all supplements each time and initially thought I had food poisoning. I reintroduced foods, medications and supplements one at a time and determined it was definitely the ashwagandha.
I am going through a terrible ashwaghanda withdrawal. I was taking it not knowing what it did and it was being touted as a testosterone booster/weight loss product that I bought at Costco called Weider Prime Testosterone support. I took it for one month and stopped taking it and have had the worst reaction. Extreme anxiety, insomnia, rapid heart beat, depression, no motivation. It’s been almost a month of not taking it and I still can’t sleep. I can’t believe they can sell this product with no worrying label saying there’s a dependency issue with taking it. I advice everyone to stay far away from it it’s made life miserable.
I bought Ashwagandha for a holistic approach for anxiety and stress less, but I recently felt an increase of anxiety to the point it was not normal and I couldn’t figure it out until I started to research Ashwagandha. My heart increased and I felt uneasy, like jittery. I was easily overwhelmed, angry, loud noises were too much, and at work I asked my colleague to announce themselves before she approached me as I didn’t want to be surprised while I was in the middle of a task. I told her something is wrong and new, I don’t normally feel so uneasy. I watched a movie and kept crying so I was more emotional which was uncommon esp. the movie wasn’t sad. I’ve not taken it for a day and hoping my symptoms will disappear.
I may be the one that Ashwagandha causes negative effects.
I took the herb and it led to me crying for no reason everyday, the final straw i had a panic attack in my kitchen and i couldn’t breathe and i was shaking uncontrollably. Ive never had a panic attack before and it came again out of nowhere. I know it was this herb because i wasn’t taking anything else at the time. It made me so depressed.
How about L-theanine? It helps me but seems I should take less than my doc says to
36M. I started using Ash a little bit more than one month ago, and took it for 4 weeks. At first it was great, and felt much relaxed, taking KSM66 600mg or 300mg a day, then I started to lose weights, more anxiety, more panic attacks, more health anxiety, waking up a night, messed memory… So started to take more one day up to 1200mg… After understanding that Ash was causing me these problems I stopped and had very bad withdrawal symptoms for two weeks–insomnia-not sleeping at all, panic attacks the worst ones I have ever had, reflux, gastritis, extreme blood pressure, diarrhea, dizziness, heart palpitations going to 130 just moving, erectile dysfuntion, anhedonia, aphantasia, neck pain, ear pressure… After 6 weeks, most symptoms are gone or better but I still have night sweats and anxiety.
I took Ashwagandha in Cortisol Manager for about 10 days. The first couple nights, I slept like a rock! And then came severe insomnia, waking me up between 12-2a. Some mornings I just got up. I’ve been dealing with this for awhile due to perimenopause, but this felt different. So I decided this supplement had to be the issue. I talked to some friends who said it can have a stimulant effect on some people, especially combined with L Theanine, so I decided to take it in the mornings instead. It still kept me up! And the gas and bloating are something I just read in these comments and realize also affected me. These are going in the trash. Not for me. I wish there was even more research on it. Fascinating how it works so well for some people and can mess up the rest of us!
34F. I started taking Ash about 6 weeks ago. My bf has been taking it for years and would occasionally give me one of his tablets. For the first 4 weeks, I felt great. My brain felt more focussed, I was sleeping better. My anxiety levels went down. I was taking 600mg twice a day. About 2 weeks ago, I started noticing that I was experiencing cold tingling down my arms, was more irritable, and crying a lot. 1 week ago, I’ve started feeling severely depressed, not sleeping, irritable. 4 days ago, the nausea, rapid heart beat, and shortness of breath started. As of last night, I burst into tears, feel paranoid, depressed, and anxious.
I never put it together until last night.
Have taken Ashwaganda for ca 1 month. Felt it helped somewhat with irritation/anger from menopause. In short time i had stomach pains like the whole gut was inflamed. It passed after one day. A few weeks later i got really sick and ended up in hospital which diagnosed appendicitis. After operation and one week recovery still some stomach pain/inflammation which seems weird for a straightforward appendicitis. Very tired with liquid diarrhea. Not going near Ashwaganda again!
I took ashwangda for 2 months I felt slight nausea and had slight diarrhoea, but I did not connect it to ashwangda. Thought it was stress.
I took two week break as advised! and then continued that’s when it was hell.
I took one tablet! Within 2 hrs I was so violently ill for 12 hours being sick and incontinent with diarrhoea I had the shakes and was frezzing I thought I was going to die as I could not stop being sick it was so bad for days my ribs hurt .
I still however, did not connect it to the tablet.Thinking it was food poisoning! I went to the doctors they did blood test. It showed that I had low liver function low kidney function, and my thyroid was slightly high, whereas I’ve never had problems before.
I did not inform them that I was taking this as I still had not connected this drug to it all.. it was only when I took it again a week later that I became violently ill again the same as before! 14 hours this time and ended in pain for days.
I did not take a high dose as I have looked it up online, but this could be the reason. I am now having a CT coloscopy scan as still in pain. I no longer take this and I have not had another reaction since stopping it. I cannot find anything on the Internet that would describe the amount of pain and sickness and diarrhoea other than taking a high dose which I did not. I will not be taking this anymore. I’m not sure of the damage is done I need more blood to be taken in a months time. I thought this drug would help me, or should I call it a herb for my general anxiety disorder.
I have never had a reaction like this in my life to herb. people need to understand what they are taking and what are the risks are for this because I did not. It’s all over social media saying how amazing it is But there is an awful side to it for some of us.
I have read some comments below and feel NOW not alone in this. How can a herb that is suppose to help be poison for some of us?. I hope my comments help someone.
This article helped me confirm that the ashwagandha in an herbal supplement called Hormone Balance was the root of incredible rage and bouts of hopeless crying. I am NOT a violent or angry person—not emotionally unstable. I did, however, suffer from PMDD—PMS symptoms times one hundred. I started going through “the change” about three months ago. The first dose of this supplement made me feel wonderful, which fooled me into thinking it wasn’t this supplement causing my rage. A few days later I began to get irritable and then BOOOOOOOOM—one day, there it was and it didn’t go away—massive wicked rage that bubbled up. On top of that, the chasteberry caused bloating and gas that could kill a rhino! I just thought I was doomed and that all of my symptoms were part of the perimenopause. I work out regularly and eat organically. I’m against HRT. I have healthy habits. So, realizing there was no way I could live like this, I researched the supplement’s ingredients. Ashwahanda is always promoted as almost a super-herb. I decided to stop taking the supplement to see if it was the cause of my rage. It was. The next day I was fine, and have been. I researched all the ingredients and the ashwagandha is the herb that has reports of anxiety, depression, rage, etc. I’m sticking with maengda kratom in the a.m. and Bali gold kratom in the p.m., red clover, soy isos, evening primrose, black cohosh, and adaptogens with green tea. This combo has been helping me so much in this phase of my life. When I had PMDD, I tried St. John’s Wort and Dong Quai, and those made me crazier. I should have learned not to believe the hype. I hope this helps any women out there starting “the change”. Don’t rely on AZO or ESTROVEN brands either, as they contain titanium dioxide—which is banned in over 45 countries—labeled as a toxic carcinogen, it will do astronomical damage to your body. It’s in TONS of stuff we consume and use in the USA. Read your labels and try to do the best you can to avoid all the poisons in our foods and hygiene products. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!
I have been taking Rheal balance toner for about 3 weeks now as I suffer with very bad period pain. One of the main ingredients is Aswanda. I wish I did more research into it as my migraines are back and I feel so sick.
Hi. So I’m not sure about my experience with ashwagandha …. I started taking it for a week and I had this “ I don’t care feeling “ I don’t know how to explain it but more calm too … However . I got a bad skin rash on my arms, neck body and thighs …and I stopped taking it afterwards …. Now the rash is gone but where the rash was … it’s so dry and wrinkly ☹️I really don’t know ….
I took it yesterday and threw up severely for 4 hours. Then I started getting diraria then hot sweats then cold sweats. I threw up so much I was throwing up bile. Then it turned bloody. I was so dizzy and sick . I only took it one time in my life. Just one pill. Never again. I’m weak todat. Trying to rehydrate
Hi, I read and listened to about the plant well enough before trying it to help me sleep longer/better and after 2,5 weeks I have developed complete insomnia! It’s the 4th night in a row that I cannot fall asleep at all and I never had trouble doing so before, unless I was worried about sth, which is not the case now.
Dangerous stuff! Don’t know if it is the specific brand or generally the plant…
I am also noticing that my skin feels itchy for no reason.
Hi I started ashwaganda w vitamin B complex and notice it doesn’t make me calm
It makes me fatigued, nauseous and possibly lowering my blood sugar . I was surprised to read about these side effects and will stop taking it . Thanks for the article
I started off liking Ashwaghanda and it helped to reverse my borderline type 2 diabetes. However, the longer I’ve been on it the worse my depression has become and I’m now intensely irritable as well. I’m going to have to stop taking it. It’s a shame because I don’t get any other side effects.
I took a supplement containing Ashwaganda for the first time and woke up to vomiting and a very bad case of diarrhea. Horrible experience.
Thank you for having this page!
I am scared and baffled about the hype over Ash (let me shorten it this way) I see online, also among many functional health gurus – totally uncritical, as if it was a miracle cure-all for everyone, no “side effects” to be expected! I find this really unresponsible, seeing, here and elsewhere, that I am really not the only one for whom the effects (not side, they *are* its effects!) of Ash are disastrous.
First time I tried it ca 3 years ago, I got an extremely violent poisoning, spent a night and a day on bathroom floor, vomiting my guts out, everything including bile, and with watery diarrhoea. It was so bad I thought I would die. I am a generally healthy adult, I do not ever get nauseous (except for travel sickness), I take no drugs prescribed or other. And it was not “excessive amounts” of Ash, it was ONE 500 mg capsule by a well respected big supplement company, I never had any problems with their other supplements. I wasn’t initially sure what caused the poisoning; instinctively I avoided taking Ash again, and when I tried it again several months later, the same happened, albeit a bit less severely — nausea, heavy vomiting, diarrhoea a few hours after taking it. So I threw out the rest of the bottle. My body clearly rejects Ash as a toxic substance. NO other substance ever caused me such reaction, it was even much worse than salmonella that I’ve had once in my life. And there is no warning about the possibility among all the hype!
Yesterday I had lunch at a local well reputed fancy restaurant. A few hours later I got nauseous and threw up all the lunch. As nothing but Ash has ever caused me this reaction (and I have no food allergies, lactose or such), I wonder if they also use it in food! Initial search says that indeed Ash powder gets mixed or sprinkled on food; sauces, spices etc.! That’s a really scary prospective, if restaurants have started using it with no warning (they do warn about lactose, gluten, meat, fish etc that I have no problem with!) — meaning I can’t ever eat at a restaurant again! I really think promoting Ash as a cool trendy stuff helping you with stress, improving sleep etc, and downplaying or ignoring the averse reactions that many of us have, is really dangerous and downright criminal. There is an acute need to tame the hype and to make people aware that for some of us, this substance is sheer poison!
Hi , so let me start off by saying I’ve been struggling with getting healthy amount of hours of sleep for sometime. So I ordered Ashwagandha with L-theanine capsules. Tried it for the first time last night. As I took it with my magnesium supplement as well. The experience started off good at first making me really sleepy and relaxed. But after 2 hours taking the capsule I woke up and popped out of bed with an extreme anxiety attack. Which had me questioning if I could take my lorazepam with the herbal medicine. Which I did not take out. The rest of the night consisted of waking up every few hours with sore arms and legs from clenching the pillow and laying in bed feeling tense. Even this morning my anxiety is still high. So in conclusion taking ashwagandha I think did not mix well with me I think.
I’m so glad I found this article and all the comments. I’ve been dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety for the past couple of months due to a series of unfortunate events that I had no control over. The anxiety was becoming debilitating so out of desperation I googled “supplement for stress” and found ashwaghanda. Normally I overthink everything (part of my stress!) but I was so desperate for relief that I ordered a bottle on Amazon and started taking it the day it arrived. The dosage was 2 capsules (500mg) but I only took one a day. The first dose was taken in the evening and within an hour I had a major hot flash. I’m 63 so I’m no stranger to hot flashes but they’re usually not bad. For the next 4-5 days my body temperature felt warmer and I continued to have pretty bad hot flashes. I also had insomnia for a few nights so I switched to taking the supplement with breakfast. Then the headaches started. One morning I woke up feeling like my head was in a vice and it didn’t let up all day. Every day after that I woke up feeling foggy and ended up with a headache by mid morning. I work part time from home so in the afternoon after work I would crash and take a nap just to get some relief. I suspected it was the supplement but since my anxiety was pretty much gone, I wanted to try to let my body adjust. That was until yesterday when the headache turned into a full blown migraine and completely ruined my day. Yesterday was day 14 and the last time I took the supplement. I had some relief from the headache today, although it still came and went in waves. After reading all these comments I also realized I’ve had some occasional minor nausea that I had attributed to the migraine. Yesterday my eyes started feeling itchy and dry. I realize now it’s all related to this stupid supplement. Fortunately I haven’t had any vomiting or diarrhea, knock on wood. I started drinking more water yesterday because I felt dehydrated and at this point I want to flush this stuff out of my system. Never again.
Since taking ashwaganda I have felt uti problems, pain in left testicle and groin and the obvious stress associated. Having seen a doctor and had groin scan which showed no problem I have stopped taking ashwaganda. I had been taking it for 6 weeks, my problems started around same time. I just don’t know if it us coincidence or causing my problems. If so there should be more research and warnings about this. I will see what happens when it is out of my system.
I took a 600mg ash pill I bought from Amazon, within 30 min I felt like I had smoked marijuana (which makes me paranoid) and my body was almost buzzing. I was so scared and this severe panic feeling lasted till the next day. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t think, I cried and was so scared. I experienced diarrhea and I had slight effects for a while after that for a few days. I read the reviews it was a 4.5 star product. I figured this many people did well with it let me try it. NEVER again! I was so scared and still am to try a new supplement. The crippling anxiety I felt couldn’t be explained.
Started taking ashwaghanda 4 days ago. Each day noticing increased acid reflux and not able to sleep at all. Last night was night 4 and had the worst burning stomach with reflux, I had to sleep upright, and then couldn’t sleep because of the insomnia. I never had problems sleeping, always out like a light! So no doubt it was the aswaghanda. I have coeliac disease (autoimmune) so I would think again about trying this is you have autoimmune / digestive issues
This was a very interesting article to read. I started with Hum Raw Beauty Green Superfood Powder not too long ago. One day I didn’t feel so bad, but then for two other days I felt really off. I felt like I was going to throw up, irritated (possibly from feeling sick to my stomach), stomach cramping, lethargic, less energy and brain fog. I just felt out of it. Like it backfired and I was not myself. It’s like all the things it claimed it would help me with were the things it actually made worse.
I’m an over thinker, and I have trouble sleeping. I was told to take magnesium which would relax me and help me sleep, so I purchased magnesium with Ashwaganha
I have to say my sleeping habits did not change, and now I’m experiencing tiredness all day and no energy.
I feel very irritable and just want to sleep
And I think I’ve developed some sort of anxiety I’m not sure if it’s from that but I know since I started taking it I haven’t been feeling well .
I’ve taken ashwagandha yesterday and today and i’ve not been feeling well: i experienced a state of panic with high heart rate, feeling ill, dizzy, sleepy. I’m a little better but I won’t take it anymore, it might work for others but it’s not for me.
I was hoping to read some comments about people that had used ashwagandha topically. I used in my hair and eyebrows and left it in for about 36 hours. I assume I am allergic to it because near my temple I have several fairly large hard welts that are bright red. Also one hard welt on my forehead near by eyebrow but it is skin colored. I have good skin and I have never had problems with allergies to topical creams and oils. I would like to hear from someone that has this type or similar reaction. I did read that using ashwagandha can cause acne.
Terrible experience with Ashwagandha. From few months ago I have been taking NOW Thyroid Energy, which contains ashwagandha, but without any obvious adverse effects. I have a KSM-66 Ashwagandha bottle, since I’m a little anxious and have some insomnia. The serving size is 2 capsules (1g), and a few days ago I took just 1 capsule before bed to test its effect. I found it very strange that I had a hard time sleeping more than usual that night. I attributed it to my stress and/or anxiety. Then, 2 days ago, after dinner, I took the suggested 2 capsules. In less than 5 minutes I felt a very noticeable strong burning in my stomach. I assumed it was too much for me and didn’t give it any importance. The next day, my urine was dark yellow but I didn’t think anything of it since I take other vitamins and supplements (Omega3, vitamin D, etc). The next morning (today), my urine was pink and my stools had a light red jelly all over them. My scare (is) was impressive, but clearly taking ashwagandha has affected my mood, my blood pressure and has aggressively hurt all my digestive system. While I take an appointment with a doctor, I have canceled taking any type of supplement, and I’m drinking plenty of water, which in principle has improved the appearance of my urine (no more blood on it). Now that I read the comments here, I know that ashwagandha won’t leave my system quickly. Now Thyroid Energy and Ashwagandha KSM-66 are in the trash. I hope to recover my health soon and I hope that my experience serves as a warning to other people who read this.
I don’t know for definite if it was the ashwaganda but I had severe anxiety/bloating/pelvic pain after taking this with menopace for aprox 12 months. (Didn’t realise you shouldn’t take for long periods).
After 5 days of stopping it bloating and pelvic pain gone. The anxiety is still there but have had this for years.
I experienced a very high high for about 3 hours, and then a super crash followed by a prolonged low. After sleeping all night, I slept another 9 hours after the crash. Review: Woke up, took Ashwaghanda, had a super productive 3 hours, then was back in bed for 9 hours! When I woke up, I didn’t know what day it was. I was OUT of it. This is clearly not for me!
I was ok on ashwaganda for about a month. Felt on top of the world. Then it was as if my body started to reject it. Sickness and bad diarrhea for 24 hours after taking usual capsule. Couldn’t keep nothing in. Don’t know if it’s just me, I was quite disappointed because I loved the effects of ash.
The vet thought my senior dog had Cushing and we were in the early stages of testing for it. Her alp was over 1000 and an isoenzyme test revealed it was almost entirely corticosteroids. In an attempt to be proactive, I have my dog a supplement containing ashwaganda and holy basil . It was advertised as adrenal support and sold on a pet website. Her stool changed the next day . They were soft and color changed to an orange red tint , day 2 she barely ate any of her food and day 3 we’re mostly mucus and blood and I stopped them immediately. It’s been two weeks and her stools have not recovered.
So I don’t think it should be legal for supplement companies to put one mineral or herb label on the front of the bottle without also listing the others or just calling it something else like “calming tonic” or something that would force the customer to read the ingredients. I recently got a bottle of Chasteberry by Nutridyn and it just says Chasteberry on the front. I paid $20 to be extremely unwell for the last 6 days and now that I’m coming off of it I’m having joint pain. I sent my Dr several messages very frustrated about the Chasteberry making me sick when really this supplement included Ashwagandha and Black Cohosh as well. It must be potent Ashwagandha because I’ve never felt This bad on Ashwagandha but I have known for a couple of years that it causes anxiety for me. This was a particularly bad experience with it and I hope my body can get rid of it fast. I can’t believe they’re able to paste one label on a bottle making you think there’s nothing else in it. I know that might sound dumb but especially if you’re in a hurry you might not stop to look at the ingredients if the bottle says Chasteberry in huge letters on the front. I’ve had horrible psychological and physical symptoms from this supplement.
My (AFAB) son has been taking NOW “Thyroid Energy” with this ingredient and it’s made him terribly anxious and a little shaky. He started taking it after his endo suggested it. He has very high cortisol and is scheduled for an adrenal CT scan, but our insurance wouldn’t pay because it’s not “medically necessary” so while we save up several thousand dollars she suggested natural help like this and diet. I had hope because for the first week his energy levels were through the roof and he was very positive but then it was almost like mania and he started having sleep issues and at the end of three weeks he told me he was getting waves of anxiety and face flushing and could barely sleep so I stopped this supplement and he was back to his regular anxious sluggishness but feeling less inclined to climb the walls.
I have been taking Rheal superfoods ‘balance tonic’ which contains Ashwagandha. I have been getting a really sore and bloated stomach after taking it. I have an underactive thyroid. Im thinking maybe this isnt suitable for me.
I finally feel better. It took 10 days!! And i didn’t take it long term. Still have have some morning anxiety but it will pass. I can finally eat again…Be careful with ashwaganda people ❤️
Began taking ashwaganda two weeks ago
I’m 75 and trying to get back in shape and also am treated for high blood pressure. Ashwagandas supposed properties to increase testosterone while lowering blood pressure seemed ideal.
Went to the dentist 5 days ago and my BP WAS 210/105
Immediately left and went to my GP, he confirmed the BP and doubled my blood pressure medicine. 5 days later my BP is approaching normal.
I appreciate this info. Yes, there’s a lot of hype touting ashwagandha, but when I tried it blood vessels in my arms would break, causing those wine red blotches, and that can’t be good. So I quit. Now I see it could have been a factor in other difficulties. I’m taking enough “anti-aging supplements, and will not be trying ashwaganda again.
For me , is not only ashwagandha, but all adaptogens that cause me extreme problems. Every I have come into contact with an adaptogen, I severe panic attacks. I took ashwagandha hoping to avoid anti-anxiety meds, but ended up having the worst panic attack of my life.
4 day off the ashwagandha and still not feeling good It comes in waves. I only took it for 5 days. 3000mg the first day then 1500mg for 4 more days. Hope I feel better soon. Anxiety, no appetite and No energy. A little head pressure
Makes me confused and anxious, and I cannot sleep after taking it because my anxiety is up and heart keeps bounding.
I have tried twice to use ashwaganda as a daily supplement. First time I would vomit after about 2 hours and eventually suspected the supplement. I then stopped for a year with no further vomit issues. I decided to change brands and try once more. Again within 2 hours I had to vomit the entire contents of my gut and felt very ill and low mood for over 24 hours.
I will avoid in future as it s clearly not for me!
I was confused by the 2 day I took it.I took 2 on a Thursday afternoon and Friday morning I took 1 and by 2:00 pm I was feeling very tired and a bit confused. I slept from 3:00 pm to 4:00 in the morning. 13 hours and I woke up very tired and confused. I take prescriptions for depression and anxiety 1 at night. But I was getting a lot of anxiety during the day so I bought ash to try and I haven’t had it since Friday
Was taking for 4 weeks then had a sudden anxiety attack and depression, been off for four weeks but still not back to normal, any advice how to flush it out faster?
did you ever feel better? Was on ash for about two months during some events when I was anxious. Now that I look at it- the anxiety I had before than was nothing compared to how I am now. Stopped taking it approximately two weeks ago and gradually gained panic attacks and anxiety. Also made me super foggy. Irritable. Can’t sleep throughout the whole night. Desperate to know how I can get better. I took too much, almost feels like an Ash withdrawal. I just hope I snap back to normal cause this feeling is unbearable.
My pcp recommended Ash – I took it daily for 2 weeks and had the worst dry mouth, chapped and cracked lips. I stopped it and within 2 weeks my saliva started returning. I tried Ash again and within 7-10 day’s experienced anxiety, shakiness and depression, not knowing why. The dry mouth got worse. I lashed out at 2 people I love, in an anxiety filled episode. About 6 hours later I realized my actions were unjustified and ridiculous. I read your article and immediately stopped Ashwaganda- I threw the bottles away!!!im feeling better again
The Ash that I got was 1500mg /pill. They suggested 2! Ugh. I took two the first night. Slept like a log so I was excited .. next day had bad anxiety. So next night took just 1. Still felt lethargic, depressed, felt like I was sedated. Didn’t make it 5 days. Way too depressed and super thirsty. Not good for me. Hope I feel better
My mouth got extremely dry when I took 250mg of ash for 4 days. I had to run to the bathroom every single hour and doesn’t matter how much water I drink I still feel thirsty. Approaching 72 hours since my last dose and I’m still feeling thirsty, but bathroom trips have gone down.
I tried the 1000 mg. 1 pill a day.
For 11 days. Dont know if it really calm me but it made me short tempered so I stopped it.
Also felted anxious when I go out.
I’ll just add that Ashwaganda really helped me and I have had none of these reactions. My sleep was better, lower anxiety, greater equanimity (going with the flow without stressing.) I don’t dispute anyone’s story here, and I’m sure it really is not for some people. But the comments were so uniformly negative, I just wanted to add that it was helpful to me to provide a little balance.
I started taking 450mg of ashwagandha a week ago. I am sleeping really well. This morning I feel extremely anxious and irritated by everything. This is not me. Even my sweet kitty was making me mad this morning.
My morning cortisol levels are high and we were looking for a natural way to lower that. I am stopping the ashwagandha, hopefully it won’t take too long to get out of my system. I don’t live ke me right now.
Been on a magnesium/ashwagandha supplement for a couple of months now. It didn’t dawn on me until today that it’s mostly likely the root cause of my recent night sweats and nausea and the massive drops in blood sugar, sweating, nausea I have for about 15 minutes nearly every day. I’ve also developed a severe eye twitch in my right eye that sometimes affects my entire cheek and an overall bad mood in which I become easily triggered. I’m generally a very calm, quiet introvert. Stopped taking it immediately as of today.
I am currently experiencing the effects of copper overload and disruption in methylation cycle. I was taking Ashwagandha when I had low zinc levels and I believe this to be responsible. Do you know how I should go about curing this?
I have taken Ashwaganda a few times. It makes me violently sick and get extreme diarrhea.
It’s almost like my body is poisened by it and has to get it all out of system.
Horrible experience
Hi, thanks for sharing such helpful content. I am facing exactly what you have mentioned here. People says ashwagandha helps them to sleep but I am having the opposite effects of it. When I take this it keeps me awake and next day I get headache and even migraine. What is this? I am not getting any benefits from ashwagandha so why we see so many promotions of this product? Not helped me to sleep at all.
I took an ashwagandha gummy two nights ago. That night I couldn’t fall asleep and felt sad. In the morning I sat up to turn off my alarm and felt the room spinning. My stomach felt nauseous and my head was hurting. During the weekend I had to work on a project and kept feeling more frustrated than I have ever before. During the day I felt off and dizzy, not like myself. Day 2 and I’m still feeling the dizziness when I move too quickly. Will NOT be taking this stuff ever again, wish I had come across these comments before taking it.
Just an update to other Ashwagandha victims .
Day five with none Ashwagandha this poison almost out of my system , I can honestly say day five of taking this I was a total awful person with like I’d suddenly had a big personality change, being really negative , my poor partner suffered with my moods as he was being so caring understanding and patient about what I was going through , these side effects .
Had depression, body aches pains itching and tingling head to toe , palpitations, weakness and fatigue.
But today I feel so alive happy go lucky and enjoying being out and about with my lovely other half .
Back to normal ????
I had been taking Ashwagandha for probably a year or more for mainly as an anti stressor, and boosting testosterone during my workouts. I’d take one pill in the morning, one at night. I did notice it helped me to sleep, but also made me feel tired, and fatigued during the day at work. So I slacked off it taking just one a day. Then the other night when my girlfriend slept over, I took an Ashwagandha pill, and also a maca supplement pill for increasing sexual stamina. After vigorous sex for 30-60 minutes, and when I finally had an orgasm, I got this throbbing headache on my whole right side of my head. I had to take 3 Tylenol’s before I finally fell asleep, then had to take two more the following morning before and during work before I didn’t feel any lingering head pains. Now I’d also had been working a lot of hours at work with not much sleep at nights too. So all these things could’ve contributed to the headache, but I’ve since quit taking the Ashwangandha and have found that I have been getting better sleep and more energy during waking. I don’t need it anymore, just more rest.
I took a magnesium supplement that also has ashwagandha. I took the supplement every night for about 2 weeks. In those 2 weeks my insomnia was somehow worse and I developed horrible body aches/muscle pain. I felt like I had the flu. I finally suspected the ashwagandha and stopped taking it. Within 24 hours my body aches went away and my energy came back.
Does anybody know how long it takes for this nasty plant leave your system ?
Taken it for 3 weeks which was in a tonic
I feel detached and I can’t tolerate the things I could before this, I’ve definitely stopped the tonic.
It depends, I think, and according to my personal experience (I felt exactly like you), that what you are describing, is called depersonalization and derealization. Check this out https://youtu.be/h7u59TkQTxY?si=yU0uPY5JDExc42po
And don’t worry it won’t last as soon as you understand that it’s only psychological you will feel back to your normal self. This plant doesn’t suit everybody I’ve learned my lesson from now on I will always ask my doctor before taking any supplement…
I started Rheal Balance Tonic on
31/08/23
From week one and up until today I felt weird ,angry , and depressed all of a sudden.
This tonic contains Ashwagandha as a main ingredient,
after reading some side effects to this plant
I’m hesitant to wether I should carry on .
Thank you
Has anyone felt a prickly also tingling feeling
all over after stopping Ashwagandha?
I stoped taking it because it made me feel weird , with muscle aches dry nose and throat , depressed and anxious and also was making me dislike the people around me
Everytime ( took it one by choice and once by accident from Not reading labels properly)I take ashwagunda or something with it in, it’s like my body just rejects it I have constant diarrhea and vomiting for about 12 hours
My skin also reddens and feels almost sunburt.
I took Ashwagandha fairly consistently for a few months. I have never felt so detached from myself. I felt so little emotion. I decided to quit when my partners face no longer envoked any emotion at all. Don’t take Ashwagandha if you have relationships you care about.
I would like to get off of Duloxetine. Can I eventually get off of them if I take Ashwagandha ?
I’ve been taking the herb for three days and I feel nausea, tired and my sleep od worse. Is it because I have to get used to it? I decided to lower the dose and walut a other few days.
Took a couple of Ashwagandha capsules yesterday morning and started feeling a bit odd in my head later, headachey, a bit nauseous all day then last night I started cramping and spent the whole evening running to the toilet with explosive and very watery diarrhea. Managed to finally get to sleep, woke up this morning and straight back onto the toilet for another explosive session of “rusty water” like poop. I remembered feeling off the last time I took this product, but now that I’ve connected the dots, I will not be taking this ever again. It does nothing it claims to do, instead it makes you feel worse.
Ashwaganda almost killed me as well – twice! I took one extra strength capsule of about 1300mg and about 90 minutes later heavy sweats and everything wanting out of my body. Horrible stomach pain. My wife took over driving and rushed me home. I was thinking the ER but we tried home. It took about 18 hours to not feel like I was going to die. A few months later I tried another herbal remedy that included ashwaganda but only 200mg. Thinking the dosage would be small enough not to bother me, I was dead (almost) wrong. Same symptoms and this time I threw up twice as well. Now, I would like to research what it is about my body that rejects Ashwaganda so much. Can it provide clues as to what I might need for better health?
Wanted to give an update, I’m feeling so much better now. It took approximately 1 and a half days after a 400 mg pill to feel better again. The farther away I get from when I took that pill the better it is, but a day a half seemed to be the turning point. I’m so relieved! I got a refund and tossed the rest. Never touching Ashwagandha again!!
I thought I had good results from aswagandha in the past for sleep and anxiety… So after going through a rough time after being a caregiver for years for my mom, her passing away, my own descent into bad health with cancer, etc… and posttraumatic stress disorder from all of that …. I remembered Ashwagandha, so I started to take it so that I could sleep better or feel less anxious… I even read that it is a free radical scavenger and would help cancer so I had great hopes with taking it!
But after a few weeks of taking it, I was awake all night. I had chest pain anxiety, depression, intensified grief, hot body temperature, stomach upset and bloated, craving sweets, gained weight, skin bruising, and realizing it’s probably the Ashwagandha so I stopped taking it yesterday and I slept all night last night and feel less stressed and anxious just from not taking it!
It helped me sleep and I had good dreams that I remembered after waking. But…, during the day my head felt heavy. May be considered brain fog. I was not confused and it was slightly calming, but it was an artificial feeling.
Hi, I had a terrible reaction to ashwaganda. I bought a bottle and I only took half a dose. Within 39 minutes I started feeling strange. Then as the strange feeling in my head progressed it turned into a massive headache and I started vomiting. My head hurt so bad I could do nothing but hold it and scream. This lasted for an hour or so. I vomited so hard I could hardly breathe between heaves. I cannot understand why something that could do this to someone would be sold on the market. And I I know I don’t have a gut infection and I’m not sure about copper poisoning unless amalgam tooth fillings have copper in them. I have several old tooth fillings that may be leaking. Not sure if that plays a part.
This doesn’t seem to be a very common reaction, reading the other posts, but I took it for three weeks and felt it was doing my anxiety good as I felt much more chilled, but after that time realised I’d put on half a stone and had to speak to my GP because all my joints were aching; I stopped taking it, not because of this, but because I was feeling a bit too chilled-out which I didn’t like. But I haven’t been able to lose the extra weight (despite trying everything for the last two months) which is uncharacteristic and the joint pain has got worse since then, to the extent that I’m being referred to a rheumatologist. It’s only today that I’ve put two and two together and realised the weight gain and joint pain all happened while I was taking this supplement. I know that sounds daft, but there’s so much positive hype about that it’s difficult to think it could possibly be doing you harm.
I am DONE trying supplements with ashwaganda.
1st time = gummies: made me breakout and feel almost sick. I Remeber being in bed a few evenings by 5 pm feeling “sick” it was a hard feeling to describe almost anxious but actually scared. Very odd. I linked the two and stopped.
2nd time = Magic mind drink shot: this product actually made my life great but it’s too damn expensive, the only product containing ashwaganda that did anything positive
3rd time: a stress resistance complex
Nasty big acne that differed from usual or regular small ones here and there, tired, emotional, absolutely burnt out. Some Suicidal thoughts. Stopped after 3 days. Today is day 4.
I don’t know if this helps at all. I am done though.
Took ashwagandha that is supposed to help with brain fog and sleep in menopause. Right now I have heart palpitations and feeling like a panic attack is taking over and nausea. Hoping it wears off over night. Will never take this over the counter product again.
Took one 400mg pill yesterday afternoon. Shortly thereafter started getting heart palpitations, numbness in legs and feet. Got some sleep, but still woke up to heart palpitations. It’s been about 21 hours after I took it and I’m still feeling it. It’s wearing off, but crazy how one little pill really did a number on me. So much for relieving anxiety! Really hoping I can feel back to normal soon! Trying to down water and hope these feelings pass!
Can taking ashwagandha with Venlafaxine be dangerous for my liver?
Hello! I am trying to find someone out there who might have had a similar experience with ashwagandha. I was housesitting for a friend and she had some Hiyo drinks, non alcoholic drinks containing ashwagandha, lions mane, cordyceps and a few other things. It was about one hour later I got blurry vision, heart racing, my tongue and eyes got very swollen, numb hands and feet, anxiousness, hallucinations, very panicked I stumbled back home and my roommate sat with me for about 4 1/2 hours until it started to calm down. My heart finally stopped racing and I could feel it all wearing off. I am experienced in psilocybin and this was absolutely the worst “trip” of my life. I am wondering if I have a crazy allergy to ashwagandha (the other ingredients I have had before with no reaction). Just inquiring if this has ever happened to anyone before! It freaked me OUT!!
I got severe anexity from it, like 1-2 hours after i took it i felt bad for hours
Tried it for a couple of days and still same, tried it again after a few monthe and same effect.
I started taking it as a pre-workout supplement and on day two I feel like absolute crap, I noticed an irritability all day and full blown anxiety this evening.
I started taking Ashwagandha to reduce my anxiety, but I feel even more anxious every time I take it. I hate these feelings.
Side effect #5 is exactly what I feel.
I was in the ER last night from taking Ashwagandha.
I experienced this before after trying to take it. This time was much worse.
I couldn’t stop vomiting, and I had diarrhea as well.
By the time my husband got me to the ER my blood pressure was 80/50.
I’ve benefited from ashwaganda in the past. It’s been great to calm anxiety.
However I took a new supplement recently, and increased the dosage I think to higher than I’ve had before.
I’ve felt really exhausted ever since. I already had chronic fatigue and now it’s worse.
I’m wondering if there’s any advice on what to do about this?
Thank you
I have hyperPOTS, mast cell activation syndrome, and joint hypermobility. I took a low dose of ashwagandha yesterday morning; it gave me incredible energy and reduced my facial flushing, but I had a horrible time falling asleep (“lightning bolt” adrenaline surges and palpitations.) I took it again this morning; it has been 7 hours, and I feel like I’m about to jump out of my skin. I took ashwagandha with no trouble in the past, but I’m not sure I could tolerate another day of this.
I recently decided not to drink alcohol anymore. I work in a store with a huge selection of Mocktails. I loved Curious Elixer and Kin was good but then I tried Parch. I got so anxious. I researched and the only ingredient that Parch had that the others didnt was Ashwagandha. I am guessing that was what caused it.
Hi, being indian we have been familiar with ashwagandha as ayurvedic herb for mental health improvement, metabolism strengthening. But I have experienced that it effects different to people; it has natural tendency of increasing body temp. which after elevating once drops causes drowsiness, irritability and fatigue.
Started taking ashwaganda and two weeks later had a non-fasting blood sugar level of 32 mg/dl. Was the worst I’ve ever felt in my life, have only been off it for 2 days and already am able to balance my levels a lot better. Had no prior history of blood sugar issues
Ashwagandha has given me the worst anxiety I think I’ve ever had. I suffer with anxiety and depression normally, but it has skyrocketed since taking this. I’ve tried it twice now and every time it leaves me with tightness in my chest and crying on the floor. I would not recommend this supplement to anyone especially if you already suffer with mental health.
I started taking Ashwagandha for adrenal fatigue: result ocular migraines. Discontinued.
Ashwagandha gave me PSSD-like symptoms
Ashwaganda gave me pancreatitis.
Vivid dreams but I don’t remember the context in the morning. Deep sleep but not restful, wiped out by 2pm every day. The worst is I thought I had limited Rheumatoid Arthritis, but after just a few weeks I felt bone on bone pain in my knees and hips. I started getting headaches with blue flashes (yes, I have a history of migraines). And instead of helping my bladder control I was losing control just standing, also having to get up every 2 hours during the night – or else!
Holy moly, I took half (200mg) of mediherb ashwaganda forte and it got rid of the stress tension I had in my neck. I thought I finally found some help. Day two I took the other half and felt great. By the evening. I had full blown anxiety, racing heart, shakiness and insomina , eyes feel dry and swollen. Worse than I’ve ever felt. I really want to go to the ER. I did drink some orange juice that helped the shaking. I also took activated charcoal to see if there’s any residual toxins to clear. I hoping lorazepam helps to calm me down. Don’t mess with ashwaganda!
I am perimenopausal, with a history of anxiety (never depression). Since taking it, literally one week, I’ve had another period (to be fair they are messed up because of stage in life but usually big gaps, not two so close together), bad depression every day, very bad night sweats (never had one before, only hot flushes during the day), very vivid and unpleasant dreams. Stopping these.
I have taken Ashwagadaha twice and both times I experienced a deep sleep with troubling dreams. I woke up very angry, short tempered and swollen all over. I do have a MTFHR mutation. Will not be taking it again.
best view i have ever seen !
My doctor gave me a supplement to take that contains ashwaganda. I told him that I’ve had GI issues with it before but he said try it again. Good thing I was home all day. I took 2 as directed with food. 3 hrs later I was violently ill. I had chills, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and oddly, nasal congestion. I spent the rest of the day on the couch with no energy and close to a bathroom. This Danish girl cannot handle Indian herbs!
I upped the dosage to 750mg and noticed a change in my dreams. I was diagnosed with C-PTSD about 3 years ago, and I haven’t had nightmares about the past for over a year. Two nights in a row I had the same type of nightmares that I used to have back then, about my past.
I also got flu-like symptoms: nausea, fever, chills and sweating, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and body aches. Weird thing is that I’ve never in my life experienced the flu like this. It usually gets better within 2 days, but it’s been 4 days now and symptoms aren’t getting better. That’s when I started to Google and came over this page. Thank God for that!
Throwing these supplements in the garbage, good riddance.
I took ashvaganda and was fine for 2 days on low dosage. The 3rd day I was tiered after a flight and took it thinking it would help me falling asleep and relax. I woke up at about 2am with increased HR and severe anxiety. This never happened before. It’s been already 3 days since and still I get bouts of anxiety and strange dreams.
Be careful with this drug.
I don’t know how long the effect lasts but I wish for it to be over already.
Got a drink at my gym with this herb in it and not only did it ruin my goals for the day, but as I type this close to 48 hrs after taking it, I still feel horrible. Weak, anxious, insomnia absolutely horrible. The nausea, vomiting and diarrhea have been disruptive. work at night and always walk a fine line of foolishness, but this herb made me feel like I was awake 5 days (of which I’ve had happen and was hospitalized). No amount of water or eating is helping me feel better. I can’t “sleep” it off as well. Sticking to the manic feel of my normal pre workout or raw dogging it.
Yes my experience aswaganda increase fear, anxiery, tiredness, and also increase angry i think it is very dangerous herb
The most horrifying nightmare that I’ve ever had in my entire life,on one capsule!Will never touch this monster out herb,ever again!
Hi, i just took the ashwaganda the other day and my vision is blurry like everyday its gettin worse so i had to stop yesterday. Is it normal? I had my surgery last friday too. So idk if its ashwaganda does anyone here like same side effect like this?
Tried for 6 days. I’m 62, on blood pressure and cholesterol meds. This supplement gave me insomnia, headaches, muscle cramps and nausea. It’s going in the garbage.
Did you start to feel better? Did everything improve after stopping?
Thank you so much for writing this article. This feels like the best drug and worst drug at the same time. The west off makes it the absolute worst drug, though. I have felt every feeling under the sun from this awful herb. Depression, anxiety, increased OCD- , harmful thoughts. they don’t warn you about this hardly anywhere. And you can just buy it anywhere in stores. It ABSOLUTELY should be regulated.
Hello can anyone shed some light new to ashgwanda hoping it will give me more energy less anxiety 4 days in drowsy brain fog feeling more depressed cant get anything done how normal is this does it get better i dont know weather to continue ????
This could be a long story but it will definitely clear your doubt about taking this herb(ashwagandha) or not but you should spare some time and read it fully.
So,I am a short guy and always concern about increasing my height and so I searched on Google and get to know about this fucking herb as I am a 5’6 guy and always want to increase my height and so I bought it and started taking it regularly at night with milk soon I started seeing good results I have actually gained few centimetres I also feel more energetic and have good sleep and day by day my belief on this medicine increases and now it has been a year I’m taking it and finally I stopped it cause I wasn’t getting much results and it had made a difference of some 1 inch or may be not.So,I think I will not eat it and this will be my last packet for it and it was left not much so I started taking it on alternate days but one thing I found was that I was regularly having constipation and gas issues and the day I didn’t use it I get some relief.So,I finally fuck that shit out of my house as I was confirmed that it is the reason for all this.After some days I started feeling very different like I’m not in the best of my mind actually I was feeling it from some months but now the feeling is raced and I am fucked up with this feeling I soon have anxiety and panic attacks and soon feel about giving up my life and commit suicide but somehow I get to know about meditation and many other ways to calm such thoughts and have a win on them but still sometimes these thoughts or black clouds appears but I have enough experience with it so I fucked them when they appeared.So,today I was free and think of finding the cause of such depression feelings without any particular reasons and I found this article and gotta know about the whole story and so I would recommend you better not take this herb for height, increasing testosterone,for some sleep issues,low mood,etc It is not a good herb even for me but the rest is your choice but you are very lucky that you gotta know all this if you are thinking of taking it because I didn’t get such article at my time.
It definitely increased my anxiety. I’m a hillbilly, not too bright, and I failed to make the correlation immediately. In fact, as my anxiety increased, and my being new to taking it, I thought the effect I was striving for would be likely attainable by simply increasing the amount I was taking. I doubled the recommended dose and having done no prior research whatsoever felt it was harmless. Still my anxiety increased so I added another 3 rd, now tripling the dose. I coupled that with the already doubled dose of melatonin I was taking an hour before attempting sleep.
My anxiety ramped up in proportion.
When I did eventually come to the realization that it was indeed increasing the anxiety as well as depression I stopped abruptly.
My symptoms still go untreated but do not have the crescendo peaks as frequently as they had quickly developed. Ashwagandha also increased my insomnia and fatigue in a matter of days to the point of total sleeplessness. I was stuck in a” chicken or the egg” loop , uncertain if it was my own mental state or the increase in severity was due to the ” holistic remedy”.
I took half the recommended dose to see how I reacted as I often react to medication in general. I notices my throat tightening and it was harder to breathe although not too bad as I have asthma so it was a normal reactionfor me. I also noticed my mood worsen and I had no energy. Had to sleep in the day. Then my heart started racing and on the 2nd day with only half dose I stopped taking it.
I have to check all supplement labels carefully because even a small amount of ashwagandha makes me feel terrible. I was looking at some supplements that were sounding great until I saw they had 500mg of ashwagandha! 🙁
I was recommended ashwaganda for anxiety. After a week of taking it, I noticed my head was getting fuzzy. I suffer from migraines. Consequently, I’ve just had the worst migraine attack imaginable. It completely floored me and my head was pounding. Fortunately I have an excellent acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist who said it is a tonic and increases the pain so to stop using.
I’m never going near it again. It’s made me feel worse rather than better. My blood and face feel hot and it made me nauseous. A powerful herb!
I’m experiencing increased heart rate and shortness of breadth after 2-3 hours of taking it.
I’m 65 years old. I was taking ashwaganda for a bout 2 mos I took it to help lower blood sugar which it didn’t seem to be doing. It was however helping me to sleep better. At my endocrinologist visit my a1c was 6.2 dr said that was ok just continue to watch my diet.bi told her I couldn’t get my Blood sugar under 120 and felt it was keeping me from losing some weight (about 10-15 lbs). She suggested metformin at the lowest dose 1x per day. Almost 2 weeks of being on metformin I noticed my sugar was consistently under 110 sometimes even under 100. I was hoping this would result in making weight loss a little easier. Then one night while watching TV my eyes, vision, became what I describe as shakey. I began to feel fatigued when my husband noticed he asked what was going on and I found it very difficult to find words especially adjective and nouns. It felt like I was staring at a white board. I tried to describe what was happening and found my self not being able to remember what words I should use or the words at all. Over the next 4 to 5 weeks this happened exactly the same way 3 more times. 4 episodes all together. I’m now in the process of having an MRI and an EEG. The MRI cam back to day no abnormalities. The EEG is later this week. I believe it’s the metformin possibly interacting with the ashwaganda which I didn’t think was necessary to stop because it had no effect on my blood sugar anyway. I guess it could also be a side effect of the metformin but I can’t find any thing that says it. It wasn’t a hypoglycemia event because one night when it occured my husband called paramedics and my blood sugar was106 which I don’t believe is low enough to be hypoglycemic. Anyway for now I’m off both, its just about 7 days, so I guess we’ll see.
I actually have been doing a lot to improve my health over the years, and I am missing someone to help understand certain things. For example, I bought some ‘brain tea’ like Buddah Tea Pure MInd and Ginkgo Biloaba, but I get a harsh reaction for both and nobody at Buddah Tea has a clue. I’d like to hear more about you and how you work, Lou
Hi, I’ve been taking ashwagandha ksm 66 with black pepper for two days now and have taken them in the morning. Although I do feel less anxious already I also had the worse nights sleep I’ve ever had last night. Will this pass or should I stop taking it? I do have a low tolerance to copper according to a food allergy test I did.
I’m having a terrible reaction to ashwagandha as I write this. I took 2100 mg once a day for 10 days and then it hit like a train. Horrible anxiety, insomnia, ringing in ears, can’t control body temp. I stopped taking it 4 days ago and the symptoms are still ongoing. I really regret having taken this wonder herb. I don’t use caffeine because I like to feel calm and in control, this stuff is like having a coffee i.v. 24 hours a day. I want to get off this ride. Be careful with this stuff
Yes! Adverse reaction to ashwaghanda. Bought it hoping to get relaxation but made me tense, irritable. I had insomnia instead of rest. Intestinal discomfort, not severe but noticable. Felt like I was in speed. Ginsing does the same thing
I have been taking an ashwagsnda magnesium supplement for 30+ days and I have never been so depressed in my life. I have been struggling with insomnia, night sweats, and horrible depression and increased anxiety. I am stopping it immediately and hoping that my symptoms will alleviate very soon. I am 57 years old and have not experienced night sweats in quite a few years, and I take a thyroid medication due to having my thyroid removed.. I do struggle with anxiety, but do not struggle a lot with depression. But the last week or so my depression has been very bad. The only change in my life was adding this supplement to my daily vitamins so I am thinking Ashwagandha is not a good option for me. Thank you for the article that helped point out that ashwaganda may be the problem.
I have experienced skin rash on my face to my neck and multiple hot flashes after taken Ashwagandra.????
I’ve taken them in the past in forms of pills and the duration of it had been up to I’d say 3 months. Though I wouldn’t take it in moderation since I had assumed that if I had taken more then the recommended amount a day that the positive affects would become enhanced, the opposite happened. It was like I was constantly feeling sublime without the beauty of it all, the realisation of nothing matters and how you’re all on Ur own and that in comparison with everything else in the world u are insignificant, I’d felt that way ALL THE TIME and even after stopping my pill intake there was some residue left as id have nothing to fend my mental health from these thoughts after 4 weeks everything went back to normal. It’s temporary, but when u stop you’re as susceptible to all attacks mentally and emotionally as u were before taking the pills. Ashwagandah works wonders, but take them in moderation or you’ll do the your body the opposite of good
Hello. I started taking Ashwagonda on Tuesday and by Tuesday I was having forceful dark liquid diarrhea. I do feel better except for this annoying side effect. It has happened several times throughout the days since I started. It is only Friday now. I don’t want to stop taking it but not sure it is good for me
I started taking the gummies to increase muscle gains. Within the month, I was feeling very uncharacteristically sad. I asked my physician, and he said that it can make you feel that way. Since I’m usually a very happy person, I think it just messed with my brain chemistry. My 20 yr old son was also doing the same and told me he was anxious for the month. We both went off of the gummies and our symptoms cleared up very quickly.
I started recently taking Ashwagandha with myvworkout supplements because I felt a bit moody. A week into taking it, I felt depressed, overly anxious and even developed some obsession issues. I became obsessed with issues that were bothering me at the moment. This is the exact opposite effect I was looking for. Yikes!!
Where do you cite your sources? Trying to find anything confirming gut health and Ashwagandha. Thanks 🙂
Hi Mason,
As I shared in my article “To date, no studies have been done to verify the adverse events associated with ashwagandha, especially in individuals with copper toxicity, methylation imbalances, and gut infections. This article is the result of clinical study and application with this powerful adaptogenic herb.”
If you peruse PubMed you will find tons of studies touting the almost magical-like powers of this herb. Upon further research, you’ll see many of them are conducted by the people that have a vested interest in the companies that make these products.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
After taking ashwagandha I started suffering from brain fog, something I haven’t had before. I do not know if this is something more people have experienced or if it’s just me, I stopped taking it and now hope it goes away.
I just want to comment that I tried Ashwagandha by Adrenal Response several years ago when I was going through a deep depression. I took only one half of the tablet due to concerns about side effects. I only took the one dose and the next day I felt 100% better, so much so that I truly could not even remember what the depressive state felt like. I took another half of the tablet and the next day it was the same, I felt better. On the third day I experienced a slight break-through vaginal bleeding/staining, so I stopped taking the Ashwangandha altogether. I felt fine and my depression was gone. I never took anymore of it and I think the breakthrough bleeding was triggered by the ginseng in the formula. However, I understand that that particular product changed their formulation to exclude ginseng. Just thought it might be helpful to hear how I was helped by taking the Ashwagandha.
Hello! This was insightful. Thank you ????
I’ve recently started working with a functional medicine doctor to address the recently discovered gut infections, and high levels of lead, mercury and thallium I have. As well as all hormone things way dysfunctional. I never mentioned ashwaghanda, as it’s not frequently I used it. Occasionally before bed, either with warm milk or as moon milk. Actually when I follow the moon milk recipe, I don’t notice so much. However, a couple times I’ve done my own “simpler” blend with warm almond milk or water…. but I’ve noticed a patten. I’m typically a calm, patient person. But it seems this powder can cause me total fits of rage the following day. Like I want to scream, shout curse words, and am pretty sure I’d almost smash a glass bowl for ghe heck of it. Completely not my personality! Especially for no reason at all. If I’m on my own, I have let some out. It feels “good” but also horrible because this is not me ????????
I’ll just avoid this stuff for now. Maybe down the road when all inside is corrected?
I have the following health issues and always looking into what I can take, plus at the moment I have post traumatic concussion
Sjögren’s syndrome
Food Intolerances:
Salicylates Intolerance
Lactose &Fructose Intolerance
Arthritis – hands/neck/spine/hips
Bowel and Bladder issues
Other than concussion I am normal active and on top of things.
I think we all got here because we googled side effects of ashwagandha. Oh man do I have a story. So I took Ashwagandha for about 2 weeks and everything was fine. I read that you should on- and off-cycle and take it when you’re having a stressful time. So I stopped after the 2 weeks and had a pause of about 6 months. I was going into a hospital internship and thought this is going to be a stressful time – the first morning of the internship I took Ashwagandha and Creatine – this was at 7am. At 11am I started to vomit violently. I had to excuse myself from the hospital and rushed home – I continued to puke until 15pm and then the diarrhea started until 20pm… The puking was so brutal I nearly called the emergency line. Fast forward a couple weeks and I thought that it must have been the Creatine that caused all that because I took Ashwagandha before (the 2 weeks) and had no problems. So I took Ashwagandha again the night before I had an interview. Went to bed at 23pm and woke up at 1.30am with the exact same symptoms I had in the hospital internship. Puked my guts out until 5am and then diarrhea until 11am. I don’t know what has changed in my body that I reacted that way, but I will never ever touch that stuff again. I had some food poisoning in my days, various countries all over the world, but I have never experienced a more horrible puke-situation than with Ashwagandha.
I have been taking ashwaganda (in a adrenal support supplement) for the past 2 months. At first everything was fine. Now I’ve been having very loose stool multiple times per day and my belly sounds like I’m doing a colonoscopy prep. I am going to stop (it’s not a doctor but rather a nutritionist recommendation) taking it to see if my body stops all the gut problems. I don’t have pain or anything.
Thanks for this informative article! I foolishly took 1300 mg daily for 9 months, not realizing it was harming me. I felt good for the first few months, but then after 4-5 months felt an increase in anxiety (thought it was just normal life stressors). I didn’t realize you should cycle off of it regularly. I stopped Ash abruptly after 9 months, and had the most horrific withdrawal symptoms. Even after the withdrawal subsided (adehonia, brain zaps, and insomnia to name a few) I still had some lingering issues. I’m now working with a naturopath who says I’m “over methylated”—which I wasn’t before all this. And it also appears I have adrenal fatigue, SIBO, and a massive histamine intolerance. I am trying to claw my way back to health but it is very slow going. I’ve been in a living hell for almost 10 months. Posting this in case it is helpful for others to read.
Hi i had the same…everytime i take some or.with cbd…my anxiety get worse…or feel very hot at night and heart racing…not sleeping well… honnestly feel like using valerian and passi flower etc are way more relaxing and less side effects
I have experienced intense levels of anxiety after supplementing ashwagandha for 6 months over the past summer. I get random panic attacks now which is something totally new that I’ve never experienced. I started supplementing at a problematic point in my life so I didn’t question the high levels of anxiety at the time but now I realize my body doesn’t feel 100%.
I am writing this as I go through the atrocious pain and discomfort by taking only 1 bag of ashwagandha-tulsi-cbd tea by the Buddha Tea brand.
My symptoms included big rumblings in my stomach, followed by a horrible bout of diarrhea — very similar to colonoscopy prep. Bad cramping and nausea! I’ve ever taken this tea before nor am I a user of Aswagandha. I love to explore new teas from the store and this one seemed interesting for a night tea. Little did I know one bag of tea can do so much damage! I hope I feel better by the morning.
I am now very concern if I have serious IG issues or reproductive issues since I also felt like my fallopian tubes were being pulled out of my pelvis.
This article was the most helpful online source I could find, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I was unable to bend my arms and legs after taking it. It took a few days to get back to 100%.
I have a blood pressure of 120/60, and was unaware that that was already the border of hypotension. I took the daily recommended dose of ashwaganda in the morning and by midnight I was excessively sweating, shaky, dizzy, and nauseous, basically about to pass out. Ashwaganda causes up to a 15% lower blood pressure, and I had a hypotensive episode. Never taking it again.
Had it in a tea form that included turmeric two nights in a row. On the third night I had an extreme panic attack like I did when I was dealing with my divorce (3 years ago). My daily stressors did NOT warrant that level of a reaction and such a strong physical response. I knew something was off in my body and now that I’ve found this article I have a much better understanding of why it went wrong. So glad I didn’t take a pill or try it outside of a tea. That would have been horrible.
It’s been about 2 months that I’ve been taking ashwaganda. At first I felt an immediate change, I feel more energetic, concentrated, but now I think it was more a placebo/psychological effect than a real one. From some weeks ago I started having weird thoughts, about a dead, and accidents, and bad things happening, started to be very irritable, stressed. It’s been around a weed that I stopped taking it completely, I do feel much better, those thoughts reduced a lot, but I feel like the effect of taking it for 2 months still there, so I hope the effects goes aways completely soon.
I took ashwaganda for the first time last night and insomnia increased. My son started taking it for anxiety during exams and has said he benefited straight away but it definitely hasn’t worked to improve my sleep!
I definitely noticed a bad reaction to taking Ashwaghanda. This is why I am here on the internet looking up adverse reactions. After taking 1 pill at night for just 3 days, I found myself not feeling right yesterday afternoon. I felt very panicky, full of anxiety, almost like i wanted to cry but couldn’t and a little weird, perhaps it was my blood sugar, but I never checked as I was out at a cafe, I just felt like I needed to eat or get fresh air or I would pass out or something. I rarely feel like that. It was enough cause for worry. I have a bottle of Nutri Rise Maximum strength 1300mg. The dosage is 2 but I have been taking 1.
I am just wondering why this supplement is even sold on the market, it’s obviously a very dangerous thing to take. I nearly died from taking just one tablet. And I see tons of other people have had the same response to it as well. I even see that it could even cause liver failure.
I’ve actually really enjoyed ashwaghanda. I recommend it to everyone. It seriously changed my life. I used it as an anti stress anti anxiety supplement and it worked amazing! However I have tried a few different brands and the only one I liked was the natures bounty vitamin style that I found at wallgreens. I’m sad to hear so many people negatively affected by it because I absolutely love it. I only take as recommended, and I usually only take it daily for a couple of weeks at a time, then I don’t take it for long periods of time.
Id taken aswagandha in my 40s and found it helped me to sleep .Fast forward to my mid 50s with years of unabated stress ,different outcome ????
I chose the new version KSM 66 and after a few days of only one capsule i thought i was going to die ! Woke up with pain all over my body and in complete panic ,back of legs were giving way etc etc.This had lowered my already low cortisol to a dangerous level .It was really frightening.No more aswagandha for me,i will go for a less potent adaptogen in future !
My husband has been taking it for a long time and he is so aggressive and impatient it is unreal. We can’t even stand to be around him because he is so mean. He also has restless leg syndrome and it is so bad with this stuff that he twitches every three seconds. It’s horrible and I hate what it has done to him but there is not talking to him about it because it is always our fault he is mean.
A little background, I usually don’t get upset or stressed easily, but I started taking ashwagandha about a year ago and would have times where I took it for months at a time and then run out and not use it. But, I didn’t notice anything too crazy besides a few “off days” where I just felt sad. But about a month ago I bought an extra strength bottle and took 2 pills a day totaling about 1300mg of ashwagandha a day for roughly 2 weeks. I was fine at first. But then whenever any minor inconvenience would happen I would spiral down a hole of hopelessness, wanting to cry, and suicidal thoughts. All of which don’t happen normally. I thought I had a bad mindset or actual depression. But, after a while I did some research on ashwagandha and noticed some people had the same reaction so I stopped taking it and I’m only a day without it and I feel so much better. It would also lower my sex drive and make me not want to eat anything.
Several years ago, both myself and my husband had bad reactions to Ashwagandha. My husband started taking it for Chronic Lyme, then a couple weeks later I took a dose and had a terrible reaction. My body started to feel itchy and wherever I made contact with my hand to my body swelled up (hives). I took two Benadryl and eventually the itching and swelling resolved. My husband on the other hand started to get bald patches(3) on his beard and decided to discontinue Ashwagandha to see if it was the cause. His hair grew back. We had two very different side effects and although his wasn’t serious, it was concerning.
I took Ashwagandha for brain fog for three days even though it gave me horrible headaches. I read that side effects would go away eventually. I began having horrible diarrhea every hour or few hours. It’s now been 4 days since I stopped taking it. Still affected. Hopefully it’s temporary and not long term damage.
Where to begin! I began taking ashwagandha and a CBD combination at night to try and help me sleep. Little did I know the detriment it was causing in my body. Over the course of many many months I developed a condition where my joints were aching, I was irritable, restless and everything it touted itself to be was in fact the exact opposite in my body.
I was taking an antidepressant and an anti-anxiety medication and unknowingly was poisoning myself with this combination (which I took every night for many many months). Thank you for writing this article.
I did not know it was in the nightshade family. Had I known this I would have steered steer clear from it!
Let this be a lesson to people who take antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds to be sure and do research before taking herbal remedies which could wreak toxic havoc in your body.
Hey Crow,
I had/am still having a very similar experience to you. I’ve been taking trazodone and gabapentin for anxiety and sleep, and just about 4 months ago I began taking 600mg of ashwaganda nightly.
I then added cbd because I thought it could be a beneficial add on, but then I developed some horrible symptoms – difficulty breathing, burning sensation in my body, itchiness, and pretty bad brain fog. It took me two months to figure out that it was the ashwaganda, so I discontinued it about 4 days ago, but the symptoms haven’t totally left yet.
Wondering how long it took for you to notice a remission in symptoms?
Best,
Colin
Colin,
It’s been 3 weeks since I stopped the Ashwaganda. Feeling better every day. I had severe allergy to that stuff. If you read about Ashwaganda allergies, those of us highly sensitive to it should see marketable improvement in 4-6 weeks of abstinence. Stay the course, and stay away from all members of the “Solanaceae” or deadly nightshade family. You will feel better, it just takes time and diligence to eliminate “nightshade” vegetables from m your diet,. Good luck
I’ve taken ashwagandha for a year now with a couple month break for a medical procedure. I mainly am using it for anxiety. But before I started taking it, I did a lot of research and still doing personal research which is why I stopped at this website for problems. I should get checked for any over toxicity.
However, I wanted to share some of the research I’ve done. First I found that overdosing and quality are extremely important with this supplement. A government study from the National Institute of health (division of department of health) concluded no more than 300mg once a day is needed for sleep and anxiety and takes about 4 weeks to yield noticeable improvement. For anxiety the recommended dose is 300mg x 2 per day and take 8 weeks for significant improvement.
The next problem I found is that quality is a major issue since many manufacturers cut a lot of fillers into their products. I personally went with goli gummies because goli always ranked within the top 3 best ashwagandha in every list I could find.
That said, I did notice a drop in my stress around the 6 week period. I am not sure if I’m suffering any severe side affects from this supplement because of the bad psychiatry I had last year. (I was wasn’t tampered of a medication that needs tapering and suffered severe withdrawal side affects for over a year as my brain tried to readjust the imbalances caused by it. )
I took ashwaganda on four different occasions with food–two times, two weeks apart one year, when I took it in a supplement called Protandum, and then, two times about a decade later, when I took it as an independent supplement. Each time, about two hours after injesting it, I suddenly felt nauseaus and vomited, primarily in dry heaves.
Obviously, I do not plan to take it again.
I find this blog very valuable!
I’m 74 and started taking ashwagandha about 2 months ago because I was told it works like ginseng or something similar to help prevent forgetfulness. My reaction was: I forgot pretty much everything. The only situation in which I experienced comparable symptoms was after a light narcosis (cataract surgery). Since stopping Ashwagandha, my memory has improved significantly. Of course, I can’t be sure if these “memory fluctuations” are due to my age or the medication or an interaction with my medicine (TNF-alfa-Blocker) against chronic polyarthritis. However, I would be very interested to know if anyone has had a similar experience (increasing forgetfulness) with Ashwagandha. Thank you very much!
I have had great results from ashwagandha, especially for sleep and generally feeling my spirits lifted. However I’ve recently (last 7 months) begun having unexplained leg cramping and stiffness as well as some off-balance sensations (more in lower body than in head, not dizziness). I’ve had blood and neurology tests done that mostly rule out many of the serious things (MS, PD, etc.). While I was having these tests run I took time off ashwagandha; Thinking back on it I believe my symptoms were less during that period. I’d like to learn more about this
Yes, I have felt anxiety, a sense of hopelessness, fatigue even worse than normal. Even suicidal from taking it, I will not take it any longer. Thanks for this great article it means a lot.
I felt hopeless, depressed, sad, didn’t care if I lived another day. Cried and could not control where and when If you knew me I am the sunshine and positive force in everyone I knows life. So, this was a huge and immediate reaction for me. Sorry that I could not take it. Had hoped it would help me settle at night enough to sleep good.
I found this blog after searching up “ashwaganda and increased heart rate” because that’s what’s happened after my very first dose. My sister has had great luck with it (destress and minor weight loss) so I tried the same brand but felt odd within thirty minutes: sleepy yet my heart and mind sped up. Perhaps I took too much (1500 mg, which is half what my sister takes) or perhaps it simply isn’t for me. Thanks for the information and good luck everyone.
I have been taking ashwagandha for over a month now for my stress and anxiety, i was diagnosed with wolf white Parkinson syndrome, a heart condition with a fast heartbeat. It worsen my chest pain and was experiencing severe Short of breath , i feel sometimes lightheaded , dizzy . Brain fog , didn’t feel right at all . Didn’t fell myself. Feeling detached . It was just horrible and scary feeling. I am not 100,% it is the ashwagandha but after reading the comments on this site . I am now suspected. So i stop taking it since yesterday and see if the symptoms go away. ????. I really hope it is the case .
I woke with panic attack 3 times at night. Not good for me
I am going in for a psych evaluation right now because my ppd and ppa have taken a drastic turn for the worst. I have severe panic attacks and feelings of not wanting to live anymore. It all amplified when I started ashwaghanda
Ashwagandha causes me severe headaches. I have attempted this herb on 3 separate occasions and all three times caused terrible headaches. The kind of headaches that keep you in bed because you can not function
I tried adrenal chill from can prev twice,only taking one of the two recommended pills per day. My heart raced, I had terrible night sweats, light headed giving me a feeling of being “high”. Overall, I’d say I was relaxed, however, I did not enjoy this feelings at all. Also took some time to wear off (about 24 hours and started feeling the effects about 2 hours after taking it).
The first time I took ashwagsnda it kept me up till 2 AM. I think I took it at about 11 o’clock. I did sleep well then, but the next day I woke up refreshed and then actually Buzzi like I had had coffee. I can’t drink hardly any caffeine or it keeps me up at night. But this definitely was a caffeinated buzzy feeling.. I was going a mile a minute all morning and afternoon. It, however, did not seem to have a negative impact on my sleep that night.
So then I thought that might be the effect it has on me so the next time I took it in the morning. But I emptied out half of the capsule, so I was only taking half of the amount. I was so exhausted that day I could barely function. And it never changed to the caffeinated buzzy feeling.
I took it because I’m postmenopausal, and I have a hard time sleeping. Generally, I fall asleep and then wake up in the middle of the night unable to go back to sleep.
I’ve been taking Ashwaganda for a little over a week now. I started taking it hoping to increase serotonin as I have terrible insomnia. Today was a horrible day. I’ve been depressed, crying off and on, having food cravings, and a very short temper. I’m post menopausal, so this is very atypical for me. I can only assume it’s the Ashwaganda as it’s the only new supplement I’ve started taking.
Hello, this is 4th time I accidentally got hold of Ashwagandha and have horrible reaction to it. I ordered a new coffee substitute n had no idea it contained Ashwagandha (I must get better about reading ingredients). I learned a few years ago that I cannot even get close to it, I get so violently Ill I think I might die….yes, I couldn’t catch my breath last night n asperated while throwing up, can’t stop long enough to even call for help. This is gross, but it’s so severe it’s as if I have a faucet turned on full power inside my mouth and my rectum! I even break out in sweat so bad, I realize my body is screaming “GET IT OUT!”, and it does in any manner possible! Why do I react so violently to it?
I just had a horrible night of sleep and an awful day of crashed blood sugar and lightheadedness. I’ve been feeling so good lately, I’m like what the heck is going on. Finally, I remembered that I just added Ashwagandha last week on advice of my acupuncturist because though I’ve healed a lot, I’m still struggling with high cortisol. I found this article a few others that totally explained exactly what I’ve experienced – crashed blood glucose, dizziness and shortness of breath, lightheadedness from low blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia, racing heart.
When will I ever learn to research supplements before I just start taking them!? Anyway, thanks for this article, it totally solved the mystery! I’ll be throwing these out and morning the lost $20+
I have been taking Ashwaghanda for 2 months. It’s been good and bad. I felt more energetic when I was first taking it. Now I have been getting severe fatigue during the day. I feel like I can’t keep my eyes open. I have dark urine in the morning and a dry mouth at night. I sleep much better and have not had a migraine in 2 months! I was getting them every 2 weeks… if I don’t eat on time I get the super low blood sugar issue. I am hungry all the time but I have more endurance…. Like I said, good and maybe questionable.
I took this. I had a terrible episode of vertigo, increased heart rate. I got so dizzy I thought I had a stroke and went to the hospital.
Yes I had a bad reaction to Ashwagandha, after an Ayervedic consultation to establish my doshas.
After two days taking the prescribed dose of Ashwagandha, I woke with palpitations boarding on panic attack, the last thing I needed after years of severe panic attacks.
I threw it away.
Scott Koban
I took Ashwaganda for around 2 weeks and I experienced severe abdominal bloating and pain ???? I also had mood swings and weight gain.
I believe I had a bad reaction to Ashwaganda, I felt tired all the time, I couldn’t get going in the morning, since I stopped I am more energetic, back to walking, my muscles feel more useful, and my emotions feel lighter.
Thank you for the great article and for all those who shared in the comments. I am so grateful to have found this site – I legitimately thought I was losing my mind!
My symptoms ranged erratically between dissociation, disorientation, panic at irregular times during the day, muscle tremors, intense negative self-talk, and fatigue. Had two migraines in the three weeks I had taken it and have never, ever had migraines before. As this was the only new supplement (and any dietary change of any kind) added to my regiment, I stopped taking it to see if there are any changes. It’s been four days and I am finally feeling more like myself.
I am having a reaction to it right now – do you have advice for how to flush it out of our system? I took ashwagandra 15 years ago and ended up in hospital on a constant state of panic that wouldn’t subside, but eventually did when they gave me diazepam (which I’d never taken before). This time I took a supplement (just once last night) that I didn’t realise had ashwagandra in it, but I’ve been awake all night with panic, shortness of breath and a feeling of intense restlessness and heat. Dangerous stuff? Please tell us it won’t cause lasting damage?! Thanks.
I started taking Nature Made’s Ashwagandha supplement last week: just 150 mg before bed; in the past I’ve had good experience with Goli’s Ashwagandha (contains Vit D too) helping me sleep, although I only suffer from insomnia occasionally. I’ve had bouts of diarrhea all week and last night I lied awake, with a raising heartbeat, unable to quiet my thoughts, for about 3 hours before I finally fell asleep 🙁 Going to return the supplements to the store right away!
Hi there,
Just researching now about ashwagandha as started a tonic called Rheal for menopause symptons called Balncr Tonic. I have felt like morning sickness nausea for five days with today being worst. I originally felt more energised but last week like my energy levels have plummeted like I’ve never known. I only know three people that have had supplements with ashwaganda and we’ve all had same or similar experiences. Just feel really crappy
And totally unproductive amd I’m a real whiz kid normally getting everything done
Hello, I thought it Was only me, but I see now that many suffers after taking ashwagandha. I had little stress and anxiety so my brother gave me ashwagandha. After taking it for three days my level of anxiety was much worse, close to panic attacks, my heart and chest felt strange (high heartbeat, chest pain) and I had shortness of breath.
This sounds like me, I feel like I’m allergic to many things, medications, really bad reactions. Ashwaganda made me want to literally die. Have you found anything that helps? Other herbs, diet changes etc? I’ve been suffering with severe insomnia, anxiety and depression.
After my partner died last year, someone recommended me ashwagandha. I was taking it few months and I felt better. Sleeping at night, nice vivid dreams with good topics and also through the day I felt better and levelled. Then I stopped using it as I wasn’t sure, if it’s good to take it so many months in row. Everything was ok.
Now, after say two months, I decided to start taking it again, with no reason really, just wanted to fall asleep more simple. And now effects are very weird and not good. I’m on second day and just woke up from very unpleasant and complicated dreams again (same like yesterday) – I was in really weird dimension, looked like completely different reality with own not nice laws and habits. It was so real, I believe it really exist somewhere. I felt scared and sick of it, I was all the time actually fighting for my life. I woke up with nausea and headache. I only took half of tea spoon. Yesterday night horrible dreams as well. I try lower down my dosing and if it’s not going any better I probably stop using it now. Can’t it be like ashwagandha is taking out some traumas out of me while im sleeping? Because as I feel levelled, I know, somewhere deep inside me is probably sleeping trauma from loosing my partner and all that emotions connected with it (I’m scared of future, scared I will stay alone and sometimes feel like I’m “fighting” for my life only going through the day routine) = very similar feelings and emotions which been bring by that dreams.
I took it once. Being sensitive to many medications due to low metabolism (was tested through dna) I become toxic to many chemicals.
After taking the pill, I began sneezing, heart rate increased, and felt lethargic. I’m allergic to many grasses, weeds, and mold/mildew. So, my body did not appreciate this new ingredient in my body. It may land in ine of the families of weeds I’m allergic to.
I took ashwagandha for a little over week and I started to develop a dull chest pain, lightheadedness like floating on a cloud, panic attacks when going to bed, extreme anxiety off and on throughout the day, and just in general do not feel like myself. I am completely healthy and have never had an experience like this before. I stopped taking it about 5 days ago, I still have the chest pain but not as bad and I still have feeling of extreme anxiety throughout the day. I was hoping that these symptoms would go away within a couple of days but they are still present.
I cannot take ashwagandha. I have tried it 3 times over the course of 25 years with the same results each time. I am awake all night. I mean it gives me the exact opposite of what it’s supposed to give me. I cannot wait for it to ware off. I feel jittery and wired.
Wow, now I understand what happened to me earlier. Took one pill of 400, first one from what I thought it could be a treatement for high cortizol. In about 40 minutes to one hour, I felt like fainting, rapid heart beat and feeling extremely weak. I didnt make the corelation. In about two hours again, but much severe, I thought I would faint again and my blood pressure went to 19/11/128. Althoufh I am Young and healthy. Started to shake for almost an hour, with no control. From one single pill. Felt better after I ate sugar. Now I read it can drop sugar levels abruptly, și my guess is this happened to me, yet my blood test are impecable. Take care all!
I’m having a problem with ashwaganda. I think it’s making me mean and a total bitch!! I’m not taking it ever again. I can’t even make myself be nice!! I’m staying in the bedroom alone until it wears off.
Same here I thought it was only me
I am 55. Having had relatively good health all of my life this last year I have had several issues.
Following a couple of years of indigestion (no reflux or acid that i was aware of) i was diagnosed with 1) heliobacter pylori 2) hiatal hernia 3) grade two esophagitis. I was treated with antibiotics for the bacteria and according g to the tests eliminated it
Covid on the heels of the harsh antibiotic
severe sensitivity to the sun right after the antibiotic
breathlessness and a feeling of dampness in the body after the covid
Late summer diagnos in right breast with
DCIS or prevasive intraductal cancer. By the time the were ready to operate both benign vista and the malignant one were not detectable by mamogram but the operated anyway to be sure. I could not brest when i woke up in recovery and they gave me oxygen
Following this i felt the need to go for holistic treatment to try to heal my body naturally. The therapist looked in my mouth and seeing that i had approx 10 metal fillings deemed that my health issues were most likely due to that. He told me to get them removed or i would continue to have issues. I got them removed (in a reputable facility trained to do so). I found the whole diagnosis and process anxiety inducing due to the idea of slowly poisoning myself.
I was given a detox supplement to detox my body of heavy metals and a diet. It was christmas time and i fell of the diet but kept king the supplements. I started to have eye problems. Yellowness of the eye, cloudiness, heavy eyelids, stye in right eye. I told the therapist that i felt the toxins were coming out through my eyes. He had no solution for that and changed my supplement. The new one caused me acidity.
Off late i have what feels like palpitations or high adrenaline in my system. I’ve been checked out. They said my blood pressure was a little high. Beta blockers did not help. Ansiolitic helped me sleep but i only took it twice in extreme situations because i am afraid to take them.
I got amazing relief through epsom salt bath.
I found you due to having what felt like a reaction to ashwagandha as i woke up with red swollen hands. I now see that my chest is also extremely red. I went for a short walk in the spring sun yesterday. I feel the sun sensitivity is still there.
The heart racing feeling is what most concerns me right now
Hi
Wanted to comment as I’ve suffered from sore red eyes ever since I started taking ashwaganda. I didn’t realise that it could be from these tablets but after being diagnosed with allergic conjunctivitis by my opticians and hence given prescription medicinal eyedrops there was no change in my eyes.
It suddenly dawned on me yesterday that my red eyes might be down to ashwagandha tablets that I bought the exact day I started my new job so it makes sense because it was around that time my eyes became sore and I thought it was because my eyes weren’t used to wearing contacts for such a long time in office 5 days a week, after working from home mostly after lockdowns.
And then I thought it might be the office air con but when that was reduced it still don’t improve much. I then noticed in recent days I didn’t take my vitamins and my eyes improved and yesterday I remembered to take my vitamins and supplements and then suddenly in the evening my eyes were extremely sore and sensitive and red. I’ve taken ashwagandha previously with no issues so not sure why this is giving me reactions. There’s not much online about it except one person saying they had similar. There’s definitely been an improvement since I stopped taking them but I think it will day many more days to be fully white as I was taking the tablets for nearly a month.
I’ve been taking Ashwaghanda for 10 months. It took 5 weeks for me to see the effects, and at first they were amazing. I could handle usually stressful situations like a breeze. It felt like my body just adapted to not processing stress in a way that unleashed the cortisol.. this lasted for about four months until I thought it would be okay to just stop taking it.
On the third day of not taking Ashwaghanda I felt like I had been hit by a train. Even though I wasn’t in a stressful situation or even thinking anything that would cause me to stress, it was like all the stress I was guarded from over the prior four months hit me all at once. I was trapped inside a body crippled with stress. Could hardly walk, I saw black spots, my period started three weeks early. Horrifying.
I took up Ashwaghanda again straight away and decided to gradually back off it once I felt ready. But I’ve never felt ready. Since the initial stress overload I’ve had a mostly constant headache, waves of anxiety, and insomnia.
I have tried halving the dosage three times and each time I experience these side effects more strongly. I’m in constant fear that I will have happen to me what happened the first time I stopped all together.
The hardest thing is I’m actually okay in my mind, it’s my body that is struggling with what feels like a chemical imbalance. I work out often, feed myself healthy foods, don’t smoke or do drugs.
I went to a GP today to ask for help and he said he couldn’t. He said he could only refer me to a psychiatrist for something like this. Kept saying withdrawal like I was a drug addict. Dismissed me like I was a crazy drug addict..
And here I am. About to spend the next two hours trying to find a pressure point in my head to try and switch it off before I can eventually get a couple of hours sleep..
How did you get on in the end? Two years ago I took 6grams a day of Ashwagandha in powder form. This was recommended on the pack to treat anxiety. I took for 3 months and then stopped abruptly as I felt fatigued. One month later I developed the following: tremor arms and legs, tremors in face. Twitching allover incl my toungue, burning muscle/nerve pain, depression, increased anxiety, insomnia, drooling at night whilst asleep. 18 months on and I still have the symptoms. Had ct scan, mri scan, blood tests, nerve and muscle tests, endoscopy. All came back normal. Could this be caused by the ashwagandha? I’m stuck I this situation. This has destroyed a 21 year marriage and caused financial distress as I can’t work like before
Regards Malcolm
Best view i have ever seen !
Had 1 dose of 600mg Ashwaganda, hoping for a calming effect after a day of intense work and exercise. It doesn’t help me calm down at all. It makes me moody and feeling empty and annoyed towards my girlfriend. Definite no for me.
After taking one glass of water mixed with ashwagandha powder i ended up in hospital where taken by emergency aid. Incredible violent reaction vomiting and diarrhea . Terrible experience. This is he second time that it happened to me in 4 years. First time i took vitamin cocktail which contained obviously the same ingredient. Both times they where fighting for my life.
I took Ashwagandha capsules from Bulk. I took them for seven days, and on the third I developed a headache. I stopped taking them after four days of headache (7 days in). I’ve now had a headache which ebbs and flows constantly from a dull ache at the base of my skull, to close to a migraine. I’ve had the headache for two weeks, and I’m arranging to speak to my GP.
I have had a 25+ year fight with ANXIETY disorder, PTSD MMD. I am now retired ICU /VA mental health RN. I have weaned from all Rx except Klonpin 1 mg on very rare occasion. I started ashwagandha to help with insomnia and anxiety. Unfortunately severe anxiety insomnia then depression. Also gut problems, no motivation and anorexia developed in 3-4 weeks. I stopped my psychiatrist at his agreement 3 months ago. I really want to stay off pharmaceuticals. I’d appreciate your input. Thank you
I took Ashwagandha for 1 month, in a powdered form that I mixed with yogurt. Last week I ended up in Emergency with a racing heart (130 to 165 bpm continuously). After a myriad of tests, the Dr diagnosed me with Hypertyroidism as my thyroid hormones were completely out of whack. As the doctor was leaving the room, he turned around and said, “You’re not by chance taking any sort of Chinese herbal supplement are you?” I was stunned. ‘“No”, I said, “But I am taking an Indian herbal supplement!”. It never dawned on me to mention this during the intake. He told me to stop immediately, and that they are seeing more and more cases of negative reactions to non-approved supplements.
When I returned home and began reading about the potential negative side effects of Ashwagandha, my symptoms match up exactly with thyrotoxicosis caused by Ashwagandha. Although not overly common, there are medical journal articles on this very thing.
I’m currently on a medication to lower my heart rate as we wait for the Ashwagandha to leave my system. 7 days in, and heart is still a bit high. The Doctor is delaying any further testing for Hyperthyroidism as he thinks it’s related to the herbal supplement and we are giving it a few weeks and will test my thyroid levels again. I’m so disappointed with myself. I researched Ashwagandha quite extensively, but only saw what I wanted to see. Lesson learned.
Good to see that people are waking up to the dangers of Ashwagandha.
In 2019/20, I used the KSM66, Sensoril and Shoden varieties with enthusiasm due to the hype.
At first, Ash really made me feel stronger and more confident. However, I soon came to realise this ‘confidence’ was actually due to me having become more numb – numb to anxiety, fear and over-thinking, but also numb to excitement, pleasure and enjoyment.
I am still on my road to recovery, and thankfully there is a large active community dedicated to reversing the effects.
Many of these effects are shared by sufferers of ‘PSSD’ – post SSRI sexual dysfunction. The hypothesis is that Ash exerts a powerful effect on the body’s serotonergic signalling, which may eventually result in a ‘de-sensitising’ of these pathways.
Also, Ash’s effects on the body’s serotonergic system may also impact on changes to the gut microbiome, which for me has resulted in SIBO related symptoms.
Of course Ash may not have acted alone in this, and many lifestyle factors may contribute, but Ash has certainly played a primary role.
I’ve been taking nature Life Labs 2100 mg ashwagandha twice a day once in the morning and once at night. I’m starting to notice lightheadedness when I move my head certain ways. Is this a reaction to the ashwagandha? Is nature Life Labs a good brand to be using? Is 2100 mg three times a day as stated on the bottle and accurate dosage?
I took this for a week and started having pain while urinating .
Stopped taking it and within three days no more pain while urinating .
Could this also be a bad side effect of taking Force Factor Amazing Ashwa ?
I took it for 3 days only then frst day i feel good, body was quite warm, sexually performing good but next to next it reduced my sleep its my 3rd day being less sleepy, ,i have stopped it ,as it is causeing INSOMNIA to me
I will advices one thing if you are past patient of depression, anxiety never take it, it may reintroduce ur past .
I suffer from p t s t from combat in iraq and afghanistan. My mood at best is stable most times. I suffer from nightmares too. For a while there ashwaganda was actually helping my nightmares go away. But then after long term taking of it my mood started changing, my bowl movements started changing. It has increased my anxiety and my depression. I feel like i’m back to square one when I was just trying to figure out my medications to get my mood stable.
Ashwagandha gives me headaches. I’ve come across other people experiencing the same.
Hello, I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and am extremely sensitive to nightshades. I heard the hype about ashwagandha and relaxation so I bought a carbonated water that contained this. I started to have a can a day for about 3-4 days and had brain fog. I was very out of it. I felt floaty and lost all day and thought to myself that the only thing I had was this new water. I stopped drinking it and my symptoms stopped. Little did I know that this was a nightshade. When I first googled it, it comes up as an adaptogen, I had to search harder and finally got lucky and found that it’s a nightshade. My symptoms then made sense. I should have researched more at first but it was getting so much hype without saying nightshade that I didn’t think twice about trying it.
I started taking ashwagandha due to anxiety. Note – I also have bouts of severe IBS. When I first started taking it (daily) I slowly noticed stomach pain, but due to waves of IBS, I assumed it was another flare up. It was just a constant stomachache, and underlying nausea daily. I went on vacation and forgot the ashwagandha……so I hadn’t taken it in about a week when I took one at night in hopes for some anxiety relief. Almost exactly 2 hours later, I became the sickest I have EVER been. Extreme dizziness, violent vomiting and diarrhea, blacking out, it was awful, and went on for hours. I am not a dramatic person, but I was so sick I considered having my husband take me to the ER. I could not stand and could not go longer than 10 minutes without another episode. I was weak for days after this. Unfortunately, I did not link it to the ashwagandha. About a week and a half later I decided to start taking it again, and the EXACT same thing happened again, exactly 2 hours after I took it. It was honestly terrifying. It goes without saying, I have never and will never take it again.
Definitely Insomnia!!
Increased body temperature to 98.8.
Allergic reaction made my eyes swollen and itchy
Cause erection deficiency for sure!
But it boost my energy like crazy I could exercise three times as much as I would normally do
And this is on a single pill of 600 mg per day.
The very first time that I took Ashwagandha, within 2 hours I suddenly felt a strong buzz in the left side of my body from hand to foot, and I couldn’t walk straight.
My left lower leg wanted to turn inward as I was trying to keep my balance to walk.
It took about 5 minutes for the buzz to disappear but felt strange on the left side for about an hour or so. I haven’t taken it since. The
Took Ashwagandha for 3 months, I kept waiting to feel leveled out but it just made me sleepy with a low grade dull headache. I did feel less stress, but I think because I was too tired to feel anything else ???? I stopped taking it 3-4 days ago and I can tell my body is going to take some time to adjust. The only benefit was sleep came so easy, I could sleep any time. I hated it.
My husband takes it before bed, he doesn’t have the same problems I have with it. He loves it for sleep.
I just recently started taking ashwagandha because I’ve had extreme stress that I’ve never before experienced so bad. I was diagnosed with panic disorder about 3-4 years ago, and have overcome it for the most part except for when I’m extremely stressed. I started these supplements to help with this, but it seems like it’s just worse. I have intense brain fog and I’m getting tired so easily. I nearly had a panic attack at an orientation today, which hasn’t happened in a while. I almost feel high like i can’t drive. I’m not sure whether to keep taking it and see if it gets better or stop. I just want the stress to go away.
Hello I’ve been taking 1300 mg
a day and I started feeling that I was getting very dry mouth and i would cough alot almost like choking and I said to myself the only thing I’m taking is ashwagandha so I stopped taking it and it’s been 2 days already and I haven’t cough and my mouth isn’t dry nomore so know I only feel like palpation in my anul I think is because of the pill of the strength I would do to cough cause of my dry mouth
Hi yes I’ve had very bad side effects from ashwaghanda. I’m very sensitive and after broke up with my boyfriend I was feeling very sad and depressed and I read ashwaghanda can help with low mood. Unfortunately I experienced side effects of taking it and my blood pressure dropped and blood sugar I almost fainted and the other day I felt so fatigued, dumb and like on some high and I couldn’t do anything during my day and I just went to sleep. So I will not recommend taking it at all. Not for sensitive people I assume.
I suffer from Long Covid and have Fibromyalgia and chronic pain I started taking Ashwaganda and noticed that my joints hurt more. It was then I rechecked my diet and found it to be in the nightshade family. Needless to say, done taking it.
I started taking it because I’m in Florida I live in NY and I could not get my medicine for anxiety and depression. I’m good after it goes thru my system but when I first take it, I get sensitivity to the sunlight a headache, nausea and diarrhea. I think I need to take less to be honest cause the next day I’m ok I don’t know what’s happening and if I should stop or let my body get used to it
I have copper toxicity after having copper UID for 10 years and ashwaganda definitely didn’t work for me.I took 2 tablets of ashwaganda in spaces od time and on each occasion I experienced similar symptoms..drowsiness, headache, diarohhea all day, nausea but also adrenal pain that happened a few hours after taking this herb, waking up with palpitations, sweating like crazy and even thou I took the tablet around midday following day I was feeling totally exhausted , sleepy and lacked any energy to function properly.Im not going to take Ashwaganda no more as it definitely doesn’t seem to be in alignment with my body
I have ulcerative colitis. I took Ashwaganda concentrated capsules for 2 days and am still feeling the effects. Sharp abdominal cramping and pain, sometimes accompanied with nausea. Similar to symptoms of a flare up without the washroom frequency. It has been a week and am hoping ot subsides. Feeling very bloated and raw inside.
I started taking ashwaganda about 2 weeks ago, before bed. I took it to help with my sleep. I have had the WORST sleep. I never fall into a deep sleep and keep waking up. It almost feels like I am “speeding”. At first I thought maybe 2 capsules were too much, so I cut back to one. Nope, last night was my last ashwaganda! The only reason I took it is because everything I read said it helped with sleep and I couldn’t find anything saying it could cause an adverse affect. I just found your article after another crappy night sleep!
Long story short, I have a long history of treatment resistant depression, complex grief, PTSD, anxiety and ADHD. I found out I was extremely low on a number of key vitamins and began taking prescribed regimens. My sister had vitamin patches and suggested I try them as well. I started them and did not realize they also included ashwaghanda. The only way I can describe it is I soon started frightening having thoughts/premonition type feelings that I would soon die and severe insomnia as well as hallucinations. I do feel that I have some sort of underlying issue that is causing all of my symptoms and vitamin deficiencies and would love to hear your thoughts. My mental health has taken a deep decline and is impacting my physical and social well being greatly and I am now 42. I would love to regain my life before it is too late as this had cost me a great deal this far. Thank you.
I took ashwagandha for over a month, with initially no problems. It helped my anxiety, and though I knew it was bubbling under the surface, it allowed me some relief from the fatigue caused by constant anxiety. However, it is now causing extreme diarrhoea. I stopped taking it for a few days, and everything went back to normal. Then took one tablet and within 6 hours, same effect, with added nausea. I will now stop taking it entirely, which is a shame as I thought I had found a good support for my anxiety.
Hi just reading your article as I have taken ashwandha on and off but I can’t say I have felt better with it.
I have C677T on my methylation gene and even activated b’s make me jittery.
I haven’t felt normal for the last 10 years since breast cancer and going through menopause when having treatment just this nervous anxiety all of the time tried most health supplements but still get hot flushes.
I did the Dutch urine testing and my estrogen was on the floor my methylation pathways were good.
I have took b vitamins for years too scared not to get the right amount of b’s I need for methylation.
Spent a fortune on health therapists health supplements nothing changed through all of it
I had my first ever dose of ashwaghanda on Wednesday evening. About an hour later I started to feel nauseous and a couple of hours later started puking. Yesterday I spent the day being hot and cold tingling all over. Last night I had really vivid complicated dreams. I ate some toast this morning and puked it up accompanied by a really bad headache. And then about two hours later I felt much better. I still feel a bit battered but oh so much better. I’ve not been anywhere near someone with a tummy bug, the rest of my family have eaten the same things I did without any impact. We live very rurally so it’s easy to say these things with confidence. The only difference is I also had some ashwagandha. So I maybe clutching at straws but maybe not?
Al 5 giorno di assunzione che sarebbe oggi sono stato veramente in uno stato pietoso, ansia, estrema sonnolenza, attacchi di panico esperienza terribile, alla mattina risvegli difficili specifico che sono in cura con xanax da 6/7 anni in concomitanza esperienza da non riprovare mai più
On the 5th day of taking it, which would be today, I was really in a pitiful state, anxiety, extreme sleepiness, panic attacks, terrible experience, difficult awakenings in the morning, specifically that I have been on xanax for 6/7 years in conjunction with an experience never to be tried again.
Hello!
I ordered “ Magnesium, New Chapter Magnesium + Ashwagandha Supplement, 2.5X Absorption, Muscle Recovery, Heart & Bone Health, Calm & Relaxation, Gluten Free, Non-GMO”. I started taking the 18th feb. I’m on paraoxetine for anxiety also, for years.
I feel I’m having a bad reaction to the supplement. I may be wrong but the timing seems to make sense. Feeling extremely anxious, depressed, extra clammy/sweaty, irritated. Been reading up about reactions and came across yours.
I took 2 at night and It helped me sleep but the next morning this caused deep depression and anxiety attack. This was on 2 different mornings with a break between.
I don’t see where I can post a comment, so I’ll reply to this one, especially since I relate to it!! When I first began taking Ashwaganda, it seemed to help with my anxiety and sleep. On the second week, it didn’t seem as helpful anymore and I stopped taking it as much. On to the third week, my anxiety was worsening so I decided to try it again. I feel like lately I’m getting the symptoms the article mentioned; nausea, more stomach problems, more anxiety and depression. I’m so glad I saw this article.
I also don’t see where to reply so:
While i have taken ashwaganda in the past with no noticeable side effects, i just bought some powdered organic ashwaganda, and putting in a jar the fine powder billowed out and i could smell it and it made me feel nauseous and within 5-10 mins I started vomiting… which is why i looked up this subject. I think i will just get rid of it… if that little makes me vomit, it’s not for me.
PS, I very rarely vomit, maybe once a decade.
I had a very similar experience, I had taken it around 9am because I was feeling anxious this was calm by hum brand. Maybe an hour later I felt like my body had a vibration, rapid heartbeat and extreme anxiety/panic. So terrifying I didn’t take it again and have not experienced anxiety like that since.
I don’t see where I can comment either so I will do the same.
I have recently tried Ashwaganda and it has been helpful. What was wrong is the dosage. Once I greatly reduced the dosage it was fine.
I use a tincture. It is indeed powerful and I believe that one must find the dosage that works best for one’s body.
I think it’s wonderful herb but after a few doses and finally a huge dose of it straight under the tongue my side hurt & I was having horrible gas. I think I need to taper off for awhile
I’ve been taking alpha greens which has ashwagandha in it for almost two weeks. I was just taking ashwagandha before that though and had to stop. After a few days of taking just the ashwagandha I noticed a persistent headache, low motivation and probably worst of all it makes me pretty irritable. I am much less tolerable to things that bother me and they set me off noticeably quicker. Whether that be a good thing or a bad thing I am unsure of. I’ve always been a very passive person. Not since ashwagandha though. A good thing I noticed was that I do sleep much better and wake up feeling refreshed. I suffer from ibs and Alpha Greens has worked miracles for me in that department. I just wish they would drop the ashwagandha or offer an alternative without it. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone handles it well.
I’m glad to have found this post. I just started taking Ashwagandha leaf juice Monday, didn’t take it Tuesday but did again on Wed and Thur. The itching started Wed night and getting raised red spots that I thought were bug bites. I have a cat and thought we were infested by fleas, checked him head to toe. No fleas (and I hadn’t found any on me or seen anything biting me. At that point I thought I was going crazy. Topical Benadryl did absolutely no good, so I started hunting online. It’s sad, but also comforting to see that there are others going through similar symptoms. Like many others have commented the itching is worse at night. I have limited mobility and even with proper diet have been unable to lose weight, so this was part of a recommended Ayurvedic juice to assist with my much needed weight loss. Unfortunately, I have several bottles of the juice and will not be able to return them. I hope the itching stops soon 🙁
I started using it for a week, and unfortunately I’m feeling mental dullness, lack of clarity and not sharp which is unfortunate because I think I’m sleeping better but I have to stop because I can’t work properly while feeling mentally drained like this
My pharmacist suggested I try Ashwagandha to reduce stress and insomnia. Three separate doses of 500 mg sent me spiraling into a weepy, depressive state. It’s been years since I’ve felt this “dark”. No more for me.
I took it 2 nights in a row and experienced hallucinations both nights. I will NEVER touch this again.
I took ashwagandha for the first time and my throat started to close up, it felt like I was getting a sore throat but more like a closing. thank God I only took one chewable from CVS Pharmacy and I am returning them first thing in the morning. And taking an antibiotic to help fight this whatever reaction is im feeling. Beware of ashwagandha hype.
Thank you for this article. I thought I was going crazy. My ND put me on a cortisol manager, which included 500 mg of Ashwagandha and Magnolia bark. Consequently, a week after being put on it, I experienced hot flashes and tachycardia at night, with adrenal dumps that were so hard in the morning that I could barely function and would dry heave. Without a full night of sleep, I became more anxious and depressed. I have visited a cardiologists, a MD and an integrative medicine person and none of them caught this.
I have stopped this dosing today and will be detoxing and hoping that all of this goes away. It’s been over two months. Thank you for everyone that shared.
I couldn’t figure out my tachycardia. My heart has been racing and I can’t get it to come down. Today I had an episode of dizziness, shakiness… likely low blood sugar. I’m glad I read this, I’m done with ashwaganda after reading all of this!
I started taking 500 mg pill before bed since a few days ago, and it helped me fall asleep faster, sleep longer and feel more awake and fresh in the morning when I get up. On the other side, I have elevated heart rate and elevated fatigue.
I’m an athlete so the sleep is important to me. I had trouble with waking up in the night and not falling asleep again, especially during competitions (which is 3-6 days for me), But I don’t know if the elevated heart rate and fatigue will lead to bad consequences on my performance.
Any suggestions?
Sorry for my English.
Try Primal Sleep its all natural and it works well.
I took Ashwaganda 8 years ago. And I remember it like it was yesterday. I became horrifically ill. I began vommitting having seizures and my skin began to peel off. This was back in the 80’s and when I went to the hospital they though I had aids. I walked in on my son the other day smoking it out of his bong. I only let him do natural herbs like Marijuana. And I had a long talk with him about the effects these kinds of things have on your body.
I took Ashwaganda 8 years ago. And I remember it like it was yesterday. I became horrifically ill. I began committing having seizures and my skin began to peel off. This was back in the 80’s and when I went to the hospital they though I had aids. I walked in on my son the other day smoking it out of his bong. I only let him do natural herbs like Marijuana. And I had a long talk with him about the effects these kinds of things have on your body.
The herb did the opposite things of what the proponents claim it would do. I became more insomniac, weak, have brain fog, etc. I thought my body needed to adapt since today is my 4th day and, now that I know the thing is not for everybody, I will not take it again.
Strange, seems to work for me and obviously everyone is different. I haven’t slept well since 0ct 16 of 2022 when I went to the hospital with stress, high BP and elevated heat rate and since then, I’ve had a hard time sleeping or staying sleep soundly. Plus my stress and anxiety levels soared. Been taking two Gogi Ashwagandha gummies, MAX, a day and have my stress and anxiety levels are nonexistent, my BP and heart rate is awesome and I’m taking no other meds, only regular vitamins. I use to take Ollys melatonin extra strength which worked maybe 20% of the time with sleep. I also tried Feals Cbd full spectrum med strength which was slightly more effective. Goli works for me thus far but I’ll update if it changes.
I don’t see how some people can have opposite results. I just started taking it and my only issue is that it only knocks me out for about 2 hours and then I wake up and can’t get back to sleep. The fact that I fall asleep so easily makes me wonder if the amount is off . Just one pill has 700 mg . Too much, too less ? I don’t know.
I’ve been taking the same ones for over a year now, along with my levothyroxine. The past week, my heart rate is now elevated even at rest, and I feel like I’ve went from hypo to hyper which I found can happen when taking ashgwanda. Keep a close eye out on your heart rate.
I was actually surprised when I woke up alive this morning, not exaggerating at all!
I’m 59 years old and on zero meds, alcohol, or drugs. My daughter bought some Ashwagandha gummies for her Anxiety, insomnia, etc. She thought it might help me with my insomnia, so she gave me one gummy. It was the biggest mistake! A couple of hours later, after eating, I suddenly felt sick and began vomiting. This progressed to the point that I could barely catch my breath, vomiting for hours on end, heaving every last bit of bile and dry heaving all night. I was having extreme diarrhea while also vomiting. I was sweating profusely and shivering at the same time also. It has been 24 hours and I am still having a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and weakness with nausea. I lost 9 pounds in one night! I didn’t even know that was possible. I must be highly allergic or something, but PLEASE BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS WITH THIS.
Note: My daughter has had no issue with it for two weeks.
I appreciate the time and effort you put into creating this resource
This stuff has really had a horrible effect on my system .
1. Fatigue
2.exhaustion
3.depression
5. Mind fog & serious confusion
6.anxiety thru the roof
7.paranoia
8 . Sleeplessness
9. Elevated heart rate
10 . Negative emotions
11. Bad temper
12. irritability
13. Intense headaches
Never again will I touch this stuff , this is a full on toxic reaction!!!!!
Thanks this is happening to me and it is my second day so i decided…… ok now i know side effects and the product will go to the trash can or better yet down the drain!
Thanks 4 your information.
I basically had all of the bad experiences you mentioned from this substance. Anhedonia, falling to sleep fast but waking up 4 hours later unable to sleep more, severe depression with suicidal thoughts, lack of motivation, low energy, no desire to enjoy life anymore… I think this substance must be approached with extreme caution. My wife took it once and said she felt like she didn’t want to be in her body, the same extreme discomfort she had when stopping nursing.
I would be interested in your thoughts on tongkat Ali; that is the new substance raved for increasing testosterone and energy. Andrew Huberman raves about it. Once I stabilize from quitting the Ashwaganda I may try it. I’m going to be careful though because I took this Ashwaganda for almost a year and I don’t think I even realized how much it was hurting me until I recently stopped and feel much better
Hi this has happened to me after taking it one day, fever of 104… I will never ever take it again
I was taking Ashwagandha for 6 days 2 gummies a day, one in the morning one in the evening. Felt great! No anxiety, reduced stress, better mental focus along with some other benefits. Yet yesterday I took my second gummie and just felt like my anxiety was bumbling at the surface but my body wouldn’t let it out if that makes sense. I later then started having minor brain fog, I went to the gym later on and felt massive fatigue and weakness, then got to the point of a panic attack and had to leave. I later calmed and went to bed and had minimal sleep. I haven’t taken any today but I have huge amounts of brain flog, lack of concentration and anxiety. Are these withdrawals? How long does this last? And how long does Ashwagandha stay in your system?
DO NOT TAKE ASHWAGANDA! I WAS SERVED PAPERS FOR AN ARREST
I TOOK THIS AT BEDTIME BECAUSE I WAS UNDER EXTREME STRESS FROM MY SON HAVING A CANCER DIAGNOSIS OF MELANOMA
I WOKE UP WITH WILD HALLUCINATIONS , I HAD THE MOST VIVID DREAM THAT HE SAID HE WAS COMING AFTER ME WITH A RIFLE. I WOKE UP IN A PANIC I WAS KNOCKING ON MY NEIGHBORS DOOR THAT HE HAD A RIFLE AND I RAN INTO HIS HOUSE SHAKING
HE HAD ME ARRESTED FOR BREAKING AND ENTERING
NOW IM GOING TO COURT AND POSSIBLY JAIL
I forgot to add I was dreaming about my boyfriend coming after me with a rifle
If you look on memorial Sloan Kettering web site under ashwaganda it states adverse side effects of this herb is hallucinogenic
Sorry but I must add this
I am 69 years old and never in my life was I ever convicted of a crime or even a dui
Never had hallucinations, until I took ashwaganda squeakie clean my entire life!
Only three days in but so far have only negative side effects. I have severe ME/CFS so I have a long list of symptoms already but it has heightened some of them. I initially wanted to try ashwagandha to lower my stress levels and help aid sleep (I have tried A LOT of sleep meds in the past but am trying to go down the more ‘natural route’)
So far:
Taking even longer to get to sleep, alert before sleep
More vivid distressing dreams
Higher HR and stress levels during the day and night (according to Garmin watch and I can feel it)
increased headaches and nausea
Increased IBS symptoms
Increased itchiness and fuzziness
Increased sneezing and congestion
Increased brain fog
Increased irritability and restlessness
Judging by a lot of these comments I’m guessing this likely isn’t for me but I was wondering if anyone persevered and saw results? As painful as it is, I don’t want to give up too quickly as I know things can take time to work, though with no positive effects at all so far it might be the only option.
I also had a really bad response. I had a couple of herbal drinks that had Ashwagandha. I had a full blown panic attack. My anxiety was so extreme. I will never take it again. Very bad experience
I took ashwagandha 3 times… because I really wanted to benefit from the results people rave about. Unfortunately, in all 3 occasions I broke into a sweat and within an hour git very sick with non stop diarrhea and vomiting. I’d really want to know why.
I’ve had a fever 104 I am praying it ends soon, I only took it once and never again
I just bought a bottle of supposedly the most potent and concentrated (Goli; whose products are honestly amazing) and let me tell you, they weren’t joking. (Everyone eats at least one extra gummy because they taste too good)
I only had the three, dosage called for two…..I just got home from the hospital.
My entire abdomen swelled so bad it was nearly breaking the skin and started to bruise even. Tender painful abdominal distention. It swoll so bad that at the emergency room they immediately ordered an ultrasound and CT scan thinking that I may have ruptured my appendix or had gallbladder stones. The Sonographer pointed out my intestines were so swollen that I had bowels “trapped” in between all the “inflammation of the likes that I have never seen” said the Dr.
it is potent and people should be let know. They had me drink pure prune juice and as much water as I could stand and eventually it gave way. The pain was relieved by lying on my back and alternating ice and heat. My lab work came back a mess. And I’m a healthy guy who had la work just two weeks ago and it was perfect.
The dr thought it was pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis and immediately they took my vitals thinking I could go into insulin shock any moment.
Never again. Good riddance.
I was bit by a tick 3 1/2 yrs ago that developed the bullseye rash. I went to the doctor the next morning as the bite woke me up in the middle of the night and the tick was still there, with the bullseye apparent. I was given serious antibiotics that destroyed my gut. As part of a detox and gut rebuilding I took ashwagandha, ginger, tumeric and others for 6 weeks. I took a break and about 6 months later decided to do it again as I was feeling pretty crappy. It almost killed me. I should have called 911 but wasnt thinking clearly. My body poured out of every opening, sweat pouring, dizzy. I laid in the tub and continued to pour out and vomit until I passed out. When I woke up, I showered in my clothes just to be able to get them off. I am autoimmune (AR) now and just found out ashwagandha is a nightshade which is a no no for autoimmune. Now Im wondering if my antibiotics werent I have alpha gal syndrome? I am allergic to many meats and 20+ other things with cross reactuvity.
The doctors have treated me so horribly over the years and yet Im still sick as a dog and can no longer even work. Hmmmm
Look into mcas
I started taking Ashwaganda a couple of weeks ago due to my anxiety (a result of grief, depression and quite difficult time I am having for almost three years).
At first it seemed Ashwaganda helped me with the anxiety and all the stress, however about 4 days ago I started feeling even more anxious, worried, depressed even though the overall situation I am in hasn’t changed.
I don’t know whether it’s the herb or I am experiencing any extra anxiety on my own. I also have less energy, fatigue and my mind is racing.
I have decided to stop using it.
Same thing happened to me.
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, I started Ashwaganda and I felt jittery and couldn’t sleep and I felt like my body was trembling and I couldn’t concentrate at all.
I took Ashwaganda for about a month at night in a supplement that mixed the Ashwaganda and Melatonin .
I developed hives on my back and sides with a few on my arms .
The hives on my back and side itched tremendously and were accompanied by redness and extremely intense itching .
I am now totally stopping the Ashwaganda supplement and will drink a lot of water on a daily basis and apply hydrocortisone cream until the hives clear up.
Notably I went on vacation for about seven days and didn’t take the Ashwaganda with me .
The hives and itching totally cleared up .Now on returning and taking the Ashwaganda for three nights the hives have almost totally returned.
More indication that the Ashwaganda is the problem!!
I dont take ashwaganda often but i have a deathly fear of doctors and dentists I tend to have panic attacks. The other day I had to get a crown and so I took two tablets, now that i do the math was about 1000 mg. I gave it time to kick in and I got so sick and could not focus. I went to the dentist got got my thing done then vomited all evening. It’s safe to say I will probably just cope with my anxiety in other ways from not on.
Omg so glad i found this article! I took some mixed with vitamins…woke up at 2 am with vertigo,was sweating,vomitting,felt like crap for 2 weeks after. For 2 weeks i could barely founction,had headaches,was drowsy. And i never though it could be the supplements i took 🙁
Women please becareful as ashwagandha increase testesterone .
Also it can messed with thyroid.
I started taking Ashwaganda about a week ago based on the positive reviews and haven’t been myself. I don’t eat like used to and have to force myself to eat so I don’t starve. The biggest issue I have is with it contributing to sexual dysfunction. I’m not sure about why but have noticed sexual issues since taking it. I’m going to stop taking it and just stick to L Theanine. I’m hoping I will get back to normal.
I’m in the same boat. I was taking every other day before a workout and it did wonders for stamina and I felt great. Also curbed my appetite as well. I was shredding weight
Side effects lots of gastrointestinal issues then ED happened. I stopped taking it 3 months ago and gastrointestinal issues cleared up but still have ED
Just took ashwa over the counter chews for the first time, can’t stop vomiting. This happened when I tried relaxaim sleep as well. Dangerous though package says all natural. Be ware!
I started taking a variety of Vitamins 1.5 weeks ago which included ashwaganda. Since then I’ve had extremely low energy, incredible brain fog, heightened anxiety, and today, a headache. Like many others commenting on here, I’m not sure Ashwaganda is the right supplement for me.
Anyone experienced elevated liver enzymes while taking Ash? I’ve NEVER had abnormal blood work, until my most recent labs. All other levels are normal, except liver enzymes. Only thing I’ve done different is the Ash. I’ve only been taking it for a few weeks. Dr. thinks my results could be a lab error, but the more I researched, the more journals I’m finding that relate liver damage to Ash. use.
The Ashwagandha pills gave me abdominal pain for most of the day and diarrhea for a couple of days. I was also slightly dizzy. I only took one pill as I was not sure of the effect that it would have on me.
I experienced sexual dysfunction too taking Ashwaghanda for about 2 months. I had little interest in sex whereas I did before. I stopped the ashwaghanda and my sex drive came back shorty after stopping it. Then I took it one day for stress and it made my brain feel slow. I think I should just not take it. I thought it was helping with my overall stress but I’m not so sure now. Definitely causes a lack sexual interest.
I’m very surprised to see such negative reactions to ashwangandha… I’ve never heard of it doing anything like that before. I have been taking ksm66 for about a week… I must admit I feel less anxious (although not after reading this article!) And have had no gastro issues at all which I am massively prone to. BUT I can’t sleep properly for the last 4 days. I wake loads of times in the night which is very odd considering it is supposed to help with that. To be fair I don’t know it os the fault of ashwangandha… I am also premenstrual but it is very weird. I actually just took a capsule again now but maybe tomorrow I should avoid it and see how I sleep…
Wow was googling on the side effects as I had it worst!
On and off taking it for 2 months.
Within that 2 months, I had random fatigue,weakness, mild anxiety and depression that I just blame it on hormone as I already have pcos. But I did wondered as it never happened that bad before
After taking it for 2 mths, I guess it had build up to the max, thats when I felt ill and drunk and feeling I can pass out anytime. Rushed to ER, my BP was 90/60!! Thats horrible because mine always 120/70. Stop taking it straight away. BP back to normal after 3 days stopping it. Mental health and others back to normal after 8 days. While in withdrawal, I notice some breathing problems.
I also had period problems that I just relate after reading some comments!
While on Ash, I had longer and shorter crazy cycle that again I blame it on pcos and ageing but never had this crazy before.
Now my period is still
messed up, hope it will get better.
Ash is posion for me. regret it.
I took ir originally just to improve my 5 hrs sleep wish to have 8 hrs. Its ok now I take my 5 hrs sleep!
Thanks for sharing. A few times I have felt like I was going to pass out. My blood pressure is low to begin with. My appetite was affected too. Ate just because it was time to. My husband was concerned that I didn’t want to eat. I am not over weight. Again thank you for sharing.
Hi Lina.
I am on day 4 if taking Ash and decided to look into my symptoms only to fall upon this page and your comment. Although my symptoms have not been horrible I started 2 nights ago having sleeping problems, racing mind, anxiety, possibly some mild hallucinations and I want to say I may have even gained some weight as I feel…bigger. my husband has also expressed difficulty sleeping, some strange “dreams” and shortness of breath particularly night.
Anyway, besides our common side effects, the reason I am commenting specifically to you is that I fell upon Ashwaganda while looking into a herbal supplement for my daughter and her issues as she has had an adverse reaction to the birth control pill to which she was taking to help with monthly symptoms as well as hormonal acne. What I read about Ash wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for my daughter but it did sound like an option for some concerns I was having so I purchased it and continued surfing the net and investigating the options. In my search I came across 2 supplements which mentioned great success with PCOS. The first one being NAC or
N-acetyl Cysteine which has claims to have had “better improvement in clinical, biochemical and hormonal profile than Metformin in PCOS patients”, and the second one being Vitex Chaste Berry which had some good reviews on Amazon.
Anyway, by no means am I a doctor or anyone close to such, just a girl that has put in a lot of hours researching these 2 online as I am very cautious as to what I want my daughter taking.
I purchased both of these with the intention of trying the Chasteberry for her first. The NAC had many other health benefits that I plan on trying myself in the meantime and will have on hand in case the Chasteberry fails to help with her issues.
She has yet to take the Chasteberry as I want her to go another few weeks off the pill before introducing something new to her system so I’m unable to comment on any pros or cons. I just thought I would share this information in case you were at a loss and looking for new leads for relief. I suffered with endometriosis up until a recent hysterectomy. I wish I had heard of these supplements years ago as I would have given anything to find some help with my symptoms and with infertility issues.
I wish you much luck and good health.
My wife and I went out to dinner for my birthday to a popular seafood restaurant. The very next day, my wife became terribly sick. Food or water would not stay down and she had explosive diarrhea and vomiting. She could barely walk because she was so weak. We thought she had food poisoning from dinner the night before. She got slightly better after a day and a half and she was much better after about 3 or 4 days.
A few days later, she walked into my office holding a vitamin bottle and said “I don’t think I had food poisoning, I think it was this” and she handed me a bottle of Ashwagandha. Sure enough, she took another dose and became violently ill again with the exact same symptoms. My poor wife now had to battle this for a second time within a week.
This is a terrible supplement! I read the bottle and there were no warnings at all. She had a severe reaction with just one 450mg capsule. Reading through this article and comments, it seems there are many different types of reactions to this supplement from high anxiety, depression, palpitations, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, extreme fatigue.
She is finally sleeping now, but if there is no improvement in a few hours we will be visiting the ER since she is so dehydrated and weak after battling this twice in a week. You can see in her face how she instantly went from very healthy to gaunt, weak, and sickly. The diarrhea and vomiting comes on so fast she doesn’t even have time to roll over and get out of bed. She is so fatigued she can barely walk. Water passes straight through her almost instantly as if she is pouring it on the floor.
I never even heard of this supplement until now. Based on what I am reading here, this supplement is an additive to many types of shakes, health drinks and teas. It is quite scary that people can have this type of a reaction to a supplement and there seems to be zero awareness that there is a potential for very serious and dangerous side effects. Not only that, most people are taking this thinking they are improving their health.
Be very careful if you are researching this supplement and are thinking about trying it. Based on my quick research, this is not isolated and a measurable number of people experience severe side effects.
This is exactly what happened to me
I have struggled with stress and insomnia for years due to work and being a caregiver.
Only the work related stress is an issue now, but it was causing me to get little to no sleep and that definitely impacted my performance, mood, etc…
After learning about stress and it’s relation to cortisol levels, I found out about Ashwagondha and did some research.
I was diagnosed with IBS about 12 years ago, but it’s been fairly controlled, with attacks being tamped down with Hyoscyamine taken in sublingual form.
Usually I can eat pretty much whatever I want as long as I eat slowly.
My IBS attacks seem to be triggered mostly by stress.
I began taking Ashwagondha from a reputable source and it took about four weeks to notice the changes.
What I noticed first was I felt calmer, more collected and I was finally able to get a glorious night’s sleep, complete with dreams and recall.
I even noticed I could wake up to use the bathroom, go back to bed and instead of laying there for the next 3 hours tossing, turning and worrying, I was off to sleep within 5 to 10 minutes, dreaming, with recall. For the first time in years, I felt wonderful, then came the day that the diarrhea and IBS attacks began. I would say this was about 7 weeks in.
I noticed that the Ashwagondha seemed to increase my sensitivity to high FODMAP foods that I don’t usually have to avoid.
After a month of severe attacks, I relented and stopped using it. The attacks subsided and finally the insomnia is returning.
Is there no way to buffer, or better tolerate this stuff? My ability to sleep and therefore my quality of life stand in the balance.
Mild stomach discomfort is a thing and I recommend drinking milk or a protein shake with ashwagandha (I believe it’s common in India as well). I wouldn’t recommend ashwagandha to anyone suffering from a pre-existing gut problem. There’s a feeling of lethargy with continued use, which is why I recommend only taking ashwagandha on occasion, as you would alcohol. I find in moments where I crave a drink, it feels great if I swap it for ashwagandha instead. On a final note, I’d recommend sticking to ashwagandha supplements that show a ratio of withanolides on the back, so you at least know the seller is knowledgeable.
I’ve been taking ashwaghanda for 5 months now, but only just recently started with upper ab pain or heartburn ? I’m not sure, anyone else ?
I’ve played with 700mg of ashwagandha on and off for years and haven’t experienced any extreme downsides (male, 32, athletic, no conditions). That said, mild stomach discomfort is a thing and I recommend drinking milk or a protein shake with ashwagandha (I believe it’s common in India as well). I wouldn’t recommend ashwagandha to anyone suffering from a pre-existing gut problem. There’s a feeling of lethargy with continued use, which is why I recommend only taking ashwagandha on occasion, as you would alcohol. I find in moments where I crave a drink, it feels great if I swap it for ashwagandha instead. On a final note, I’d recommend sticking to ashwagandha supplements that show a ratio of withanolides on the back, so you at least know the seller is knowledgeable.
I am Hyperthyroid (Graves) and have spent the past year in hell. I developed PVC’s, early menopause, and a bunch of other issues. My thyroid meds have been tapered off to nothing as my numbers are “normal”
But the depression and anxiety are getting to me. I went to an ND, and she gave me 3 bottles of supplements to take. One of them that I take 3 pills in the morning has Ashwagandha. In the past week since taking them, my anxiety has gone through the roof, serious depression, cognitive issues, and a 10-pound weight gain!
My mental issues only started after the Graves started (after my Pfizer shot) Normally I do well in high-stress situations (I’m a lifeguard) but now I turn into a blubbering idiot for stupid stuff like I can’t find my pen.
Should I just accept this new neurotic and depressed me and try and come up with strategies to deal with this?
I’m a veteran and have had multiple mental health issues since I got out in ’08. Also have trouble sleeping bc of nightmares mostly and zero energy. There’s only been a couple of things that have helped over the years with anxiety and sleep and stuff but due to some bureaucratic bs I can’t take them. I started taking Ashwagandha a little over a week ago and immediately I noticed that I had energy during the day (but not jittery energy like with lots of caffeine) and was much more calm overall. And like magic around 10 or 11 every night I was tired and ready for bed. Still had nightmares but the sleep I got felt deeper and I felt better in the morning. But about 3 days ago I suddenly started itching all over. Especially my feet. The bottom of my feet itch like crazy. But it’s literally all over my body I itch like I’ve never itched before. No hives or rashes or anything like that. Just an intense itching all over. It’s been 2 days now since I’ve taken anymore Ashwagandha and the itching isn’t as intense as it was but it’s still bad. I’ve tried taking some antihistamines (allergy pills) creams for itching both steroidal and non-steroidal as well as well as straight steroid cream. Some help take a bit of the edge off but nothing takes the itching away. I’m going insane. Has anyone ever dealt with this before and if so then how long before this is out of my system?? I’m so desperate for help with my anxiety and depression that I’m trying anything at this point but if one of my desperate attempts drives me to killing myself anyways I feel like the last string of hope I’m holding on to is snapped and I should just give up… anyways, if anyone could please let me know when this itching will end that will be great. Thank you.
You are having a side-effect that can occur with Aswaganda, which is an allergic reaction that manifests as itching. It will go away. It is hard to say when, but it will definitely go away in time after you stop taking ashwaganda. You can reach out to a holistic doctor to see if they may know if something else might be causing the allergic reaction to ashwaganda, like perhaps a gut infection. I hope you find relief and keep reaching out until you find someone with knowledge on this. There are endless people out there who can help. Don’t give up!
After taking it on and off for about two weeks I stopped it and have been having blurred vision in both eyes and feeling lightheaded for about a week. Not sure what is going on with me now.
I started taking it for the first time about a month ago. I suffer from RA, and since traditional medicine has done very little for me I’ve been looking at alternatives for a long time. I started taking two 500mg pills divided between lunch and dinner. Ion the very first day I started getting really dizzy and nauseated which is really unusual. I read online that one needed to “build tolerance” for this herb so I continued taking it. I had serious stomach issues within couple of days like diarrhea and cramps. On day 3 I developed hives on my face and upper torso. I lowered the dose to just one 500mg pull a day but the symptoms continued in and out. Around the second week, I ended up at the ER after suddenly passing out at home. Doctors told me I had a 68 mg/dL sugar reading which is extremely low (again totally unusual for me because I always had borderline pre-diabetic high readings). They said that if I didn’t come to the ER I was probably not going to make it. They immediately asked me to stop taking Ashwagandha. The head doctor said that he’s seen a lot of cases recently of people ending up in the ER after taking this supplement and some of them dying. He compared it to the “ephedrine” crisis back in the 90’s where the substance wasn’t banned until a few people died. Hope this story helps someone..
Hey there. How long did it take for your symptoms to go away? I took ash for about 3 1/2 days starting this past Saturday. By Wednesday, I was in the ER after suffering heart palpitations. It’s Friday now, and my average heart rate has been 72 bpm which is practically great. However, tightness in my chest and throat with feelings of lightheadedness have not gone away. It’s really starting to worry me again.
How long did it take your heart palpitations to stop? I’ve had them about 3 days now
Hey Simone. I’m replying to myself in order for you to see this because the API of this website doesn’t allow to reply to the 3rd comment of a thread. My palpitations ceased after about 3 weeks. I started to experience other symptoms though: symptoms of hypothyroidism. Extreme pulmonary fatigue, low heart rate, and swelling of my thyroid. Now the pulmonary fatigue and low heart rate are basically gone, so I’m really happy. But the lump in my throat is still there. My thyroid is incredibly inflamed, and when I compare it to older pictures of myself, it’s definitely noticeable. Hope you come back and are able to see this message.
I bought ashwagandha about a year ago and used it for about 4 days. On day four, I was so dizzy that I could not get out of bed. wasn’t sure what was causing it but discontinued the ashwagandha since that was the only thing I was doing differently. I had no more problems with dizziness. Recently I started taking a different brand of collagen from the one I had been using. After using it for a several days, I woke up one morning and as I turned over in bed I was extremely dizzy and spinning. I had nausea and a slight headache along with it. This has gone on for four days. Just now looked at the label and realized that it has ashwagandha in it so I will discontinue and see if the dizziness, headache and stomach upset go away. I have not found anywhere that dizziness is a side effect but it definitely is for me.
Hi there, how long did it take for all of this to go away after you stopped taking?
Iv suffered insomnia for 30 years and after taking Ash iv never slept better but wat I did notice was tht I had extremely heavy menses a month later, it was abnormal amount (sorry fr tmi) which left me anaemic and iv never been anaemic before either. So I’m not sure if it’s related but I’m getting tests now to check my endometrium.
yes ashwagandha increase testerone so it ruin female hormone
I’ve been taking a supplement for a little over a week now and didn’t think anything of the ashwaganda triggering my heightened anxiety, but between the racing heart/mind, very high anxiety levels, panic, insomnia, etc. it’s all starting to make sense as to why out of the blue I started feeling my anxiety get worse and worse.
I took Ashwagandha for about three weeks and it made me anxious and I couldn’t sleep. It did the opposite of what it said it was supposed to do for me.
I’ve been takeing ashwagandah gummies for about 2 1/2 weeks I’ve been haveing problems urinateing now I can’t urinate at all hardly I’m backing up with fluid retention and I can’t urinate what can I do??????!
Please help I’m so swollen and I hurt soo bad?!!!!
I started taking Ash. over a month ago, started out it worked well for sleep, but now a month later after 6 hrs sleep, I wake in a panic attack mode and can’t get back to sleep. Also I’ve been a little snappy with love ones, thinking it’s not for me!
Ashwaganda makes my face break out in a rosacea type redness and rash. I took a few different combination supplements for adrenals/stress and it took a few different times for me to figure out it was the culprit.
I started taking this supplement a week ago and had to stop taking it because I woke up with puffy eyes and swollen and numb face. My neck is red and itchy. I wasn’t sure if it was a side effect of ashwaghanda or my new facial cleanser. but reading all of these side effects and comments makes it very clear to me …
I really thought it would be a great product as so many girls are taking it!
Thankyou for this article. I was looking for information on negative side affects as I noticed I felt irritated a few hours after taking Ashwagandha. So I experimented with random days and found it happened every time. I also wonder if it was a poor quality product. Threw the rest away.
Again, great article.
I saw tiktoks discussing ashwagandha so I added to my daily supplements, I’ve been diagnosed with depression and anxiety I can 100% confirm that I can barely get out of bed in the morning anymore. My mental health has only gotten worse, and I’ve felt a lot more numb emotionally as of late. Ashwagandha is definitely not for everyone so just hope people keep that in mind 🙂 .
I started ash about a week ago. N day 5 I wasn’t feeling real good. Day 7 my heart is pounding. Upset stomach, headache, can’t sleep, breathing issues. I took this for long covid but it’s made it very much worse. I hope the side effects leave soon. It should be banned
Hey there,
Have you recovered from the breathing issues yet?
Best
Hi Levi,
Try researching NAC (N-acetylcysteine) for breathing issues…amongst many other health benefits.
Hope this helps.
hey there. its been about 3 months since you posted… about 2 months for me. just wanted to check in. for me the breathing problems continued until today. try belly breathing.
Not sure if you’re still struggling but maybe look into NAC (N-acetylcysteine). Claims to be good for COVID, long COVID, breathing issues amongst others.
I have a history of anxiety and depression had stoped Paxil 6 months ago but have been very stressed due to financial and work stress. I started taking Asgwanda and L Theanine for the past 3 days twice a day.. felt calmer at first but I totally lost it today and had a mental breakdown. I’ve taken a Xanax and am now calmer but stopping it immediately. Didn’t see that coming..
I became deathly ill and had to be rushed to the hospital 4 times. I had every test in the book. Nobody could figure out what was wrong. They thought I might have mersa but did not. Finally I began to research what I had injested each time. It was a tea that had the herb in it and enzymes a dictor had suggested. Since then I have not taken it and it’s been about 6 years now with no more incidents. The last time I tooknit I was in the hospital for 4 days. I check all labels now.
Hello,
Thanks for asking! Yes, my experience was bad.
1. Hot! Was burning up at night and waking up red in the face, blotches, and drenched in sweat.
2. I did sleep, but fitfully and not restfully.
3. Itching. I itched so bad I thought I would go crazy.
4. Headache. A sick headache that just seemed to encompass my whole body. Ick! I couldn’t function with the headache.
I stopped taking it after 10 days and within 24 hours woke up feeling the demonic alien had left my body.
By the way, I suffer from hypothyroidism, hypertension, some autoimmune disorder (not yet diagnosed, but my sister has lupus), and prediabetes. Please also worn that taking Ash with Baclofen (muscle relaxant) causes breast cancer in women. I was shocked to find this out. I take Baclofen regularly. I googled how Ash would interact with each of my medicines and was shocked about Baclofen. I’m going to stop taking Baclofen all together.
Dude, this herb has royally screwed up my system! I was taking it for a little over a month before finding out all of this ^ stuff. It has made my anxiety and insomnia HORRIBLE. Also lead to some weird muscle cramping and twitching, like every day.
I stopped taking it two days ago. Still waking up with panic, early, early in the morning, and still have trouble sleeping / staying calm through the day.
When will this stuff leave my system? I eat 100 percent clean, exercise regularly, drink a bunch of water. Get it outta me!!!
Very interesting article this! I’m on day 4 of taking 700mg split into two doses. Have bipolar disorder and had been having big anxiety so thought I’d give it a whirl. So as far as anxiety goes, a definite reduction. However, I can’t sleep. I lie there perfectly happy but just cannot go to sleep. I eventually do but I only get a couple of hours and it doesn’t feel restful. This morning I also noticed nausea for the first time. One weird side effect has been over salivating. Strange taste in mouth.
After reading this I’m going to stop taking it I think.
Yes! Insomnia!! Like worst ever!!
Hey Natalie, I hope you’re feeling better! I had similar reactions to Ash and started researching how long it would take to leave the system. I read it’s 2-3 days for the water soluble elements to leave and up to a month for the fat soluble. I started doing pressure point massages at night for the adrenals and with water and exercise it seems to help it move out faster. Hope this helps you or someone else!
Hi Natalie! This is exactly my experience! Insomnia (which I never had) and anxiety (which I did have mildly) has gone through the roof and am in a constant state of panic. I only took it three days and stopped Monday night (it’s not Wednesday). How long before you felt it was out of your system with this approach? So glad you’re feeling better!
I have had 2 violent episodes of nausea , vomiting and diarrhoea and almost lost consciousness as a result. Was taken to a medical center and was put on the drip for several hours because I lost so much fluid. I took the ash for less than 2 weeks but the side effects were unbearable and dangerous. I have never had such a traumatic reaction to a supplement in my life. I also take medication for my thyroid problem but my Ayurvedic doctor didn’t take this into account when he prescribed ash. I decided to stop using it.
I’m thinking the same for me. First time I had violent vomiting and diahorrea, like it was food poisoning. That’s what I thought initially. I couldn’t get off the bathroom floor. I was dragging myself to the door to call for help and an ambulance. I didn’t go to hospital but came so close. Next few days I felt so dreadfully ill with extreme dehydration. I have Hashimoto’s and tonight, after taking one Ashwagandha, I am up clutching the porcelain bowl again. I’ve only had it a few times. Last two times have been awful. Never again. Ever.
I took Ashwaghanda yesterday morning and it made me feel ‘wired’ – heightened anxiety (moderately severe – felt like ‘jumping out of my skin!). It also kept me awake all night(gut felt like it was churning all night, and colicky pain in the afternoon and early evening. Conversely, I spite of the heightened anxiety, I also felt severely fatigued, and needed to have coffee to get any energy to get jobs done- very bad reaction! I have pyrroles, low zinc, high copper, histamine imbalance (?methylation issues?), and anxiety (occasional mild depression issues). Wish I’d read your blog first – wouldn’t have taken it! It’s helpful to know this going forward, though????…
This same thing
Happened to me too. I could
Not sit/lay down for 24 hours.
I did not know that this herb boost the immune system. I took it for several weeks and have an awful response. It caused my scleroderma to flare (my tight skin increased many fold in my feet and legs and I could hardly walk. It has subsided a little after a week but still bad. Caused me to leave notes in my home in case I died suddenly.
Has caused severe nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Diarrhea lasts several days. Did not realize it was the powder the first time around. Tried it in my shake about 3 weeks later and realized it was what was causing me to get so sick. Has happened twice. I wouldn’t tell anyone to take this.
Same experience. Never taking it again.
Anytime I take ashwaghanda I get overly emotional, sad, generally depressed and reactive. I will cry for seemingly no reason. And I only figured out it was the ashwaghanda because my mom said it made her feel sad and I finally put it together. I bought a probiotic recently and didn’t realize it also had ashwaghanda in it and was a wreck for several days before I noticed. I’m glad there are people spreading ALL the possible effects instead of talking about how wonderful this herb is for everyone. My mom and I have two completely different personalities and our brain chemistry is polar opposite. I have problems with depression, low motivation, procrastination and love stimulants. She can’t drink a cup of coffee without feeling jittery. So the fact that it made both of us react in the same way is quite astonishing and I’m willing to bet there are just as many people out there who experience negative effects as there are people who benefit and feel better from it.
My husband has anxiety issues. I picked him up some Ashwaganda and thought it could help. I mean, they sell it at Sprouts so, why not? He has been in a MAJOR depressive episode with heart racing for about a week and a half now. Like suicidal depression. Did some research and found Ashwaganda could be causing it. ????. I feel terrible and had him stop taking it immediately.
I took 1 pill/day of this through a whole box (that’s half the recommended dose. DHM Sleepful Unique Brain Sleep Enhancer – it contains ashwagandha. I was fine until half way through the second box. Then I thought I had a stomach virus for six days. I stopped taking these and suddenly no problems. Not realizing the culprit, I had trouble sleeping and took another one around 8pm. I woke at 4am vomiting. That continued a while. For the rest of thebday I had diarrhea. I stopped taking these pills and no more problems.
I have taken Ashwagandha, in different forms and different doses on three occasions and had terrible reactions each time. The first time, I took in capsule form, but didn’t immediately associate what happened to me with it. Severe nausea, throwing up, and severe diarrhea and my husband almost took me to the hospital. The second time was in a collagen drink that had some. I thought, small dose, should be fine. And wasnt sure that the first time was really related to Ashwagandha. Again, nausea, diarrhea and sick for most of a day. Took me a couple days for my bowels to recover. Third time, had a new protein/vitamin drink. I was so excited about this product. All in one stop for vitamins and protein! Yay. Didn’t look close enough at the ingredients. I should have…but didn’t. Wound up most of the day feeling nauseous and had terrible diarrhea that took days to resolve. Looked at the label a little closer, and found it contained Ashwagandha!!! Apparently, after three incident, I have learned I do not tolerate it well. My question, is can you build a tolerance to it? It is worth trying? I have two bags of otherwise good product that I would love to take if I can figure out how to tolerate it.
I took it yesterday for the first time. I have no known conditions that I thought would make me have a bad reaction. I’ve been feeling awful. I regularly have general anxiety so I thought it would help. Since I took it, I’ve had extreme stress, tension headaches, jaw tightness, inability to focus (where it impairs my driving), stomach issues, insomnia/nightmares, jitters, and irritability. No panic attacks, but I’m anxious for it to leave my system. It’s almost 24 hours and I still feel terrible. Glad to know I’m not alone.
Every time I take it I have horrible nightmares, some of those even involving things I’m afraid of and phobias. I’m really curious as to why I don’t see any benefit (only nightmares) even when I’m following the directions on dosage.
Had severe anaphylaxis reaction to this herb when it was added to smoothie at a health juice bar. Hospital. Almost died. Be careful with unknown substances. Just because it’s not regulated does not mean it will agree with your body.
I have a sensitive stomach and my body usually reacts to supplements and adaptogens very quickly so results are quick to be seen. After taking half a pill (around 200mg) of Ashwagandha, I feel that my stomach is bloated. I lost my appetite for the whole day and had pretty bad stomach pain as well and had to go to the washroom a couple of times. My stomach feels weird for 2 days after taking it. My sleep has not improved as they claim although my energy level is elevated noticeably. Due to the gastrointestinal discomfort it gives me, I do not think I will take it again anymore.
So, it was very interesting to read all your comments here. I am deciding to quit on the Ashwagandha today!
I have been struggling with some anxiety and depression over the last few years. My friend suggested I try Ashwagandha as it works to take the edge of anxiety and depression for him.
I’m a teacher and started taking at the start of the long summer holiday. For the first few weeks, it seemed okay. I’ve taken it most days for about 5 weeks. To be honest, I haven’t felt right nearly the whole holiday -but couldn’t understand why. I actually thought that my stress and anxiety levels must have been worse than I originally thought. I have had stomach aches and side muscle cramps and serious gastric bloating especially around the diaphragm area. I’ve been lethargic, exhausted and yawning throughout the days. I’ve had some of the worse anxiety/ panic attacks -where I thought I was actually losing it. I’ve been anxious about having anxiety and highly stressed over the smallest things. I’ve also felt hot and cold at times and have had crazy ‘hot’ tension headaches for several days, especially mornings and sleep times. Your site was an excellent read as it covered nearly all of these symptoms. I’ve read many articles this summer, on the benefits of the herb, but this one was a good balance. I’ve wanted the Ashwagandha to work -because I don’t want to have to take medication (hence why I kept on taking it), but on summary, my wife who has had to put up with me all holiday, has just agreed that i’ve never been this anxious or complaining about not feeling well ever!! Time to stop taking it. Thank you. (I only took a daily 450mg capsule from a recognised brand.)
My wife started using it as it was recommended by several friends to help with the symptoms of menopause.
She suggested I try it as I work in a high stress environment.
My reaction was very bad, I had no idea what was going on. I felt I had lost control of my emotions which is out of character for me as I’m usually everyone’s rock. I was anxious, tearful, had heart pulpertation, butterflies in my stomach and felt foggy. Generally overwhelming unhappiness, I just wanted it to stop. Thankfully we looked up this article and after several days I have begun to feel myself, still a little anxious, but definitely better.
I tried it because this social anxiety is beating my asz and immediately i had muscle spasms and my right feet the thing is I started taking this and vit c at the same time so I eliminated the vit c and only kept using this the pain persisted so than I stopped taking this and the feet spasm stopped as well.
I really wanted this to work I don’t know what to do about this anxiety
I have been taking Ashwaghanda about 1,200mg a day for about a year. I started taking it for my OCD, PTSD and anxiety symptoms after a friend recommended it and told me this dosage did wonders for his panic attacks. It was working extremely well for keeping my nervous system manageable, and I was taking breaks, but the last few months I did not take any breaks due to some life stressors. Now it’s resulted in even more intense anxiety symptoms and panic that won’t go away. Its much worse if I miss a dose. I cant find much online that explains what I’m experiencing, but Im starting the process of detoxing now that I have awareness. Hoping to set up a session with a local herbalist soon because googling supplements and taking them blindly was foolish and I am fully aware that I am responsible for my current condition. I wanted to share my experience in case anyone has advice or has had a similar experience with this herb.
I took Ashwagandha in the form of gummies sold in WalMart , after reading the write up on the benefits of its use.
The first day nothing, the second day I was tired and kind of disoriented, so I went to bed. The next morning when I got up I was dizzy to the point of almost fainting, I had to lay back down and once everything stopped spinning I got up, this has NEVER happened before and I was a bit worried, I did not associate it with the Ashwagandha and talked to my daughter, we went through what has changed and what if any medications I had taken and I told her the usual multivitamins, and minerals and the Ashwagandha, she suggested just stop taking it and see if the problem goes away, so I did, and everything was back to normal. Not sure if it was a fluke a week later I took it again and on the second day again the tiredness and dizziness was back especially when trying to get out of bed. So that was it. This medication or supplement does not work for me. I would suggest anyone trying to use it be VERY careful. Anything that two doses can make you faint is not something you should try to use.
I have a lot of seasonal pollen allergies and that may be why I cannot tolerate ashwagahnda. It made me violently ill with vomiting and diarrhea. I had to discontinue taking the supplement.
I stumbled on this site doing research on possible reasons that can explain why I have a very high level of copper in my blood. Ashwaganda was recommended to me by a family member as possibly helpful in addressing some extreme stress. As far as I know I don’t have adrenal fatigue and I’ve never heard of it before. Can you help me understand – can ashwaganda be the culprit for my high copper levels?
I am glad to hear I am not alone! Ashwaghanda is causing me insomnia, lightheadedness, and hormonal acne along my chin.
I have been taking Ashwagandha for about 4 weeks. It has caused my insomnia to be so much worse. It has caused severe anxiety and stomach upset. I have been waking up with a headache recently and I don’t often have headaches. Tonight it has made me feel just crazy with anxiety like I could run around the house 100 times. I thought if I continued taking it things might get better but have gotten worse. I don’t sleep at all hardly. No more for me.
Dear Becky, how have you been since ? The same happened to me. Had mild PPD with anxiety and poor sleep. 2 days in and started sleeping much better but was a lot more fatigued and was not really willing to get out of bed (didn’t experience that before despite insomnia). I thought it was an ok price to pay for some restful sleep. But the anxiety got gradually a lot worse, along with major insomnia, crying spells and demotivation. Bottom line it made symptoms a lot worse within 8-14 days. Or at least both events are correlated. I’m in contact with my therapist but really hoping for the acute symptoms to subside. I’ll stop taking it from tonight and hope for the best as this is hellish.
Help, I am experiencing anxiety attacks, mood swings and severe depression. I have been taking ashwaganda on and off but more on for the last eight months. These symptoms have come out of no where in the last two weeks and no other changes to my supplements or routine.
My situation is odd and doesn’t make a lot of sense.
My brain never responded well to most anxiety meds prescription wise and I have always enjoyed herbs, so was giving this a try.
I was taking at night and it was helping immensely — lower stress, good mood, and weight loss (I had been stuck at my weight loss goal for two years!! ) — however, every night I took it my insomnia has grown worse and worse until I wasn’t functioning/missing work due to lack of sleep.
So, I switched to daytime. Unfortunately for some VERY odd reason if I take during the day I tend to get irritable and stressed, the weight loss stopped, and all the benefits stopped. The insomnia disappeared, however.
I will say I wasn’t taking it consistently during the day so I am going to give it one more go for a few weeks daily, I LOVED the benefits when taking it out night but could not keep up with the extreme insomnia side effect.
You’d think I would get the same benefits during the day but apparently not. My brain is so odd.
Only side effect i have from ashwaganda is too much blood in stool. I stopped taking after
I had a protein drink that had ashwagandha in it. I took a few sips abd was feeling like I was voing to pass smoith out. At first, I didn’t realize ut was the drink. I was at work (an office job) and just started drinking a lot of water. I drank about a quart of water and then took a couple more sips of the protein drink. Again, started feeling like Ivwas going to pass out, and drank another quart of water. By this time I was actualky hungry, so I took a couple if gulps of the protein shake, which had the same effect, and thus time I realized it must be the shake. Ashwagandha was the only ingredientin it that I didn’t recognize as something my body is okay with.
I bought a bottle of Ashwaganda and took just 1 capsule of 400 mg. That night I had terrible diarrhea which lasted 6 days. I am not sure it was the Ashwaganda but I am afraid to try it again.
Ashwagandha gave me terrible breathing problems. I was literally gasping for air as I was falling asleep. Not exaggerating. It also made me feel weak in general, but the breathing was the worst part. It was in a pre workout supplement that I bought because my usual one was sold out. I used as directed, though I can’t remember the dose. Got progressively worse as I was taking regularly until my breathing was, like I mentioned, as if I was gasping for breath (again, important to note this is not an exaggeration). When I stopped taking it, it stopped. It was during lockdown, so I tried taking it again to test it, thinking maybe I had had Covid and didn’t know. But again, I had extreme breathing problems that would start up a few hours after consuming. It was the only thing I had changed/newly introduced into my diet. I immediately stopped again and threw away the remaining product. I now make sure any supplements I purchase are ashwagandha-free. Be careful people!
Yes! This is happening to me after being on ashwagandha chewables since Feb 3, 2023. I noticed my throat swelling up and I’ve been waking up gasping for air. It’s as if my body Is forgetting to breathe. I thought I was developing sleep apnea until I finally put the pieces together and realized it was the ashwagandha. I’m throwing these away and steering clear. I too had crazy dreams, brain fog, frontal headache, and tiredness. Stay away from this stuff!!! I’m hoping the side effects go away soon.
I have Ulcerative Colitis, I have only taken it for one day but it has given me an extreme gas reaction. It smells horrible, my ulcers flared and I became very bloated. I was in the bed all day and did not want to be active at all, but weirdly I didn’t feel anxious or depressed like normal. Lol I was confused
It has to be taken in very small quantities ( 1 very small coffee spoon ) per day. And 2 wks then rest 1….
I ve learned with experience in the last years or so.
Each time I’ve tried it, same results. Extreme fatigue. But it seems to interfere with my cognitive abilities. My focus was altered and I would have strange lapses where simple words would disappear. Not a good reaction but I tend to be super sensitive to supplements.
My experience with ashwagandha (liquid form) has been very inconsistent in intensity, but here seems to be one common experience in common: its energizing, but comes with anxiety. I started using it periodically when a therapist recommended it when i shared about constant fatigue and fogginess. I was taking an SSRI at that time and i def felt it increase my energy, i became even hyper. While it was a welcomed change from the intense fatigue, it did make me feel like i was racing in everything i did, so anxiety inducing for sure. However, the intensity varied, and sometimes it did absolutely nothing for me.
I stopped using it for a while as i found no benefits after a while, and re-started on occasion about a year later. At this time i was on an SNRI and i dont remember noticible effects, except a bit of anxiety-which could have also been the SNRI because i was getting used to it and it also elevated my heart rate.
Several months later, I decided to try it again since i had a lot of work to complete and little energy. I took it as usual, with water and some food in the morning and i have been crawling out of my skin since. It was an intense feeling of restlessness and anxiety, extra sweaty and scattered brained, which was the opposite of what i needed on an extra busy day! I attributed it to my regular anxiety the SNRI and the new adderrall prescription i have been trying (XL, 20mg), but honestly who knows which one is the culprit. All i know is that i dont think it mixes well with SNRI and Stimulants.
If anyone else has experienced similar with similar medication combos, please reply!
I started taking ashwagandha in nov 2021 and began experiencing extremely dry and itchy skin about a month later. I thought it was winter weather causing it and didn’t give it much thought. My skin continued to deteriorate and it began to hive. I thought it was just a really bad eczema flare up, or a new allergy. Lotions I used for years (like aveeno, cetaphil) would also give me rashes. I did an elimination diet and nothing seemed to be the cause. I finally made the connection in May 2022 (and also found some reviews on amazon for ashwagandha stating that it caused severe itching for people) and stopped taking it. Even though I’d stopped taking it my skin continued to be dry, itchy, and red. The only difference is that it stopped hiving. This past week was the worst of my body recovering from it. I had chills, but would cold sweat if I had the covers on, my skin was still red and rough and fragile. I would wake up essentially every hour. last night was the first time I’ve been able to sleep through the night and today is the first day that my skin texture resembles anything normal. I think the recovery being this long is because of how long I was taking ashwagandha beforehand.
Long story (sorry in advance) i had honestly a horrible reaction to this Awhile back my mom heard that this was suppose to help anxiety, insomnia. (I have really bad panic attacks, anxiety all the time, and I also have insomnia) So my mom and I decided to try it. We both ended up having the same reaction, My whole body was shaking. Sometimes before bed I have this weird thing that happened to where my blood feels like it’s shaking. It’s super strange so that was happening but the worst I had ever felt it. I felt so much anxiety, and weird dizziness. My heart was racing, I was having chest pains. I laid there wide eyed and the next morning she told me she felt the exact way. I just laid in bed and couldn’t sleep all night. I also have heart issues and my adrenal glands over produce adrenaline. Of course at the time of trying this out I did not know I had these health issues. I don’t recommend anyone takes this.
Hey Shelly, How are you feeling now?
Omg! Same here. As I’m writing this, I’m in day 2 of a sleepless, terrifying night. The heart palpitations, body tremors, racing mind, and surging anxiety are a lot to deal with. Then my skin looks like a slice of pepperoni pizza, and I feel like I can fall asleep standing up, but these symptoms won’t let me rest.
I had a very negative reaction, it seems to make me feel very aggressive. It also seems to make me feel fatigued and just mean…. I was hoping it would help with my OCD, which is actually surprisingly enough seems to clear my head in lieu of the other negative effects, but not worth e aggressive feelings. I am already not a mild personality:).
Took two pills
One on Monday and one on Tuesday
Now I’ve been in and out of the ER because of anxiety attacks from constantly feeling light headed or like I’m going to faint.
Did blood tests and everything came back normal same with ECGs etc.
can’t wait for this feeling to go away because it’s awful.
I’ve been taking ashwagandha stress gummies and the chocolate calm ashwagandha gummies. I thought initially, or perhaps just “hoping” that it was helping with my severe panic attacks, but this week I’ve noticed my heart racing constantly, (which it does with panic attacks but has seemed even worse)and my anxiety seems worse. Anyone else had this happen?
I started taking it about a week ago and the same thing is happening to me. I finally stopped it about 2 to 3 days ago and this crazy anxiety/ heart racing feeling hasn’t gone away. I do not know when it will get better. Did it get better for you?
Being on Ashwagandha has anyone experienced blader problems?
I was taking it for about 1week and had sudden onset of confusion and memory problem I’m hoping I feel better the next few days as it leaves my system .oddly it gave me a sudden bothersome
Crazy spike in my sex drive ..just waiting for it to clear my body and feel like myself again.. this stuff should be taken very cautiously
I deal with anxiety and depression. Anxiety is more uncomfortable. If I had to choose, I would take depression. That said, I have high cortisol levels shown in the Dutch Test. I woke this morning feeling very anxious. This does not happen every day. I decided to try Ash this morning for the fist time in over a year. I took it on an empty stomach. Initially, I was pleased as it calmed me down. However, now it seems to have continued to take me down. I don’t want to get out of bed, but can’t sleep either. Insomnia sucks! I will continue to monitor my feelings today. Not sure this is for me.
could Ash be the cause of muscle twitches in legs? Been taking it for awhile in serval different supplements and teas and didn’t realize how much I was getting from the different sources. I have hypothyroidism. I was feeling better, but recently I have been experiencing a lot of fatigue and haven’t changed anything else.
I took 1/4 teaspoon of a liquid form and it made me so sick! That afternoon I felt dizzy weak sick and then right eye pain started that evening! Woke up in the middle of the night with ears ringing racing heart and head pressure! 1/4 teaspoon!!! Didn’t take any more …It’s been a week and I still have eye pain! I pray this resolves! If not what do I do about that? Anyone else get eye pain??!!
Omg that stuff is dangerous
I have taken Ashwagandha for one year with no ill effects at all. In fact this herb has helped me immensely…I immediately felt calmness, focus of mind, better sleep, less hot flashes or night sweats which is significant as I am now post menopausal.
I have no health conditions at age 51 and absolutely do not take any pharmaceuticals, this could possibly be the reason for my good experience with Ashwagandha.
This article is indeed correct; it is most definitely not one size fits all…therefore only you as the patient or consumer can make the best decision on what makes YOUR body feel good.
I would like to mention that the herb I use is from Gaia Organic Ashwagandha that are 250 mg with active withanolides at 2.5 mg.
I have the same – horrible taste in the mouth; vaping or smoking anything nicotine or not makes me nauseous. I took it for 3 days, so far 2 days off and it’s still happening. How long will this last for??
I took 1/2 dose for one day and one week later I still have pain in my eye and ears ringing from it.
Did your side effects resolve? How long did it take for you?
I have certainly found a link between taking Ashwagandha and then becoming really irritable and not coping well with daily things that require my patience and endurance (2 young children, home schooling, general housework and a 2-day job, which I enjoy).
These were things that I would normally find moderately challenging but not overwhelming, however after taking this herb to help me switch off and sleep through the night, I noticed I was becoming extremely irritable and completely overwhelmed the following days. Those symptoms, and feeling so unusually tired. I found when I stopped taking it, I was able to cope with everything better.
It was only through a couple years of stopping and starting that I started to notice the connection. I am fairly convinced that this herb is somehow messing with me, and will be more cautious about different fads and trends that are out there.
I’m sure it works for some, but after looking deeper into it, it seems this herb needs to be more cautiously administered and is not for everyone.
I’ve used Ashwaghanda 3 times and it’s made me violently sick, vomiting bile and feeling very unwell.
I think I took a dose of 1300 ( equivalent to 19.500 mg of Ashwaganda) from Toniq since FEB 23 and by last week I was sick : nausea, vomiting, hot flashes, crippling diarrhea , my heart was racing. I figured I ate something bad and didnt think of Ashwaganda to make me this sick. I stopped it for 1 week then yesterday i took a pill in the morning. 3 hrs later same exact symptoms only much worst. I puked probably food that I had in my system from a week ago then yellow liquid , hot flashes then cold , dizzy and boiling stomatch with bad diarrhea. I am 100 % sure its from Ashwaganda . Thank God for my mom who sent me pills for this just in case , life savior. While i was taking it, I felt better but my anxiety went through the roof I was blaming my job but i think Ashwaganda enhanced my symptoms in everything.
I have been prescribed Ashwagandha a number of times and it has taken me years to discover the profound effect Ashwangandha has had on me.
I begin with extreme agitation and irritation and anger outbursts, brain fog and inability to focus. Days later I experience feelings of helplessness, depression and suicidal thoughts. ????
Can totally relate! It’s certainly connected, and definitely time to get this out of the house. Stay strong. x
I didn’t realize this drug was in my probiotics AND my protein powder. I’ve been using these products off and on for years because they really did make me feel great. I should’ve check out all the things in it more. I just trusted it blindly. I was using the protein powder for about 6 months 4-5 times a week. I would use it after the gym. At this time I wasn’t taking the probiotic that had ashwagandha in it too but I had gone through multiple bottles of it in the past. It was like a mood probiotic I got from natural grocers. I didn’t realize what the drug was going to do to me. Anyway. I stoped taking the protein powder when I got an injury at the gym for about two weeks. I started to feel depressed and very anxious, I was also planning for a big trip to Florida and that made me anxious. Then one day I woke up throwing up bile and with the worst stomach cramps and racing heart beat and nausea. This lasted a few days (and I wasn’t taking any of the ashwagandha for about 2 weeks at this point which makes me wonder if some of this was withdraw?) and I decided I should go get probiotics right? Because my tummy hurt and I thought that would help so I got the same mood ones that I always get. I started taking those every day and had continued terrible heart racing and tummy pains in the mornings. I got lab work and it showed hyperthyroidism. I still didn’t realize it was the ashwaganda at this point! So I decided it would help to have a protein shake and take it with my probiotics. That was this morning. I’m just now finding all this information on it. I’m only 22 and I’m worried I may have permanently damaged my thyroid. I wish these brands that put this drug into all of their products would warn customers about the possible side effects. I had no clue and not knowing what was wrong with me caused me so much time pain and money.
Caused brutal insomnia with 1st 650 mg dose. Hope it resolves this evening. Possibly it’s also interacted with Krill Oil and L-Tryptophan supplements I’ve been taking. Interested in alternative medicine, but this reinforces how dangerous a crpshoot some can be. Never taking it again.
I started taking ashwaganda with Melatonin and lavender, and I did fine, I couldn’t find the same stuff after a couple weeks of not having it, so I bought another kind. Holy crap- literally. I woke to horrible cramps and nausea and in 3 hours, I’ve went 10 times with complete water poo. My whole intestinal tract is a cramping mess, and I’m nauseous still. There’s nothing out there for information about relief, so if there is any, it would be nice to have it attached in all the articles I have read this morning about the nasty side effects of this.
I seen this article because I googled reactions to ashwaganda. since taking it I’ve experienced terrible dreams, and increased anxiety and depression. I’m saddened because i thought it would help me with those things but only made them worse.
One key piece missing from comments is DOSAGE. How much are y’all taking daily?
I’m taking 100mg daily in capsule form with zero negative side effects. I have a pretty low libido, and the one positive effect this is having for me, is my heightened interest in sex again. Not to a ridiculous degree, but I’m interested in it on a more consistent basis now instead of once a week.
Hi Cat – that dosage may work for some people, but for many others, even very low doses of 25-50mg can be problematic depending on chemistry and inflammatory factors such as gut dysbiosis.
I’ve been taking naps for garden for years the only thing I do is rotate it out every other day and use something else like complete Amino I even take some of it out of the capsule and I get the same effect I haven’t had any problems
jumping in to give my experience, ashwagandha gave me the closest thing to actual depression i’ve ever experienced. i was taking it for its muscle building properties as i lift weights, but found it gave me a very, very dark and depressing outlook on life. all i could think about was death and how all of this is pointless, and we are all going to be gone forever one day, was a very difficult feeling to shake, i stopped taking ashwagandha and within a few days was back to normal again. i’m sure this herb can be very helpful for those experiencing depression and anxiety anyway, but for me it gave me those things
Goodness I’m glad I came across this article. Thank you. I was beginning to feel it was something I was doing wrong. Everything Ashwagahnda was offering I thought was exactly what I needed. I brought a good organic brand with KSM-66 and have been taking it in the evening to use it to settle my body as I suffer with restlessness. I haven’t suffered as much as some of the other people who have commented but I do get a headache from it, it doesn’t seem to help me sleep at all and now I think about it I’ve been feeling quite panicky and anxious too. I have to be careful with fibro/RA too and yes I’ve been feeling quite fatigued. That’s a real shame I thought it would really be helpful.
I have been taking this herb supplement to cope with anxiety and while it does help calm me down I have noticed feeling very down as the day goes on. I looked up to see if this could be due to supplement and it seems to be the cause as I Am not taking any other supplements
I will stop taking for now and see if I experience any other symptoms
I drank a cup of Kava tea (Yogi brand) with 2 full droppers of Ashwaganda extract. The recommended dose was 1 dropper, but the dropper wouldn’t get more than about 3/4 full, so I did two dropper fulls. Recently, I ended a relationship and have been dealing with heavy emotions and the pain of being alone. After drinking the tea, after already being upset, I spent the next two hours crying. My mind and my emotions were in utter chaos: depressed, anxious, ragefull, incredibly sad. Exhausted at the end of the night, I went to sleep. Today, I woke up feeling some what hung over and totally exhausted. I will not be using the extract any more. I feel crazy.
Less than two weeks and I have a pressure headache and am super tired all the time! After reading this I won’t be taking it anymore !
Became very nauseous after one pill……vomiting and diarrhea for several hours. Like an idiot I thought I’d try it one more time a few months later. I thought possibly my being sick could have been from something else. What a nightmare. The second experience was even worse. Couldn’t stop the vomiting and diarrhea and ended up in the hospital. Chills were awful. After a few hours I felt a little better but they wanted me to spend the night there. My white blood count was way, way off and the doctor wanted me to spend the night and get rechecked in the morning. I felt much better then and my count was back to normal. All I know is I will NEVER take it again .
I’ve had a terrible reaction to Ashwagahnda on my face in the form of small very red blemishes (almost looks like a rash). My face also looks a bit puffy which makes sense due to the assumed allergic reaction… I just had a small amount in a supplement but will stop taking immediately as the reaction on my face is horrible. 🙁 If anyone has any advice on what to do if you’ve had this reaction (foods to help, treatments), I would appreciate it.
I have had a bad experience. I am a 44 year old exercise nut that doesn’t take any medications. I do have some anxiety issues, but have never been medicated for it. I am a nurse. My brother suggested I take ashwa for my mild anxiety. He had been using it and loved it. So I took it for two weeks. Started getting nausea and some mild GI issues. The major side effect I noticed was acne under my jawline. I mean horrible cystic acne which I have never had in my life. So I stopped taking it for a week and the acne improved. Started taking it again and the acne flared by up along with the nausea. I totally stopped taking it. Acne is better but not gone. My period is over 10 days late. I am like clockwork, usually very regular. Wonder what this herb has done to my hormones at this point. If it decreases FSH, I am wondering if it has paused my ovulation cycle for a month. Will never touch this stuff again. Too strong for me. I was only taking half the recommended dose in the bottle. Also, I may also have a nightshade sensitivity. I cannot handle eating peppers at all, they give my bad digestive issues. So for the people that are having stomach issues this could also be the problem since ashwa is in the nightshades family of plants. I have cut all night shade plants from my diet and have zero gut issues now. Now I just need to figure out how to purge the hormonal effects of the ashwa from my body. So annoyed.
Hi Katie. So glad you shared your experiences. I’ve been taking Ash for about a month now (2 x 500mg capsules) and was very worried to end up not ovulating this cycle. I have been searching online for the impacts of Ash on FSH and think your theory may be true! Did your body manage to balance out after stopping? Best wishes
I started taking ashwaganhda recommended from a friend who told me It helped with her stress anxiety and obsessive thoughts almost immediately. I struggle with anxiety so I ordered a bottle and took the recommended serving doses and for the first couple days I took them ( at night) I noticed I was less restless and better able to fall asleep. Weirdly enough when I started to take them throughout my day I started feeling extremely anxious & not able to concentrate.
For anyone on this thread who believe they have adrenal exhaustion….this is often the result of long term cortisol production….the adrenals literally shrink as they deplete….learn to meditate …employ breathing exercises …
One plant that restores adrenals very quickly is nettle…particularly the seeds…
Research youtube…becareful…only need about half a teaspoon a day…it is better than ashwagandha….no side effects.
I took Ashwangdha for six months and the lost so much hair that I stopped taking it and for the first time I had a bout of anxiety due to it has decreased my blood sugars and then month later went into depression. It has had an profound effect.
Hi ,
I’ve been taking Goli ashwagandha gummies for 2 days now . And have developed a upset stomach . Also had burning & sore backside ??. Anyone else had this ? .????
Took this yesterday for the first time… took two pills.
Like Mugatu on Zoolander… I thought I was taking crazy pills…
My mind was all over the place, I was having Deja Vu all evening,
couldn’t control my thoughts, mind was racing, high anxiety.
I was scared I was losing it.
Nothing else changed in my diet… I was very concerned. None of the other issues
with stomach etc. Just messed with my head.
I ingested Ashwagandha tea from a trustworthy brand and after 4 uses it had seemingly stimulated my Immune System to the point I was responding negatively to peanut butter and other odd commonly encountered things. I eat Peanut butter nearly everyday. I have gone over the 3.5 day period last weekend a thousand times and it’s the only newly introduced thing I’ve been “exposed” to also I literally have the shape of a tea bag on my palm right now. My Lymphatic system is still rebalancing. I’m having to still use Rx Prednisone, 40mg at 1st for 2 days, 125mgs of Benadryl daily, and 1250mgs of Tylenol. Drs orders. I’m 4 days into Treatment and 5 since last ingestion and not at Homeostasis but definitely better. It seems like my immune system was in good shape and the tea overstimulated it. This substance NEEDS to be better studied, regulated, and dosed. I’m not trying to shit on a clearly medically beneficial plant but like any substance moderation is key.
Be careful folks.
I have IBD and struggle with microbial overgrowth. Ashwaganda seems to cause die off, or a herxheimer reaction, for me. I have sweats, brain fog, and irritability. That being said, my inflammation is way down, and (maybe TMI, but) I passed almost a teaspoon of mucus following my bowel movement this morning. It’s my hypothesis that this is similar to mucus drainage following a sinus infection, and I actually consider it a sign the infection is over and my body is flushing out dead microbes and their by-products. My conclusion is that a three day course of ashwaganda tea (not supplements — way too strong!) has helped my body remove infection from my colon. I treat my herxheimer symptoms with detox baths (Epsom salts, vinegar, and Dead Sea salt in rotation) and lots of rest. I feel great.
I believe strongly the dose makes the medicine. If you had a reaction to ashwaganda, you took too much. I recommend *weak* tea on an empty stomach and a detox bath before bed. Do not take ashwaganda for a prolonged period of time. Another option would be to make a vibropathic essense from the plant. Remember health is individual, and plants are powerful allies for healing… sometimes too powerful! 🙂
May you heal, grow, and harmonize. <3
The first time I tried it I had a bad headache. I thought it was because I didn’t get any sleep the night before, but I waited a few weeks and took two gummies as prescriped on the bottle and once again had a terrible headache.
I am so glad that I found your page, I’ve been taking ashwagandha on n off for years, I have really bad insomnia generalised anxiety, I’ve also in the past diagnosed with gastritis, which now I’m thinking could it have been caused by the ashwagandha? 4 weeks ago my anxiety was through the roof so thought id go back on my ashwagandha I still couldn’t sleep wide awake with anxiety then over the days I started getting stabbing pains in my chest and hot sweats and feeling breathless when I was talking, and light headed this went on for over a couple of weeks and 2 days ago I ended up seeing my GP as I thought their was something wrong with my heart, the worry made my anxiety worse, I just needed him to tell me the symptoms were all related to my anxiety, he did my blood pressure oxygen etc all good and ECG tests on my heart which was also good, and has took bloods which I’m waiting for results, I haven’t taken the ashwaghanda for 3 nights and noticed past 2 days my hot sweats haven’t been as bad and I’m not breathless when I talk and my anxiety has come down so thought all the symptoms was connected to my anxiety, until last night I took another ashwaghanda capsule to help me sleep, the ones I take are mixed with pepperine within half an hour my chest pain started and then felt a weird burning sensation in my throat and a fluttering sensation and pains and stiffness up the sides of my neck which I have experienced in the past
And thought I had pulled a muscle, then the sweating started on and off all night, I couldn’t relax I was wide awake agitated my anxiety was back, then it hit me all these symptoms have been when I’ve taken ashwagandha and never crossed my mind it could be down to that. So that’s how I found your page I am so glad I did as reading others comments having same reaction as me. I will be putting the ashwagandha straight in the bin and trying a cup of hot milk tonight with my magnesium zinc and taurine suppliments. Hopfully these hot sweats and anxiety will start to calm down again, and fingers crossed my bloods come back ok.
Hi there,
I also had a horrible experience with taking Ashwagahnda as well. It took me some time to figure out what was happening the first time I thought I had food poisoning at work. It was awful, puking, diarrhea, weakness, heart palpitations, full body sweat. The second time (also at work) I was puking with diarrhea once again. It happened again a 3rd and 4th time then I was able to relate it to taking the supplement. A tough lesson to learn. I stopped taking it immediately and it hasn’t happened since. I really don’t understand why I had such an extreme response to this herb.
I ate two ashwagandha gummies last night, my first time using it, and within an hour I had horrible diarrhea. A couple of hours later I couldn’t keep my eyes open and my heart was racing (even more so than normal as I have a naturally high heart rate). This morning I was extremely foggy headed and fatigued to the point that I was struggling to function. I’m a stay at home mom with two small children and it made it extremely tough to care for them. I also had zero motivation. I would just look at a dirty dish and get anxious, like “there’s no way I can clean up right now.” It felt horrible. I told my husband that it felt like I was trying to function while extremely drunk or sedated. I’m just glad I know what caused it. My stomach is still upset, but the rest appears to be getting better. I’ll be returning or throwing away the rest of the bottle. To my knowledge I have no copper toxicity or the other thing mentioned, but just curious, how does one acquire a copper toxicity?
Thank you for this article. I have extreme sensitivity to ashwagandha (and 5-htp. I’m trying to find a connection.). I had a terrible night a few nights ago with restlessness, anxiety, racing heart… same thing that happens when I tried 5-htp. Turns out my new multi vitamin and also the turmeric golden milk drink I had that day both had ashwagandha in it! I didn’t think to check for that.
Took a capsule of this substance today following a late breakfast. About 2 hours later, started feeling woozy and nauseous. About a half hour later I was throwing up. Bought a bottle a couple of months ago and have only taken one or two over that time period as a potential sleep aid. About a month ago, I woke up around midnight and threw up a few hours after taking my evening Crestor and perhaps a non-script sleep aid; it’s the first time in 30 years as my belly is very resistant to upset. Did I take one that night? Maybe so, I wish I knew. The only different thing than usual I ingested today was one of these caps, by mistake. I meant to take a different supplement, similar size and shape; that’s on me. Am I suspicious? Certainly so.
I took ashwagandha a couple of times several weeks ago. I became very dizzy. Since I’m extremely prone to bouts of vertigo (r/t hormones, anxiety and stress, allergies, etc.) I wasn’t 100% sure it was the ashwagandha. I took it again at the beginning of this week, and I was dizzy until about 24 hours after my last dose. I also experienced some nasty nausea after the second dose. I was still pretty worn out for about 48-72 hours after my last dose.
I’m glad it’s helpful for some people, but it’s not for me.
The benefits of this supplement sound good so I tried it a few years ago and was violently sick within hours so didn’t take any more. After a few years I thought I would try it again in the hope that it had been something else that caused the vomiting, but exactly the same again.
I will never touch it again.
Ashwaghanda makes me violently sick. Banging headache and projectile vomiting, aswell as diarrhoea, it comes on quite quick aswell, id say about an hour or so after taking. At first i thought i had a stomach bug, i was not 100 percent sure it was the ashwaghanda capsules. I stopped the capsules anyway because it was the newest thing i introduced to my diet. Procces of illumination kinda thing. But what made me 100 percent sure it was the Ashwaghanda that made me sick. It was when i bought super greens to add to my protein shakes. The stuff made me violently sick. I checked the ingredients and there it was in amongst all the other ingredients…Ashwaghanda! It’s not coincidental because iam not someone that is a sickly person. I rarely get sick and when i am unwell it’s normally due to things like food poisoning, stomach bugs and hangovers. Been off the booze for over a year, so don’t get many of them anymore lol. And for colds and chest infections etc they’re rare, last time i had cold symptoms was 2019. I’am confident in saying it was the Ashwaghanda that made me sick. Also it was the exact same feeling i had when taking the capsules as i got when unknowingly taking Ashwaghanda again that was added to the super greens powdered supplement i bought.
I started taking 500mg KSM66 Ashwaghanda in August once a day for roughly 4-5 weeks. Besides Ashwaghanda I was taking zinc supplements, magnesium from time to time, fish oil and vitamins.
First 4 weeks or so were great, general anxiety was reduced, good mood and increased libido. Then things changed in early September, when one day I was laying in bed midday with my girlfriend and suddenly felt the temperature of my body shift cooler, heart was racing to the point of mild soreness, and anxiety, if I can even call it that, through the roof. I felt detached and emotionally flat when minutes prior I was feeling great and full of joy. The experience passed and I felt better but physically tired.
I stopped Ashwaghanda (along with drinking and cannabis, both of which were moderate and never caused a reaction like this) and experienced the heart racing, detached and unmotivated feeling for days afterwards. It comes and goes, but when it hits I suddenly feel less joy in my hobbies and relationships paired with a sense of impending doom. All of this comes from seemingly no specific trigger – it can be when Im alone or with family or friends, crowded environments or my own living room.
It has now been a solid month or so with no ash, with the odd drink/toke here and there approx once per week (for context). I no longer get the racing heart, however the detached anxious feeling still comes daily but with definitely less intensity and frequency. I’ve read similar accounts in relation to ash, has anyone experienced this and how long until you felt regular? Im feeling significantly better but not 100% yet.
For context, I’ve dealt with social anxiety and mild depression for around 10 years but very mild and manageable without meds, and never before experienced a detached sensation like this. Anxiety/depression always had a triggering event for me as well.
Some emotional reactions right now are hard to measure due to the chaos in the world around us.
You might also check if the ingredients in anything else you are taking might have changed. I hope you feel better soon.
Hello, just wanna follow up l know its been a while since you posted this but how are you feeling? Im in the same boat and your answer resonated with me the most :/
I read all the wonderful things about ashwagandha and decided to try it, I got a good brand. First my face turned scarlet red and had bumps and lots of itchiness and woke up at night hot and itchy. Cut back on my dose to half and sleep itchiness and redness continued-also felt anxiety and tiredness during the day-could not get my ambition going-didn’t want to do anything. Finally decided it was not going to work for me, after the worse heart burn ever-thought I was having a heart attack. Stopped and in2 days felt normal.
Thank you for this article. I took ashwaganda in capsule form for the first time last night. I took the recommended dosage which was two capsules. I fell asleep quickly and when I woke up the next day I felt great. I went to work as usual and I did not eat anything until lunch time. (I am a teacher) after I ate lunch, about an hour later, I started getting a throbbing head ache. I drank some water and then one of my students looked at me and said “you’re face is like really red” all of a sudden I got a terrible stomach ache.
I asked the teacher next door to watch my class and ran to the bathroom. When I came out, two people looked at me and asked if I was okay. I mean my face was beet red. Then I got dizzy and my mouth was dry. Someone took my blood pressure and said it was high. I laid down and tried to relax but my head ache and stomach ache got worse. Then someone took my blood pressure again and it was extremely low. It took about two hours for my face to go back down to a normal color and the other side effects to subside. (Besides the stomach ache and bathroom trips.) it’s now been five hours since the reaction first started and I still have an upset stomach. I’ve been trying to find out if maybe I just had an allergic reaction or what.
Please *anyone* on this article or post, if you know more about allergic reactions from ashwaganda PLEASE let me know.
TIA
has anyone experienced trouble becasue of ash with human interaction? either on it or withdrawing from it, -terrible!
Ashwagandha after only 2 days has made me feel like I need to vomit.. does this go away and does it actually increase a mans available testosterone??? I’ve read so many good things and bad things about it.. I’m in the dark on what’s fact and not like most things you want info.on and you turn to the internet..
no,it doesnt go away.there are other things for tesosterone. see a parctitioner of traditional chinese medicine.
i have been using ashwaghanda for 8 months with mixed relults.before, i tried it 7 years ago as a powder,but i felt nothing.now for the past month i have added a very purified and concentrated version,GOLI.it is helping me lose belly fat.but i seem to be having some hormonal problems.im glad i found your article.thank you.when i took 1 with the other it was fine,but i ran out of nature’s truth (safeway brand).im finding i have some positive possibly ‘testosterone’ stuff along with some negative.i have become very achievement oriented.i am also very upset at having my ‘authority’ undermined.
when i went off of the first kind, i didn’t realize my symptoms were related to hormonal withdrawal.but i felt like i was going through menopause and was easily upset with people.when i went back on,these symptoms dissapeared.
as i first took A for insomnia,i continued.but i am trained in chinese herbal medicine.it was hard to get to a store during covid and i found a company i could work with online.they however have definite drawbacks,but A is sold at every grocery and pharmacy!
it was hard to find anything negative about A as it is so strongly marketed,especially Goli.i plan to taper off once i reach my desired weight;and like i said im going to cut the Goli down tonight as i am under significant stress;yet instead of helping me handle it,i feel on the edge of some kind of breakdown,which could have significant consequences on my finances and house.so thank you again for validating what i am experiencing;i dont feel like there is something wrong with me!
I have been taking Ashwagandha in tablet form from a well established brand and did my research prior to taking it.
My initial feelings after taking were that I did feel less anxious during the day, the ‘butterfly anxious flutters’ were less present, however I have also noticed for the last 2 weeks that I have been feeling really groggy in the morning, finding it hard to get my head of the pillow and up for the day which is not like me at all, I am very much a morning person, this comes with a slight headache and my stomach has been more sensitive and have had some diarrhoea. I have been trying to work out what it might be, and have just realised the timings of these feelings coincide with my taking of Ashwagandha so unfortunately I do not think it is for me.
I have been taking ash for 2 weeks. I’ve been feeling more down in the dumps and withdrawn from the world. I am physically restless, antsy. I have now developed nausea n diarrhea. I didn’t want to think it’s the ash cuz I was so hopeful it would help me feel better, but possibly could be making me feel worse. Guess I shud stop taking it
I’ve been taking two capsules of the KSM-55 standardized Ashwagandha extract and It seems to give me a mild case of insomnia. It makes it so that I have trouble falling asleep and then only sleep 5 hours or so, and don’t feel refreshed the next day. I know for a fact this is what is causing it because I have repeated cycles of going on it and going off it and notice the disturbances in sleep every time, which abates when I discontinue it. I just read recently that it increases T3 and T4 thyroid hormone which the person who wrote about it postulating that it was over-stimulating the thyroid gland. Here is a reference of a human study shwoing this, and there are a few animal based studies as well. Gannon JM, Forrest PE, Roy Chengappa KN. Subtle changes in thyroid indices during a placebo-controlled study of an extract of Withania somnifera in persons with bipolar disorder. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2014 Oct-Dec;5(4):241-5. doi: 10.4103/0975-9476.146566. PMID: 25624699; PMCID: PMC4296437.
I do have hyperthyroid that runs in my family. The irony of this causing insomnia is that it is known to increase GABA and the species part of its botanical name, Withania somnifera implies sleep inducing! I’m sure it does help people who do not have thyroid problems. As for the copper or effects on methylation that the author on this page has postulated, I would like to see references to that before just believing it.
Tried it twice. Both times just one capsule made me violently sick. Thought it might have been something else the first time, so risked it again with same reaction.
I will never touch it again!
I have lupus and am an undermethylater, although I’m working on it. My copper levels are fine. I started a supplement that contains Ashwaghanda in June, and while I was doing really well before, in remission and feeling great, I’ve progressively gone downhill since.. now I’m seriousy wondering if its the Ashwaghanda. Needless to say I’m stopping it immediately. How do I undo the damage?!
I got to this site by a Google search “can agenda cause anxiety”. I started taking it about a week ago because a friend recommended it. I don’t have anxiety, but she described it as very calming, and who doesn’t want that? Well now that I’ve been taking it I have had some shortness of breath, some heart racing-not much, but the main thing is that I went from no anxiety to being BESIDE MYSELF with anxiety. It’s awful. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one. I won’t be taking it anymore.
Hi JJ,
Are you feeling better? I am going through a very rough time after taking ashwaghanda. Seems like it’s getting better and then anxiety hit again.
Hi JJ,
Are you getting better? How is your anxiety now? I only took it twice, last time 6 days ago and still have episodes of anxiety and brain fog.
I have just tried it and twice now within 2 hours I have been unbelievably ill. Sickness, diarrhea and dizzy.
I will not use again.
I have taken ashwagandha for 4 months (KSM-66, 660mg at evening) to improve my sleep. It worked very well at the beginning: better sleep, mood improvement, lot of energy and motivation. After two months of use i noticed very mild symptoms: irratibility, ear rings, racing thoughts before sleep, tension. The good sleep and good mood stayed, so i didnt suspect ashwagandha. When i tired to stop it, my sleep was disturbed, so i kept takeing it. After few months it stopped working, on a very good thay but the night was hell: i cant sleep just 3 hours because of the twitches in my body. Next day everything changed: anxiety, gasping for air, forget to breath sometimes, pressure above my temple, forehead tingling. I stopped it immediately and i noticed another symptoms: loss of appetite, lightsensivity twitches during daytime in my whole body, problems with concentracion. Magnesium, vitamins didnt helped. My labtestes were OK. I started to take Valeriana, and it helped, but it stopped to work after 2 months, and my anxiety is higher than before, and my other symptoms is back as well. Is there anybody who had recovered already? Is known any treatment? I dont want to takeing benzos.
Not sure where my post went but iv been taking it for about 3 weeks n have developed a cough but more like having trouble breathing cough. Cuz at night my chest seems to feel heavy. Just want to know if anyone has had this before
Just would like to know if anyone has experienced this or something like it
Hi iv been taken it for about 3 weeks now and noticed I developed a cough like cough but not a cough more like a bother in my throat that makes me need to cough and my chest feels heavy at night . Im assuming is the ash only thing iv changed in my life so im going to stop n see what happens.
Oh my goodness I am so glad I cam across this! I started taking a pre-menstrual complex a couple of months ago and it contains 300g of ashwahgandha. For the first several weeks it was great, i certainly felt like like my PMS was alot better and my mood had levelled out. But then came the anxiety…. And I mean awful, it has gotten worse and worse!! I suffered once from anxiety many years ago after a family trauma but have been fine for the last 15yrs or so. My anxiety cam back with a vengeance so it seemed, extremely on edge, anxiety attacks, dry mouth, irregular heartrate. Really scary if I’m honest. There was no other reason I could think of for having this anxiety enter my life again apart from these new herbal pills i was taking. However when I tried to do some research online all I could find out was how helpful the herb was to everyone when it comes to anxiety and stress. After last night and having the worst anxiety attack yet, I am over the moon to have found this article, immensely relieved!! I have immediately stopped taking the pills from today and seriously hope I won’t suffer these effects for too much longer. Can anyone help with informing me on how long this herb will take to get out of my system? I was on 300mg per day for the last 3mths. Thank you!
Ashwagandha is not recommended for people with Hashimoto’s hypothyroid autoimmune
disease.
Yes, this is correct. Thank you for your input.
I tried ashwaganda one day at a health food restaurant. They had the highest quality stuff around. Cold pressed green drinks, ginger shots and house made nut cheesecakes to name a few delights.
I know my body is sensitive, so I’m particular. I kept hear about ashwaganda & these people pumped it up, so I thought, why not. Plus, it was in an organic blueberry and almond butter shake. How could I resist?!
I generally eat organic whole foods, but I’m not veg or vegan. I don’t have any diagnosed medical or mental issues. I was in my late 30s when I tried ashwaganda. I exercise and I meditate regularly. So I’m above average health & no known illness. I share bc many people seem to be attributing the negative reaction to previous use of meds, health, etc.
About 10 minutes and a quarter way through the 14 ounce smoothie I started having blurred vision & feeling dizzy. I was driving so this naturally gave me a little anxiety. I also felt floaty. The side affect for me was a bit like being high without the THC affect. As soon as I started having the symptoms I stopped drinking the fancy smoothie. The side affects lasted about an hour or two. I can’t eat fresh turmeric either. It also makes me feel dizzy & have blurred vision. A bit different, but still odd that so many people swear by these things, yet others have a very different experience. This is why I tell people not to follow fad diets. It may not be right for you
To all those who believe they may have methylation issues (from the MTHFR gene mutation or from environmental stress), or heavy metal toxicity, I watched a very informative YouTube video on solutions for all of this! I’ve had very similar experiences to some of the people commenting here, where supplements that require methyl groups to work properly (not just ashwagandha) stop working after 2 weeks. It appears that’s how long it takes to drain my body’s methyl group supply. I’m starting to turn the dials on my own under-methylation, based on the video’s recommendations, and it is working. (I started by adding l-methylfolate, B12, and am now adding TMG, all of which can help with undermethylation. And I just ordered NAC to help my body dissipate a build-up of heavy metals.). The supplement industry is not well regulated, so please make sure you only take supplements from companies with Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP sticker, or google the company to see if it has been granted this designation). Oh, and beware of folic acid if you think you have undermethylation – it’s in multivitamins and even the flour of a few countries! Please don’t give up. Your health is worth it!
Actually, methylfolate is contraindicated in undermethylation. It donates some methyl outside the nucleus of the cell but strips 10 times more than it provides inside the nucleus. This is a major problem because this is the homebase of our DNA. MTHFR is only a backup pathway and not viable for treatment purposes. Listen to this podcast episode I recorded with Dr. Albert Mensah, MD for more information.
I think ashwaghanda is the cause of my current issues.
Crazy heart palpitations, light headedness to the point where my head feels like it’s completely made of air, wide awake (TOO awake), can not calm down. Worse than any anxiety attack I have ever had. I don’t know if I have some sort of underlying condition that is causing this interaction but I will not be taking it anymore. It feels like I’ve been drugged.
Tabitha, your 11.19.2020 comment, you said “chopped it up” but the correct way to express it is to say “chalked it up”.
I feel lousy. I’m thinking it may be because I changed my probiotic to one that included ashwagandha. I’m also taking an antibiotic to fight a bacterial infection after surgery. I’m just looking for some good information that may help.
I took 6 tablets in total in a week and I suddenly started getting dizziness low blood pressure palpitations and just general feeling of unwell feel like I’m about to have a stroke or summin at times. It’s been almost a week since I took it and I still feel unwell. What should I do to get out of this feeling? Just can’t seem to snap out of it. Any help would be very much appreciated. Anyone?
Yes, please be careful with this supplement. I’m just getting over a very scary experience of liver toxicity due to me accidentally taking too much Ashwagandha. I was taking 450mgs three times for the past two years and purchased a different brand that was twice the amount per capsule and did not catch it (amount noted was for 2 caps previously bc 1 cap on the new bottle). It took two days for all-over itching to start, but my blood test after three days only showed slightly elevated bilirubin. Fast forward two weeks to me continuing the supplement at the incorrect dose and my ALT levels were to 650. It’s taken a month for my liver enzymes to get back to normal. ALT was as high as 1650 at one point… it should be lower than 50. Now the liver drs tell me I can never have any supplements again. This herb ruined so many things for me. YES, please be careful.
I’m so grateful for this comment section and other similar forums! It saved me a doc’s appointment. I experienced many of these symptoms (lightheadedness, weak, irritability, etc.). But in addition to that, I had extreme hunger. At the peak of my symptoms, I went a day with eating like a maniac because I couldn’t get full. That same night, I skipped my dosage of ashwa because something within me said it was the cause, and miraculously, my symptoms disappeared the next day. But the weird part, even though I ate a ton, I was 2 pounds lighter the following day! I’m not diabetic, and I’m usually a light eater – I can skip breakfast with a late lunch and have no issues. I’m wondering if it had an extreme affect on my metabolism. I may try lowering my dosage because it did cure my occasional insomnia. I was taking 600mg in gummies.
My chest have been hurting pretty bad after taking too much of the ashwagandha gummies at once . I am a smoker as well and one pull did it for me. I am in pain and I really want to go see a doctor but I’m afraid they may turn me away. Any idea on how to at least soothe it until it goes away?
Good Day. I have a terrible allergic reaction to Ashwagandha and I have experienced this four time now. My most recent reaction was two days ago. I had 220mg and it just about sent me to the hospital. I had blurred vision which turned into double vision, vomiting, watery diarrhea, muscle cramps, a blood pressure dropped and I could not walk or talk due to weakness.This lasted for six hours straight. Muscle cramps in my legs came after the vomiting and diarrhea stopped. I know it is Ashwagandha because this has happen to me four times over a ten year period. This recent episode I took a supplement for adrenal stress and did not look to see what was in it. Within a hour I realized something was wrong. I recognized the symptoms. Please understand that this might be used by millions of people with no bad effects, but if anyone else has experienced what I do, it is good to let people know. Now after reading this article, I am going to go back to my GP and get some tests done, I also have a reaction to tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant but nothing like the effects from Ashwagandha.
Please, anybody who has had issues with ashwagandha, consider getting tested for heavy metals.
Heavy metals compromises the cns amongst other stuff.
I used Doctorsdata,
(1) packed red blood cells toxic metals and essential elements
(2) urine (24hr) toxic metals and essential elements
If metals do not show up then it doesn’t mean they are not the problem, if the issue is sufficiently bad then detox, methylation and as a result excretion is impaired. So use both tests to determine the elements.
Supplement to support natural detox, B complex, zinc, selenium, boron, iodine, magnesium, also consider TRS from coseva, but be aware if ou do have a heavy metals issue then all of these supplements can increase symptoms until your body has been able to get used to them so don’t think if they increase symptoms then stop, but just go much slower, much smaller dose etc.
Also mega dose vitamin c is beneficial
A staple of traditional Indian medicine, Ashwagandha has been prescribed for hundreds of years to treat the symptoms of stress, anxiety, inflammation, infertility and high blood sugar.
What kinds of ashwaghanda is causing the problem? Sensoril, Ksm 66? I’ve been taking Mercolas ashwaghanda 400 mg twice a day….just started to empty out half the capsule to 200 mg…..I think I was taking too much..it really helps me sleep though my anxiety remains high during the day. I’m ordering some Life Extension Sensoril ashwaghanda to see if it affects me differently….Mercola says his is neither Sensoril or Ksm66…I am using ashwaghanda to help me get off of a beta blocker I was using and is causing me to have a lot of anxious times…
It caused me a very, very strange side effects!! 🙁 🙁
In my sexual life, And my period. After when i take this pills, i noticed my orgasm stops in a second. It begins and ends a second later, as if something was blocking it . Very scared me! The other side effect: I shortened my 28-day period to 21 days. Has anyone else experienced this?? If yes, please answer me. I takes a Tyroid Support vitamin and contains Ashwaganda. I’m not sure these causing my new problem. I’m copying what is contains:
Vitamin B-12 (as methylcobalamin), Iodine, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Manganese, Molybdenum, L-Tyrosine, Schizandra, Coleus Forskohlii, Kelp, Ashwagandha Root, Bladderwrack, Cayenne Pepper,
Anni – I take the Thyroid Support as well and am questioning its side effects. My primary care said it would be rare…but….
I noticed headaches and fatigue the two weeks I was taking it. I’m also on Armour Thyroid and pre-menopausal. I have the MTHFR gene and a known issue with b12 and folate. By coincidence, I went to the eye doctor for a routine check up and he said my optic nerve was swollen! Now I’m down the path of extensive testing for optic/brain issues. That started me thinking about the timing of the supplements and headaches and led me to a path of this potentially being dangerous if you are being treated for thyroid. I stopped taking the supplement and my headaches are no longer every single day and not as bad and I am not tired. I’m wondering if it’s possible this supplement could do this! The timing is very curious. I have not taken one of the supplements for nearly a week and yesterday was the first day I was headache free.
my menstruation was longer after taking ashwagandha morning and. evening that was recommended by the brand
Been taking Ashwaganda in a T booster and Sleeping pills with no issue. Felt like I was reaping the rewards of it with no side affects. Decided to start taking it on its own so I bought the KSM66 version.
Not sure what it was about the KSM66 but soon after sleeping, I felt my self waking up with some slight difficulty breathing. Eventually got up and felt dizzy to the point I was going to pass out. Heart was racing tried to calm myself down. Don’t think I’m going to take this anymore after this plus reading another’s experience
Has anyone had any hormone imbalance or irregular bleeding while taking ashwaghanda?
These are some great ashwagandha dangerous repercussions that you have discussed here. I really loved it and thank you very much for sharing this with us. You have a great visualization and you have really presented this content in a really good manner.
I started taking this supplement in Sept 2. 2020 for anxiety. Around three week later I started having severe panic/anxiety attacks that I had never experienced before. My heart rate was extremely high and I thought I was going to die. I started having paranoia thought’s to the point that I thought I was going crazy and knew I was having a mental break down. I scared myself and my family because we did not know what was going on with me. I prayed and prayed cause I thought I was going to die or lose my mind. And a voice told me. ” it’s the pill your taking” ( I know it was God). Then I googled and found this site and started reading other people with almost or the same side effects. Herbs are very dangerous because they do not have to be approved by the FDA. I suggest you be very careful taking this supplement
Hello, I had a similar experience. My doc said things will settle down a few days after stopping the supplement. Did your heart go back to normal? Thanks for the post.
Yes it did, but I still have nightmares about the experience.
I believe you!
Hello, how have you felt since this post? How long did it take for you to feel like yourself again?
I started taking two supplements that contained ash at the advice of my doctor who uses Ayurvedic herbs. These were to help with my anxiety. Have taken them for about 2 weeks and the lightbulb just went on today that they have been the cause of my terrible mood and irritation and sadness. I’m pretty sure I am an undermethylator and have high copper toxicity. So this is not the herb for me. I hope I won’t have side effects stopping these supplements.
Ashwagandha made me feel the most anxious I’ve ever felt in my life. I thought I had lost my mind. Suicidal thoughts, horrible thoughts constantly. I took it for 3 days didn’t really feel a difference. The 4th day I took it thoughts would creep into my mind, irritation, abnormal pessimistic thoughts. The 5th day my chest felt tight, my breathing was fast, I had thoughts of killing myself. I had several panic attacks in one day which is something I’ve never experienced. I felt like I was drugged and it made me feel very fatigued yet I could not sleep. It was like my mind was harassing me with constantly fast negative dialogue. I couldn’t get a full breath in for days, just quick breathing, like I was sprinting. I just got past my period 2 weeks prior to taking this and I started bleeding again, spotting, which is something I’ve never experienced. After 11 days of feeling this way I finally researched side effects of Ashwagandha and read reviews of other people feeling this way I finally stopped. I took me 2 weeks to feel okay again. I was really concerned for myself. It’s been 2 months since this happened to me and I think about it everyday. Just thinking about what happened to me makes tears swell in my eyes. I just want it to be a distant memory. It makes me feel so much better to see people that have a similar experience to me. Please don’t take this.
Hi Ciarra,
I have had a very similar experience with Ashwaghanda. I took it twice – first time a few weeks ago, it was one of the herbs in a supplement that was supposed to help with mood. My supplement had 125 mg of Sensoril, which is the most potent ash extract (lucky me!). So the first time I took it in the evening and haven’t had an immediate reaction because I fell asleep shortly after. Next several days I felt anxious/shaky and spaced out, very foggy brain, like I was detached from reality. My muscles were also twitching and I felt depressed. I didn’t realize it was a supplement and last Thursday I took it again after breakfast. Within one hour I had a horrible panic/anxiety attach. I was shaky, had suicidal thoughts and felt like someone switched off a light in me. It was the most horrible feeling, I never experienced anything like that. At that time I realized that all my symptoms were because of the supplement. It has been 6 days and I still feel anxious. Internal tremors are mostly gone, but that weird feeling of foggy brain is still there. My mood changes frequently, I feel very short-tempered and like I cannot focus and/or enjoy life.
You mentioned that your symptoms lasted a few weeks, do you remember if they were gradually getting better or if one day it all just stopped? Did you have any residual side effects? What symptoms did you have for two week when you were recovering?
Thank you
Hey Julia, how are you feeling now? It’s over a year later, so I hope everyting is okay.
Thank you for this. I tried Ashwagandha after numerous clients and colleagues swore by it and was referred to a brand on Instagram. Promises of help with stress and anxiety, thyroid help, and balance were all things I wanted. Instead even with a teeny tiny dose I experienced anxiety attacks lasting for hours, sweating, heart palpitations, nervousness, diarrhea, sleeplessness. I felt like I was hallucinating or on some kind of drug. It was horrifying. I reached out to the company and they were no help. The hadn’t heard of such a reaction and “weren’t herbalists” so couldn’t give me any advice. Not herbalists but selling herbs online, huh?! Anyhow I was searching for other people’s adverse reactions and came up empty handed. I have no idea why I had such a hard time with it, but happy to know I’m not alone. Goes to show what works for some does not work for all❤️
Never ever take Ashwagandha in your life, it gave me complete loss of sleep and I am still suffering from it for last 2 years with no sleep at all. Even benzodiazepines are not working for me to get sleep. I am awake like 24 hrs for 2 years. I fucked up my life. I cry everyday that why I took this herb.
I stopped a month ago and I know what you mean! Can’t get any sleep , highly anxious, palpitations, and when I do I sleep, I wake with severe anxiety and doom!!! I hope it it does not take 2+ years to get better! I am sorry you are still going through this! This supplement is awful!
Hey Jody,
How are your symptoms now, as of November 28, 2022?
Best,
Levi
Hi Abhishek,
I had similar terrible side effect taking ashwaganda from Amazon retailer. I am not sure if they had laced the pill with some crazy things .. initially I was having the symptoms of panic attack on a daily basis and anxiety and depression .. funny thing is I did not have any anxiety issues. Just tried the medicine thiinking I had thyroid issues.. completely ruined my life. Also came to understand that the pill was causing the issue very late. I am on lot of medications now but unable to get out of it.. still have issues sleeping. Mood swings, suicidal thoughts, ear ringing, unable to focus or work.. let me know if something worked for you.. I just need to be normal. I wish I could sleep like I used to.. please help
Sorry but that seems pretty extreme. It has messed up my sleep too I think but once it is out of your system there is no way it would still be being caused by the supplement.
I have no idea why people take such large doses of anything that they haven’t had before. I started with 50 mg and worked my way up to 300 twice a day. It’s works very very well for me. Everyone’s system is different. Don’t start out with a ton of it. It does wonders for some people.
Can ashwaganda tea cause the side effects? I am experiencing crazy heart palpitations that I kept checking my wrist pulse, breathing feels interrupted whenever heart goes out of rhythm. I googled this tea and heart palps and found this thread. This tea is advertised as a stress reliever, doesn’t come with a warning. Definitely not drinking this tea again but am wondering if a weak form like ash tea could cause this unpleasant and scary side effects.
how long did these symptoms last? im currently experiencing the same
Im one week into it and still feeling unwell are you better now? How long did it take to feel normal? Kind regards
Ashwagandha has helped me. I felt as if it controlled my anxiety and calmed me. I was also on Cymbalta 20mg while taking the Gaia brand Ash. One time I could not find any Gaia and didn’t want to go to another store to find it and tried a different brand. It made me sick. I don’t know why?? Maybe it was more potent? I pretty much never took a break from it though as it is suggested. I recently ran out and am now taking a break. I am feeling fine. I don’t know if I will go back on it. I am now tapered off the Cymbalta. It took 2.5 years to get off the lowest dose. These drugs are really, really awful!!! Best of luck to you all. If you have had a bad experience with Ash and still want to try it, I do recommend the Gaia brand. It never gave me a problem as far as I can tell!
I’m 48 and started taking 400mg of Ashwagandha in September 2019 to help me focus in the gym. I felt great for the first two months. I’m an extrovert – life of the party, so to speak. But by Christmas, I didn’t care about anything at all. So I upped my dosage to 800mg from 400mg. I see now how ignorant that was. By January, I started having suicidal thoughts on a daily basis. Horrible, horrible thoughts. No motivation, no pleasure in anything, just completed discouraged about everything. Hated everyone, including myself. All I wanted to do was go to sleep and not wake up and actually prayed to God for it. That is not who I am.
I finally started researching side effects and realized that it most likely was what has been causing these issues, as that has been the only thing I take other than a daily multivitamin. I have been off it now for a few days and realize that this is going to take time to get out of my system so my brain can rewire what was disconnected. I am in a horrible place, but realize that it’s going to take time. Ashwagandha may work for many, but it’s definitely not a wide painted brush. Be cautious or you could end up in a place like me….and it’s not a good place to be.
I tried Ashwagandha for my social anxiety and fatigue. I started having MS symptoms , stopped and my neurologist recommended Lexapro, first 2-3 weeks were rough but I wish I would of been on Lexapro 25 years ago….. I’m 40. It has made such a big difference in my life. I suffered so long b/c I thought meds were bad…. I tried herbs , change of diet and self coping books on anxiety Which didn’t really help in the end. Please don’t be afraid to try a medication like Lexapro. For anyone wondering, I take it around 8-9:30 pm at night. 10mg. I do not recommend Ashwagandha, night shades are not good for your health. Do your research. This is a well written article, thank you.
I took Lexipro for years and it ruined my life.
I stopped the drug 2 years ago and I still have persistent symptoms.
I won’t go through the list but I now have cognition issues and my vision is blurry.
I was also “fine” on it for years so the whole everybody is different argument is a load of bs. These drugs are like Russian roulette and one day your luck might run out. Also getting of an SSRI can be really hard and sometimes people can’t do it. Those that do can end up with persistent side effects that last for years or indefinitely.
Also any perceived effect of an SSRI is usually a combo of the placebo effect and the numbing effect inhibiting serotonin has, this is often perceived as working, or correcting the problem but it’s not true.
People need to research head meds before taking them, most doctors are noting more than prescribers so of course their science sounds right.
If anyone wants to read the truth about such meds, look up the Risxk site run by Dr David Healy
Again I was fine on an SSRI for years but I had no idea what it was doing to me all along. I would gladly just have my anxiety back than the issues I have now. Remember, these issues did not start until years later.
I’m a 43 year old male, I eat relatively well and exercise regularly. I take no medications, and have atypical plaque psoriasis. I began taking Ashwagandha 4 days ago after hearing about its testosterone boosting ability. I naively went straight to taking the max dosage recommended on the bottle (450mg 3x daily). The first day I noticed nothing except some acid reflux however, when I woke on the second day I was extremely itchy. Both of these symptoms continue to increase in intensity. Going into the 4th day now the itching is almost intolerable and now I’m noticing more frequent urination and a mild burning when urinating. I do feel more relaxed overall. I hope lowering my dose will alleviate these negative side effects.
I started taking ashwagandha ksm66 a few weeks ago and got severe cystic acne, Fungal acne and a face rash, that is still here, heart palipitations, anxiety upon waking and insomnia. I did tons of research saying it’s so good for depression and anxiety, and a bunch of other benefits. I have been fine taking Nootropics and L-Theanine for anxiety, but I believe this herb is messing me up. I thought it was cuz of the zeolite, charcoal, broccoli sprout, wild yucca root, humic and fulvic acid blend I was taking or maybe the alpha GPC… I stopped the detox blend and alpha gpc 5 days ago and am stopping the ashwagandha tomorrow…
This is a really informative article. I have histimine issues so I knew taking this herb might cause problems because it’s a nightshade but my reactions are always nervous system related; pulse, bp etc. But this herb caused me major dirreah within an hour of taking on every occasion i tried it. It also made me tired yet disturbed my sleep. It should be used with great caution as all but the most benign herbs should be. Ive read it doesn’t clear the body for 72 hours so a bad reaction could last 3 days…
Thank you for the most interesting article! Most of what you see on line say herbs have virtually no side effects becouse they are trying to SELL them. Its refreshing to read knowledge and experience based articles.
Thank you for your feedback, Jeff. I am glad my article was helpful to you.
I have many chronic ongoing health problems, some questionably iatrogenic, many which are relevant to this discussion. Initially I was trying to figure out if Ashwagandha Sensoril can cause diarrhea. After reading your article and further discussion, can you please tell me the best way to test for copper toxicity? Among all kinds of other things, I took 2 different desiccated adrenal supplements as directed by my doctor for many years and take armour throid. I would also like to know if a similar reliable test can be done to check for toxicity of other heavy metals so I can request this from my PCP or find a reliable testing facility if what you recommend is not covered by most insurances. Thanks
I’ve gone through menopause. I am on Keppra. I have a terrible memory. I can’t take a multi vitamin. My system does not digest it well, causes pain. I think it is because of the added calcium. I have had multiple kidney stones. I have to take individual vitamin supplements, excluding calcium. My gallbladder has been removed and I just had hernia surgery. My hair is thinning and my scalp is dry and sometimes itchy. I am sensitive to the sun and have extreme insomnia now.My nails do not grow and have horizontal ridges in them. What should I do?
I took very little Ashwagandha( one single pepper size quantity) and I regretted after 2 hours. My heart started pounding and I knew that it was due to this Ashwagandha. I think it lowered my blood pressure way too low, and the heart tried to push it up hard and so I had that palpitations. It was gone after 4 days. So, please be cautious when taking Ashwagandha. It is dangerous if you know nothing about it.
It has been 24 hour since I made the mistake of taking it and I am still feeling so weak and fatigued. I thought it will help me with anxiety, but I was wrong. How are you feeling now sudhakar? I am scared it will never leave my body. I was feeling so much better with just my Magnesium supplement.
Hey Artemis,
Are you feeling better now? Any permanent effects?
This has been an eye opener. I had been experiencing Adrenaline fatigue, early morning fight/ flight attacks, anxiety. It happened 3 years ago and started again few months ago. Recently tried Ashwagandha but after 2 weeks I realized it increases my morning nervousness. Stopped it. Now, reading the article and comments I can see why. The some goes for the adrenavive supplement which I started 4 days ago during which I had 2 morning episodes of nausea and nervousness. Obviously will stop this supplement.
So given my reaction and reading your article I suspect copper and methylation (the possibility was already raised by my Dr, but then I shouldn’t have been recommended these supplements).
I am waiting for blood test results. But it really makes sense. Next step is finding how to deal with these issues.
This herb saved my life. When added to my antidepressant, I no longer feel like the cloud is hanging over my head. I no longer feel like there’s no hope. I no longer feel like I can’t get out of bed. It literally saved my life and yes we are all different, but I’ve lived with depression for half of my life and nothing has helped me like this. I haven’t had any side effects at all. I take it in the morning with my antidepressant and B12 and vitamin E. When I first got it I was taking it at night and I had trouble sleeping. Once I started taking it in the morning I noticed a difference rather quickly. It’s hard to explain how it makes me feel because it’s not like I feel energy or manic. I simply feel like a whole person again. I enjoy things now and I can laugh and even plan. I actually took it because I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and I am sick and tired of being stuffed with prescription medicine so I sought another way. The fact that it accidentally helped my chronic depression is just a happy miracle. I do have low thyroid as well so this article scares me a little bit, but to be really honest I would much rather live with whatever side effects it has for thyroid then to go back into the hell of my depression.
T3 (CLIA) 357
T4 (CLIA) 26.7
TSH (CLIA) is less than 0.01 and testosterone above 1500
In the previous comment, I used greater than/less than symbols and something went wrong.
I was using the following Aswaganda supplements for last 2 years,
Ajaswagandhadi lehyam – 1 tea spoon – 2 times daily
Aswagandharishtam (15ml ) + dasamoolarishtam(15ml) + 30ml water – 2 times daily
Rejuveda Tablet – 2 times daily
My recent blood test results ,
T3 (CLIA) 357
T4 (CLIA) 26.7
TSH (CLIA) 1500
Following are my problems,
Low body weight
High appetite
Weak body
Rapid heat beat
chest pain
Hand tremor etc
Aswagandha can cause all these problems? I stopped having these medicines recently.
I was using the following Aswaganda supplements for last 2 years,
Ajaswagandhadi lehyam – 1 tea spoon – 2 times daily
Aswagandharishtam (15ml ) + dasamoolarishtam(15ml) + 30ml water – 2 times daily
Rejuveda Tablet – 2 times daily
My recent blood test results ,
T3 (CLIA) 357
T4 (CLIA) 26.7
TSH (CLIA) 1500
Following are my problems,
Low body weight
High appetite
Weak body
Rapid heat beat
chest pain
Hand tremor etc
Aswagandha can cause all these problems? I stopped having these medicines recently.
Ashwagandha by Organic India has helped calm my sister’s anxiety tremendously. She has been taking it regularly with noticeable improvements not only with anxiety but also with calming her Essential Tremors. It has proven to be powerful at calming anxiety and tension not only for her but for other family members that have tried it as well, without any side affects whatsoever.
I started taking ashwaganda to help me concentrate. I had just started a new position at my work and was having trouble being nervous and concentrating. I had read alot of good reviews about ashwaganda and thought why not….So I took it for a few months and I felt like a million bucks…I was calm, relaxed, sleeping good and was able to stay focused alot better than what I was. Then one day it was like a light switch flipped and I felt awful…I all of sudden couldnt sleep, I felt like I had drank 5 cups of coffee and so jittery and then I started having panic attacks for no reason. I felt like I had a lump in my throat. It felt like my throat muscles were very tight especially at the back of my neck. It felt like I had a weight in my chest and it was difficult for me to take deep breaths. I was absolutely miserable.At first I thought maybe I have a lung disease or emphysema but then I just knew the ashwaganda had caused something in my body to change. I stopped taking it and my symptoms were even worse. I went to my doctor, I told them I had been taking Ashwaganda and I felt like it did something to me……Im the type of person that I dont normally take any medicines or supplements unless I really have to, and I dont go to the doctor unless Im extremely sick….. Anywho my doctor said she had never heard of ashwaganda and told me I was just having anxiety and prescribed me zoloft. I was so tempted to take the medicine just to give me some relief but I read all the side effects and I thought, no I am not putting anymore substances in my body. With Gods help I am going to get through this…. Every few days after stopping the medicine I continued to have panic attacks out of the blue and extreme anxiety for no reason. But every week that it was out of my system I felt better and better and now I am feeling 100percent back to my norm. I certainly learned my lesson about playing around with herbal supplements. All I can say is never again and thank you Jesus for getting me through it.
Are you better now? I feel like been short of breath for about a month and havent been able to take deep breaths. How log did it take for you to recover?
I stopped taking it a month ago and still having a lot of issues. I don’t know when I am going to get better! How are you now?
Hi Rachel
Can you recall how long it took you too feel “normal” again?
I’m desperate. I’ve been to the ER, my Dr, and now today the paramedics came to my house. All my vitals come back normal, but I’m undoubtedly struggling with effects from Ashwaghanda in a blend with other adaptogens and sadly no one is experienced enough in that field to help. I’m relying on anything I can research because I feel helpless, I wish so bad to have my life back and that I NEVER touched this stuff.
Hi Tabitha,
How are you feeling? How long did it take for you to go back to normal?
I was wondering if you can comment about a persons genetic makeup and ashwaganda. My child has the comt++ gene polymorphism. I’ve read that Rhodiola isn’t good as it uses up comt. All I know is ashwaganda made my child extremely emotional and aggressive.
Sammi: Great article and feed. I read all the comments and find it interesting those who love the supplement and therefore so defending of it, completely missing the point you are making. Unlike most folks who have chimed in here, I’m pretty healthy and really have no issues. As an athlete, it’s been suggested to me that I should take Ashwagandha and Rhodiola to help my body deal with stress overload. I tried both last night and ended up having an evening of diarrhea and vomiting. I haven’t heard anyone else mention this reaction, so I don’t know for sure if the supplement(s) were the cause. But I did experience a similar reaction when I tried LifeVantage Protandim which also contains Ashwagandha. I’m curious what you think about the advantages/disadvantages of Rhodiola. At this point, since I really don’t have any health issues like adrenal fatigue, there probably is no reason for me to be subjecting my body to experimental herbs.
Thank you, Michelle, for sharing with our community. I’ve worked with clients that have experienced diarrhea and vomited after taking Ashwagandha, too. I wish more people understood the power of herbs and that they are not for everyone. I will add an article about Rhodiola to my list. 😉
I’ve tried ashwagandha root extract twice – capsule & powder form and had pretty bad diarrhea both times. I’m also very athletic and have no other allergies or health issues. Just wanted to use it to see if it can improve my mental & cognitive function.
I started seeing a highly trained herbalist/integrative doctor a few months ago, and she put me on Ashwaghanda tincture about two weeks ago. I have the MHTFR genetic mutation as well as fibromyalgia. After a week of being on the Ashwaghanda I had the absolute worst fibromyalgia flare I’ve had in my entire life. Extreme spasm on the entire left side of neck, trap, and clavicle. The slightest movement caused excruciating pain. It’s been a week and I’m still recovering. The last 3 days I was so exhausted I literally couldn’t do anything but nap and lay on the couch binging Netflix. Wasn’t until I just started doing my own research that I found out people with autoimmune diseases (which is one of the theories for what fibromyalgia is) should NOT EVER take Ashwaghanda, and now I just found this about how it can be dangerous for people with methylation genetic mutations. I feel like someone trained at my doctor’s level should have known this. Today was day one not taking the Ashwaghanda and the difference compared to how I’ve been feeling this whole past week is like night and day.
I did hair analysis test and it showed toxicity of hidden copper. I bought ashwagandha supplement to relief my anxiety, depression, insomnia and high cortisol and adrenal fatigue but after two days of taking it, it made my symptoms worse!!! I experienced the worst feeling in my life!!! I stopped taking it.
How long did it take for th he feelings to subside? Cause I felt “good” for just under a week then it was hit and miss until this last Sunday when I woke up in a dark place mentally… here we are on Friday and it’s still messing around.
I took it for a month and stopped a month ago. I am still feeling the extremely negative effects. Major anxiety, heart palpitations, tremors, insomnia and manic type of feeling. I don’t know when this will go away!!!
I started taking ashwagandha and I am now having horrible anxiety, nausea, lighthedness, and an emotional. I thought I was going through perimenopause. I am freaking out. Now that I found this I believe it might be the ashwagandha 🙁 I am super sensitive to all medications and herbs. I was really hoping it would help, but it seems to be driving me into an anxious depression.
Sounds like me… um I’m going to stop the Ash. Thanks Holly for your post.
how long did these symptoms last? im currently experiencing the same
I’m late chiming in here, but I also had a very bad reaction to ashwagandha (and I take no pharmaceuticals, not even aspirin or tylenol, haven’t for many years). It’s been a couple of years since I tried it (I was researching because last week I started taking a mushroom blend and I think I’m having a very similar reaction to that as I did to the ashwagandha). I only took ashwagandha for a few days, and on the third day or so was suddenly in a very deep dark place, extreme depression, anger, fatigue. I know I have methylation issues (family members have been diagnosed – I have not, but I’ve had so many symptoms all of my life that it’s a no-brainer). I immediately got off the ashwagandha and won’t touch the stuff ever again. I had a similar reaction when I started taking methylfolate. I do great with methylcobalamin. I tried dropping way down on the methylfolate dose to see if I could tolerate it if I gradually worked up to a “normal” dose, but no can do. No point in taking a supplement that makes you feel suicidal, duhhhh!! I even tried again about a year later, and had a bad reaction even faster than when I tried it the previous year, within just a day or so instead of it taking a week this time (depression, anger, fatigue), so not doing that supplement again. I’ve had great results from lots of vitamin supplements (megadoses of C and B3 in the form of nicotinic acid, pretty high dose of methylcobalamin, and “normal” doses of D3, ubiquinol, nutritional yeast), but that one I will not take a chance on again. And I know that it’s common for people with methylation issues to have trouble with methylfolate.
The reason I was researching and ended up here is because last week I started taking a mushroom blend (reishi, lions mane, maitake, chaga, cordyceps, and turkeytail). I thought I was doing fine on it, but after several days, I was severely fatigued, depressed, extreme anger (I have things to be depressed and angry about but most of the time I’ve been dealing with it fine since I am making progress toward making some changes in my life, and had been feeling quite hopeful and happy the last 6 months). I had been really working nonstop, every day, basically every waking hour since December, and especially the previous week or two, so I thought maybe it was just that causing the fatigue and maybe even the depression. But even after taking three days off and sleeping as much as I felt like I needed to sleep, I still have this extreme anger, depression, and hopelessness, and it suddenly dinged in my head that it could be the mushroom blend, since this is so similar to how the ashwaganda made me feel. But of course all I can find online is how wonderful all these mushrooms are and what great results people are having with these mushrooms. Needless to say, I will not be taking the mushroom powder anymore, and will try to find more info on whether or not these mushroom supplements can also cause these types of side effects for some people. Dang it – I was doing fine, actually better than fine, until a few days after I started this mushroom powder! Sami, I’m going to search your website and see if you’ve possibly addressed mushrooms as well? Thank you for this article. Yet another reminder to me to be more careful because just one substance can so quickly take me from happy, energetic, and hopeful to extreme fatigue, depression, and anger, and if I’m feeling good and doing well, why am I monkeying around with it and trying some new thing that I probably don’t need, just because I keep reading how wonderful it is? I’ve fought too hard over the last 6 years to get myself feeling good again after many, many years of constant morning fatigue, not being able to wake up and get out of bed, and fighting depression. Thanks again!
I hope you will reach out to me Sami. I’m struggling a lot with mostly anxiety and fear. For some reason I can’t seem to calm myself. I am under a Doctors care but it hasn’t done much help yet. I was searching the web for natural supplements that might be able to help. I’m trying to get my life back. Anyways I found Ashwaghanda which sounded very promises. So I look into what I could find on it. Also I came across a couple doctors on the web that reccomend this supplement. So I thought it could help me. I received it in the mail and tried it only for 2 days. Its an extract with the dropper in bottle. Said to use 28-56 drops 3 times a day with a little water. 1-2 ml dose. I tried it for 2 days at night for sleep. The first day wasn’t to bad but I became very panicky and sweaty after the 2nd day. Does it work that quickly. Also started sweating a lot. I’m on hormone replacement therapy and also hypo thyroid. Can you offer me your help? Please. I also was considering trying this supplement called Mulungu I believe from Brazil. Do you have any helpful information on that. Hope you trully can help. Thanks so much for your time. Hope to hear from you soon Sami.
God Bless you for helping others???????????????? Hope to hear from you soon.
Kat, do you mind sharing your side effects? I just started Ashwagandha Supreme on Saturday (It’s Monday as I write this). Saturday was one of the best days I’ve had in months as it relates to Adrenal Insufficiency/Fatigue; however, Sunday and today have been filled with non-stop heart fluttering/palpitations (it’s like my heart keeps beating up and won’t complete the beat. It levels off at some point and then it just keeps happening.
Be careful with this herb and watch for side effects. I do not take any medications that would interact with this. I read that this helped for osteoarthritis which I have developed. After about 3 days I started itching severely especially at night. The itching got so bad to the point I had bleeding sores all over my body including my scalp. Even my sclera was itching. I have never experienced anything like this. It took a good week to 10 days to get it out of my system and the itching subsided.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Abigail. Ashwagangha is definitely not for everyone.
Two weeks ago, I started taking it. Ten days in, uncontrollable and violent itching set in. Like you, I have scratched myself until I have bled. I also have a rash on both arms. I have been off of it three and half days. I’m still itching. Not nearly as bad as I was on the first day the itching began but it’s still miserable. I’m glad to see how long it took for it to subside because I didn’t know how long to expect. I have no other negative symptoms so I was reluctant to run to the doctor. Nothing works to stop the itch. The best you can do is will yourself not to scratch. I will never take it again. I’m sure it’s good for many people.
People seem to have this delusion that herbs can somehow bring about all these wonderful benefits with no side effects. If they are strong enough to bring about significant physiological changes, then almost by definition they can also cause adverse effects. It’s magical thinking to believe otherwise, fueled by marketing. I doubt any of this stuff would pass a really rigorous clinical trial.
Hello,
I have recently noticed that I am producing excess saliva in my mouth and this is worse when talking to people in a meeting for example as I notice it more and it makes it difficult to speak.
I have been taking ashwagadha as I thought it would help elevate my mood but now I am worried it is not the menopause as I thought initially but this supplement that is causing this unsettling symptom.
Could you advise please? I should also say my last blood test said I was on the borderline for thyroid activity
Hi Sami,
I’m very grateful for this article as I too took ashwagadha with disastrous results and reading this article proved me this was the herb was the cause.
I have had CFS and still not completely back to normal but I’m far more functional now. Ive had my genes tested and I have an issue with methylation. I’ve taken ashwagadha on and off the past year or so and I suspected at one point that it gives me anxiety. about month ago I started to take it regurlarly and after couple weeks I was in A very bad state. I had palpitations, i couldn’t breathe well, I begun to get so anxious I did not sleep and I sweat so much I was soaked, I thought I was losing my mind, it was hell and I couldn’t figure out why I’m going through this now. My memory had gone, concentration and everything else that goes with anxiety too. Luckily I realised to stop taking it and about 2-3 days later I went back to normal, sleeping normal, breathing better, calm and no anxiety. I’m so grateful for this article as now I can put this episode behind me and not question my sanity anymore. Please people be aware! And I guess this is a good indicator for those who can’t tolerate ashwagadha that they may have a methylation issue which itself is tricky but it’ll change your life once you know how to deal with it. I’m frustrated with some of the negative comments here- why can’t people accept that one thing can’t work for everyone and in fact can be even harmful. We’re not all the same and this kind of thinking can be so damaging to some people.
Thank you for this article!
My pleasure, Kat! Thanks for sharing your experience!
I had these same issues but it is still going on even a month after I stopped taking it!!!
I took Ashwaganda for about a month and in that month I became manic, resulting in a uti and now a diagnosis of chronic prostatitis. It gave me a huge boost in energy, but it also caused massive systemic inflammation. Now I’m taking cbd oil and trying to exercise regularly instead to maintain some balance along with the antibiotics. The medicine is perhaps miraculous for those with a more balanced, healthy endocrine system than I. For those who are prone to allergies, anxiety, depression, health issues caused by stress, this herb will probably do you more harm than good as it ramps up your immune system.
I am new in this taken only one tablet therefore could not sleep after taking aswagandha whereas google is saying batter take in night i followed in night i.e 390 mg , now i am thinking should i stop taking it because i come to know lots of things through your article …………..i took it because there are lots of advantages goin on but surprisingly lots of disadvantages also as come to know now ……………So Sir/Mam pls suggest me guide me honestly should i take it or not counting on you & why i could’t sleep reason behind??
Thankyou
Saiman Debbarma, India
Excellent article, definitely ahead of its time. I’m finding most in my family are suffering adrenal burnout/fatigue as a result of two underlying causes: (1) COPPER TOXICITY and (2) METHYLATION issues from MTHFR gene mutation common in approximately 80% of the world’s population.
Combine the epedemic of copper toxicity + methylation issues with daily stress, excessive screen time, and retinal exposure to light wavelengths interfering with normal diurinal signaling, and you develop metabolic stuttering due to adrenal fatigue over time. Eventually you will burn out.
You ask where the copper toxicity comes from and why its the silent epediemic? Look no further than organic foods. Commercial organic agriculture uses COPPER SULFATE as a common pesticide, fungicide, and insecticide. It renders the soil devoid of bacterial life. Copper Sulfate is a very effective poison. It induces heavy metal toxicity. The copper sulfate arrives to your home in produce and grains sprayed with it before harvest to impede molding. For nuts, seeds, and beans, it speeds up uniform drying (dessecation) for a more plentiful harvest. Add this high copper diet to copper rich water carried by copper pipes, and that’s good enough to get any body started on the copper toxicity trajectory. No need to mention the addition of copper no thanks to Copper IUD’s, organ meats, most adrenal supplements and herbs.
Vegetarians/vegans are the most succeptible to rapid aquisition of copper toxicity. Heme iron, from the hemoglobin in animals, ideally mammals, is relatively effective at kicking out the copper. The iron takes its rightful place, keeping the Copper toxicity at bay. So if you are not eating heme iron, following a vegetarian diet, eating organic food replete with copper sulfate dessicated nuts and seeds, and produce exposed to copper sulfate, you are on track for copper toxicity.
Symptoms of copper toxicity are similar to exposure to mercury. Cognitive impairment (brain fog) is one of the most comon symptoms. Copper toxicity interferes with proper adrenal function. Adrenals are the thyroid’s battery pack. So if the adrenals are shot, welcome to hypo thyroid conditions.
Copper toxicity can be managed via careful supplementation following meticulous blood testing. You never supplement anything unless you check for the levels of that supplement in the body and the metabolic pathways of elimination. Supporting liver function via N Acetyl Carnatine + Glycene is one way to support the livers normal function of dumping copper or making the copper that arrives, the bio-available form of copper that is necessary for normal biological processes.
Before you get too discouraged by copper toxicity dumping, remember that our bodies and natural environment were never designed to have such an overload of unboud inorganic copper exposure. You nearly have to trick the biological system to loosen the unbound copper. Initial detox is HELL.
How do you trick the body? To loosen the copper? It was suggested to me to support the adrenals to deal with copper overload naturally. I do horrible with holy basil and awashaganda it seems. And I am overmethylated so I don’t see how I could tolerated bovine adrenal cortex.
As with all imbalances in the body it’s the interactions between the various bodily systems that is at the root of health or health problems which obviously suggests that one supplement is not a Permanent answer, such that any one supplement could Backfire. To reduce problems is to have a better nature diet ( if you can). and add ( carefully) a blend of minerals/ vitamins which are known to be in short supply – even in organic foods .Today’s toxic planet/ soils/ water is top of the list for health problems. One thing that may help is a regular fast. Give the functions of the body time to catch up— obviously meditation, Fresh air, filtered water Remember there’s an interaction between the mental/ emotional and physical. No- one is going to be perfect. Please don’t overanalyze things it can get more stressful. It is – as you already know – a balance. I have and am going through it- after exposure to toxic chemicals- it’s not easy and too expensive for lots of tests which usually prove nothing.Consider the numerous medicinal drugs dished out- the lesser of two evils AT BEST. Consider cultures in the world who live simple lives with their own simple crops. Are they as unwell as most of us? Another thing is our digestion/ absorption.My belief is our microvolts is constantly being affected by our own intelligent rulers/ manufacturers/ drug companies/ chemical producers .What is in our food. These modern illnesses were not here hundreds of years ago. Go back to basics; it is a vicious circle. If there is a problem it doesn’t necessarily mean you stimulate that gland or sedate that gland it’s the whole endocrine system – I believe. So do not overdo it with one or a couple of supplements. My opinion is to find something that acts holistically in the body. One important suggestion– listen to your intuition. Bloody hell I’m going on and on. I’ll have to take my own advice.
My resting heart rate goes up when I take Ashwagandha, any idea why? For now I have dropped it and started taking St Johns Wart, it seems to work best for my heart rate.
What would be the simplest and easiest to protocol to for adrenal fatigue?
After a month of binge drinking every 3-4 days I found ashwagandha which was supposed to help with the alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Initially I had night sweats but at some point I had moments of feeling panicky and my mind would race. After taking it for about 4 days I stopped it but was feeling really unsteady on my feet and my legs felt shaky when walking or standing. I didn’t suspect ash as it is supposed to do the complete opposite until I found this webpage. I’m feel better bit by bit but the right side of my neck still feels a little swollen. Ash apparently really kicks your thyroids into overdrive which results in the low blood sugar, panic, cognitive issues, etc. I’m drinking plenty of water and avoiding foods with a lot of iodine as that can prolong the swollen thyroid.
I started taking ashwagandha because of all the positive effectiveness of the herb. I bought Natures Way Standardized 500mg capsules and took 2 a day for three days and began itching. The only thing new in my system or exposed to was the ashwagandha. Horrible at night. Obviously my dose was probably too much but symptoms started almost a week ago and I am still itching. Any suggestions?
Have been taking Ashwaganda for two weeks now for situational anxiety (car driving). First week seemed ok, slight increase in energy. Second week in and I experience sudden dips of depression. Last time I experienced depression was many years ago during very difficult personal events. Usually I am a resilient by nature. I am definitely not taking anymore of this Ashwaganda or any other ‘herbs’.
Hi Gala, have you been better since and how ? Exactly the same thing happened to me and I’m looking for comfort. Cheers.
I went to see an endocrinologist …took some test for thyroid. High estrogen with autoimmune Hashimoto…was given progesteron and ashwagandha. First two to three days went very well.. I had energy and libido. It was hard to swallow as it burned going down throat. One main concern was that my lungs felt pressure minutes to an hour after taking but very subtle. You can miss it. Nonetheless, I stopped taking because my body was experiencing may negative symptoms. I bought a thyroid support, night adrenal support and fermented mushroom supplement…and all thre have ashwagandha. So I was careful to take a different one once a day. Exactly same thing, lung irritation. So I am not trying any longer. I have developed an asma wheeze.
I have fibromyalgia from adrenal insufficiency, and both are from Chronic Stress. I’m currently working with a naturalpathic Dr. Because in the past I worked with one and got my health back, but didn’t stay on the trace minerals after my health returned, so I had to start it again with a trace mineral hair analysis test and program. It’s been 4 months without results. How do you treat adrenal insufficiency from chronic stress? Can you heal mine with hormones? If so, id like to work with you. Also I recently started taking black licorice and ashwaganda for my Adrenals, but after reading this, I’m stopping both.
I would also be interested in how to naturally heal the adrenals.
My doc diagnosed adrenal fatigue, but didn’t as such test for it…..She started me on Ashwagandha…I’m now concerned, what if my problems are caused by one of the other issues you mention?!
After taking 5HTP for two days I began to experience tingling in my feet. I stopped taking it immediately. The tingling was going away although my legs were and feet were tender. I took Ashwagandha and the leg pain went through the roof especially around the groin area. I don’t know what has happened to me. All my blood tests come out normal and urine samples are normal. So I don’t have EMS. I’m wondering if the Ashwagandha hurt me too. I know the 5HTP did.
I experienced similar symptoms after taking supplement L-Tryptophan. Although my labs are all normal, I’m suspecting that I have ems. Especially because I’m still having pains (feels like inflammation) after I stopped taking the supplement.
I assume if I am an overmethylator and high in copper I should not take ashwagandha?
I see a lot about under methylation but not overmethylation and ashwagandha in the above thread.
thank you!
My husband and I both started taking Ashwagandha with L-Tyrosine about a week ago. He was on SNRIs for a year, and was suicidal. He accidentally took an MAOI and ended up in the ICU and almost died. I am extremely stressed out. We live outside the US in a place where I can buy supplements, but can’t get treatment for “methylation” and the other things you recommend. So I just tried my best to do my own research, and found out that this herb is probably what is causing our anger. We will stop taking it.
If possible, please explain more about Methylation and Pyrrosines and how to balance your fatigue naturally. Thank you.
Yes, Ashwagandha alone can cause severe anger and evoke even suicidal thoughts! I once almost committed suicide taking Ashwagandha, once very depressed, and overall I felt extremely angry, frustrated, and agitated even over simple matters or things in life. I am from India, so I was born with traditions of Ayurveda in my country, in Ayurveda and India is where this medicinal plant touted for it’s medicinal properties for the first time to my knowledge. If you still want to take Ashwagandha, then combine Ashwagandha with amla which is also known as Indian gooseberry (two scientific names for it: one: Phyllanthus emblica and another name: Emblica officinalis, so just one herbal fruit named with 2 two different scientific names as they both point to this amla herbal fruit which is from India and the fruit is green in color). Why you should take Ahwagandha with this fruit? Because, Ashwagandha is very heating in nature and this fruit amla is very cooling in nature to the body in stomach, large intestine, small intestine, kidney, pancreas, liver, heart, lungs, blood, blood vessels, and to the whole body like said. So, combining these two heating and cooling herbs can bring balance and harmony to the body as Ashwagandha’s heating potency to the body can make you anger like how it did for me. However, if it is still causing you anger, then drop and cancel Ashwagandha out of your life. Good for you
However, the dose of Ashwagandha is very important, like whether you are taking a small or large dose, more important than how you take it, when you take it, with what you take it. Very importantly, whether you are taking raw Ashwagandha or its extract (Ashwagandha extract). Ashwagandha extract is very potent as its so concentrated than its natural, diluted raw form. Ashwagandha extract may only account for the 5% or 10% extract or essence from the raw Ashwagandha powder, extracted out through chemical solvents like ethanol and this extract is more potent, powerful, and concentrated compared to its raw and natural form. Like, you can imagine that 5mg of Ashwagandha extract is as powerful as 100mg of raw Ashwagandha powder, so if your doctor advice you to take 100mg of raw natural form of Ashwagandha powder and you mistook that and consumed 100mg of Ashwagandha extract, instead of its raw form. Guess what, you have taken 20x or 20 times of the recommended or prescribed dose of Ashwagandha from your doctor for example. Note, this is just an example, the standard dose of Ashwagandha extract seems, 125mg, 250mg, and 500mg respectively, this 5mg and 100mg of the extract I mentioned above is just for example, analogy, and metaphor purpose only. So, obviously you can take dose larger than that 5mg or 100mg of the extract, depending on your needs. Remember, I am not a doctor or physician, nor I have the appropriate degrees to recommend these for you. All these are from my personal experience and opinion. So, take my opinion, experience, advice under your own risks! Thanks for reading
I appreciate this article! Thank you for posting it.
I’ve been doing lots of digging into both ashwagandha and moringa to see if either of them could potentially help my husband who has suspected food sensitivity or adrenal fatigue (difficult time digesting vegetable; is DEEPLY tired upon waking, in the afternoons, and evenings; sometimes gets these odd cyst-like, deep, red, sometimes pussy body zits, and very dry skin)
I don’t know where to turn with my tight budget, to be honest. I was hoping some herbs could help and I have found a few seemingly thorough and reputable studies on the effectiveness of ashwagandha. But it seems everything that I find on various topics that might help (i.e. ashwagadha), there is something out there (if you research enough) to show you that it isn’t safe or truly effective and then I’m stuck back at square one.
I’m really at a loss for what to do. Do you have any resources you recommend to determine the cause of adrenal fatigue? or would you recommend going straight into an elimination diet and skipping supplements?
I’m sorry to ask so many questions – I realize this is a ridiculously long comment and not exactly what you are probably looking for in the comments section. I also realize that you may not be able to give advice like that in the comments section. TIA for whatever feedback you are able to provide. 🙂
I tried Ashwaghanda for a couple days and was totally out of it. I had zero concentration and I was totally scattered. I already feel that way from hypothyroidism and don’t need any of it. Thanks for the info, I do have methylation problems and didn’t realize the connection till I came across your article. I have not found anything to help my concentration problems which is the most frustrating part of this.
I have found that my biggest concentration problems are due to Gluten intolerance. You might want to go off of Gluten for 3 weeks and see if that fixes the problem.
Thanks for your article, which I found while websearching! I am a miserable menopausal woman, with untreated hypothyroidism (my levels aren’t THAT out of whack, so I mostly get along ok). I’ve been having horrendous hot flashes, irritability, anger, total unpleasantness! I took a morning saliva test and found that my cortisol is very low in the am (3.2), and my estrogen to progesterone levels are low, too (pg/e2: 84). I began using natural progesterone and estrogen cremes, and yesterday, started taking ashwaghanda. I must say that I probably took more than I ought to have (this is a tincture prepared in alchohol, and poured into my glass of water what I figured was one dropper’s worth). I felt many strong (and I mean STRONG) emotions and sensations. I felt anger, sorrow, almost a druggy sort of sleepiness, hopelessness, irritability, and I had wierd thoughts as I rested). Have you any idea of why this may have happened? Isn’t ashwaghanda supposed to help adrenal fatigue and get my hormones back in line? Thank you.
Hi,Ive been taking ashwaganda 200mg as part of a propriety blend for thyroid support(NaturesWellness),also taking homemade pine pollen tincture for boosting testosterone, while using( Lidell)VitalAge Defiance ) used to be called Vital HGH like 10 years,ago,and it contains homeopathic ingredients,which includes pituitary,hgh,hepar suis…sources unknown..My question is: what are the (copper toxicity ) symptoms that one would get from ashwaganda if taken with glandulars/androgen boosters.. I have develeloped a rash on inner thigh that looks like either eczema, or several other ailments since using all of these supplements ,thanks
☺
….and the thyroid proprietary blend also includes shisandra and bladderwrack
Quote a different substance, but do you have an opinion on marihuana and abnormal methylation?
Medical marijuana does not affect methylation.
Ashwagandha has been used for literally thousands of years with generations of people who understands how to use it and respect the great power it holds. Any herb can be harmful in the wrong hands, ashwagandha is single handedly responsible for healing my son’s extreme eczema that doctor’s couldn’t treat for 3 years. I use it daily as do my children and when combined with triphala and chavanprash, have become the only supplements needed to keep my family balanced and healthy.
I’m so glad it’s been beneficial for you, Lisa. You hit the nail on the head with this statement “Any herb can be harmful in the wrong hands.” It may work for you and your family, but it is not appropriate for everyone, especially those with the chemistries mentioned in this post.
I started taking ashwagandha to help with balancing hormones, anxiety and stress in general. What a mistake that was. After a week of this supplement, with no issues to recollect whatsoever in the past ten years since my hysterectomy, I was doubled over in pain. My ovaries were killing me. Immediately stopped this supplement and my pain has since subsided. This is not a supplement to play around with. I could barely work my shift that weekend.
It has been the only thing that helped a horrible onset of adult acne. For a year I was getting clogged pores and it was spreading. Nothing helped. Tried organic , natural, drug store, curology etc…2 weeks in 1 capsule at night (organic India) brand my skin is 80% better already. I am thrilled with it! Helps me sleep like a baby as well
It caused severe heart palpatations when I’ve taken it. I felt my heart actually stop several times and I was afraid to go to sleep for fear my heart would stop in my sleep. I have hypothyroidism and hashimotos. Ashwagandha is a nightshade and should not be taken by people with autoimmune diseases.
I belong to support group named bioavailable copper. On Facebook. I think you should look at what it says about toxic copper as opposed to bio available copper. Very interesting information. I would like to know your thoughts about this form of copper.
I’m well versed in the difference between copper toxicity and bioavailable copper. It’s never about eliminating all copper from the body. Zinc and copper must be in balance with one another.
I was wondering.
Is a nutrientbalancing program through a hairmineralannalys just as god as loking at metylationstatus.
In corekting metylation problems.
HTMA is a great diagnostic tool, but it’s not the holy grail many make it out to be. It is not useful in determining methylation status, nor does it replace the need to check methylation status.
This article is not completely correct. As will all foods/herbs/spices/plants dosage is key. There is the therapeutic/health dosage and there is the medicinal/functional dosage. The therapeutic dosage for Ashwagandha (for everyone) is between 100mg to 250mg in divided doses per day. The functional dosage can go upto 2g. At low doses it does regulate neurotransmitters providing an anxiolytic effect.
“Ashwagandha is used in Ayurveda to balance vata and kapha; in excess, and because of its heating, unctuous, building nature, it can imbalance pitta, and also worsen ama (toxic build-up).”
I encourage you to actually read this article in its entirety. It was written to inform those with abnormal methylation issues and copper toxicity that ashwagandha can do a lot of damage. This is what we see clinically. Therapeutic dosages for these individuals are still harmful. Keep in mind we are all biochemically unique. What works for one person does not work for everyone, even at lower doses.
Hi Sam,
For someone who is healthy, not taking any prescribed drugs, but has general anxiety disorder (from low to medium I.e. heart race but no panick attacks), I am seeking herbs to help minimize the underlining anxiety and provide better clarity, brain function as well. With that, do you feel ashwagandha could provide benefits? Thank you.
Hi Debra – I still don’t recommend it for you. I could make your symptoms worse.
I recently took Ashwagandha, a new Doctor. I had been up since 3 am. i experienced a huge panic attack. I have ptsd. I think I may have taken too much. It comes in a squirt mechanism. Thank God there were friends I could call or I might have ended in the ER.
Thanks for this article, makes so much sense, wish I had read it years ago, always new there was a root cause I needed to uncover and I have just had testing to find that I do indeed have copper toxocity and pylori.
Thankfully Ashwaganda is not one I have relied on but I have tried it. I do rely on other adaptogens though to help cope with my high cortisol. It dampens symptoms but I know I am not addressing the root cause with them.
Question is how to address these underlying issues effectively, inaddition to adding b6 and zinc supps? Adding zinc creates huge anxiety for me its so distressing I am unable to supplement at the requred level.
Thank you
My naturopath put me on Ashwagandha for my anxiety due to a lot of anxiety from PTSD. I’ve been on it for 3 months. How does it affect you badly?
I’ve been taking Ashwagahnda for about 2 weeks, and it was almost an immediate response of calmness, peace and feeling better. I was having anxiety pretty badly. But now after 2 weeks, I am having stomach cramping a few hours after taking it, it almost feels like I’ve eaten gluten which I’m allergic to. Has this happened to anyone else? Its disappointing for sure.
Hi Dawn, my experience parallels yours. I felt wonderful for a few days and then it started causing me serious digestive problems. I have only been taking it for two weeks. I have ibs and SIBO and hyperintestinal permeability and don’t understand why my MD put me on this. The past week has been agony.
I also experience immediate gut inflammation after taking it.
Took it about 18 months ago for 5 weeks. During that time I had extreme nausea, fatigue and vomiting . Didn’t associate it as I read it was relatively safe. Did some more research and found it can cause this. Stopped taking it and immediately better. Was vomiting 2 or 3 times per day. Lost around 6 kgs! Never again. It was like the worst morning sickness ever
Oh my God, I’m high copper and I was taking the dessicated thyroid. I gad no idea that it could contain lots if copper! Is there any research that prooves this?
Should an undermethylator not be taking dessicated thyroid for thyroid disorders? I have Hashi’s and have always been told to ask for the dessicated instead of the synthetic. Honestly, none of the medications (synthetic or dessicated/natural) have made me feel any better.
I’m also interested in the response to this answer.
I have the MTHFR gene and ashwaganda causes me to feel utterly depressed. Is there an alternative to the herb?
Hi Sami, I have Pyroluria and an Undermethylator and last year suffered from PTSD with Adrenal Fatigue. Also menopausal! Are you suggesting that anyone with these issues should be careful with Ashwagandha? I have been taking adrenal supplement containing this for 6 months as well as being treated for Pyroluria and copper/methylation which have improved mood but I am still quite fatigued! Could this be why?
Hi Lea,
Yes, we recommend you be very cautious with ashwagandha if you have these underlying chemistries.
Interesting! I was taking it during the year leading up to my crash. I had heard it was good for hormones and was taking it for cramps. I wonder how much it had to do with my issues… Thankfully, not taking it now!
Thank you for sharing your experience Lisa!
Severe stomach issues . Not fun at all. I hope it passes soon. I took the famous Gummy version.
I hope I don’t get anymore issues .
My experience with ash is not a good one. I took it for 2 weeks in the form of the raw dried root as tea and also in a stress and anxiety tincture also containing reishi and lion’s mane from a reputable company. On the 15th day I noticed my anxiety levels were off the charts. Sweating, very very sensitive to temperature, shivering, stomach upset, and the worst brain fog I’ve ever felt. My husband was worried to the point of “we need to talk.” I finally realized it was ash that was doing this to me. Today is day 4 off of it, and I’m still experiencing excessive sweating and short bouts of anxiety. But my mind is back, thank God! Hoping this anxiety kicks rocks soon.
Sorry, but my brain is too scattered. I don’t understand the why on not taking Ashwagandha. What is the bad that it does? I’ve always read good things about it. Can you expand more?
Also – the above comment on thyroid. Naturethroid and the like is the only way to go on helping the thyroid if you need supplements thyroid hormones. Synthroid is a joke.
See my reply to Michelle. Regarding bio-identicals vs. synthetic thyroid replacement, everyone’s body responds differently to hormones regardless of the source. Some of my patients respond well to Synthroid and cannot tolerate the bio-identicals. Some do better on animal-based options. Everyone is unique.
Thank you for your reply explaining further on the above comment. Now I understand on the Ashwagandha.
You are most welcome Heather. I’m glad this post was beneficial to you.
I was taking klonepin for RLS. Decided to quit not knowing there were withdrawl issues. I struggled to sleep the 1st 5 nights. I tried ash in CBD, seemed worse, racing mind, wide awake most of the night. I didn’t take it the next night….much better. Thought I’d try it again thinking it was still withdrawl……same result…racing mind, wide awake. I’m done with it and thankfully over the worst of the klonepin withdrawl.
Thyroid problem is often secondary to adrenal exhaustion. Once the adrenals are fixed they stop instructing the thyroid to produce reverse T3 and the hormones settle naturally.
Naturethroid??? I need to check that out!!! Thanks.
This applies to glandulars, not the actual hormones themselves.
This is the worst drug ever. Really fucked me up.
Yes, I took it for a month and stopped a month ago. I am Still having issues. It has caused severe anxiety, tremors, heart palpitations, insomnia and just a manic type of feeling. Who would have thought? I don’t know when I am going to get better but it is horrible!
Sorry to hear you like me have suffered.
It’s a killer.
Are you still suffering how long till you got right ?
Vanessa, Jody, Pete, how long it took for you to get back to normal? Anything that helped?
I took one and it was horrible. I will stick to what my doctor says. Thought I was being safer. I will stick with my ativan. Hope tomorrow I feel better.
Thank you Sami for another enlightening and thought provoking article. It seems that so many people are diagnosed with, or trying to treat their ‘adrenal fatigue’. There always seems to be some mystery as to what exactly that is. I also see that eating dessicated thyroid from a pig each day is a popular treatment for thyroid issues.
I accept that the underlying causes could be undermethylation, elevated Pyrroles, elevated copper etc. I would also love to know what it is that may make Ashwaganda or dessicated glandular supplements problematic or “create adverse symptoms and impair your progress”.
Could you possibly expand on this any further?
Hi Michelle,
Most adrenal supplements contain organs and glands that are high in copper. Ashwagandha is a stimulant and like all stimulants, has the ability to impair detox pathways thus making oxidative stress worse, even if there is an initial increase in energy.
Our concern, and the reason for this post, is that folks suffering from copper toxicity and/or any of the aforementioned issues are taking these supplements without a clear understanding of the true cause of their fatigue. Ashwagandha is especially detrimental if you have a thyroid imbalance and are taking thyroid medication – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4296437.
I had thyroiditis. The only thing that helps with the swelling is ashesganda.
I tried the so-called adrenal remedies, including ashwaghanda and had disastrous reactions that landed me in the ER a few times. I’m convinced I have severe methylation issues and copper toxicity but can’t afford a pricey practitioner after spending thousands on false hopes. Just be cautious of anyone who pushes expensive supplements. As I know now, there is a root cause that drives adrenal fatigue. That is what needs to be identified and addressed first.
Thank you Sami, for stating the obvious and reassuring me I’m not a crazy hypochondriac.
Thank you for sharing your experience Kat. You are NOT crazy.
If I have the mthfr genetic mutation that causes problems with methylation is ashwagandha bad for me.
WOW I JUST FOUND THIS I have MTHFR too, fibromyalgia, POTS, and CFS, and I have been taking ashwagandha the last few days and I have been feeling extremely fatigued the last two days and noticed my tachycardia is worse today! I am glad I found this.
I began taking an herbal supplement called Stresscare, which does include ashwagandha. I have recently stopped taking it as often and I’ve now developed an inflamed thyroid gland in my neck and realize I have the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Should I start taking it again? Or should I just try to treat the thyroid symptoms with diet and rest?. I have taken chelated chromium in the past to lower my copper levels. I can start taking that again. It has worked for me before. I think that this supplement was a bad idea because there are so many ingredients that I have no idea how or what is affecting me. After a few months I did notice stronger hair, more energy, and better focus. However I think that this may have just rebalanced my adrenal function and then I should have stopped taking it. I am just hoping I have not done any permanent damage.
Interesting. I have thyroid issues ( hypo ) for years and cannot tolerate Ashwagandha
Winder if there is a connection.
I have hypothyroidism too… but everytime I take a thyroid med a breakdown follows.
No different with ash… I had like a 7 day honeymoon period then wham. Made my ocd crazy and depression worse.
Why are you asking that here? Go to a doctor!,
I’m currently going through a breakdown that happened while taking this. Um I’ve been on a thyroid 3 times and each time its ended like this. The previous two were levothyroxine 25 (50 for like a week the first time). This one feels different though like a more spacey feeling at times, some manic, and waking up every morning with a crap ton of anxiety to the point where I gotta melt down
Adrenal fatigue is not a real condition. Experementing on somthing that does not exist is dangerous.
How do you get copper toxicity? Where does it come from? How can you test this?
Hi Aurora – click here to learn more about copper overload. We use simple blood tests and a hair tissue mineral analysis to better understand copper levels in the body.
Article comes across as alarmist. References Please. I mean, lots of criticism of ashwaganda without any evidence.
Lots of references regarding ashwaganda at
http://examine.com/supplements/Ashwagandha/
This post is based on clinical research with patients, not research data that may or may not apply to someone with severe oxidative stress. Research states things in black and white, but in a clinical environment, there are many shades of grey. I encourage you to peruse forums such as this one where real people are sharing their disastrous experiences with ashwagandha. This post is not alarmist, it is an accurate representation of what Dr. Mensah and I see clinically.
A well-researched paper on Aswhagandha.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/
Perhaps the real reason why so many people cannot tolerate Aswhagandha and why it could be dangerous is because a lot of people find themselves, through no fault of their own, on combinations of SSRI’s, z-drugs,benzodiazepines, anti-convulsants (mood stabilizers), other atypical anti-psychotics and or other anxiolytics. As such, their system may have a very hard time tolerating something like Ashwagandha, because many people may just be depleted and tired and feeling very sensitized simply because of being incorrectly prescribed many psychiatric drugs in sequences and/or dosages that are not recommended. I feel that this is the real reason that many people have problems with herbals such as this one. I don’t think that the problem is necessarily intrinsic to herbals such as Aswhagandha. It lies into the actual Rx lists that people actually take. The times of content people taking a single SSRI and a blood pressure medication are long gone. Many are now found on puzzling concoctions of pharmaceuticals that cannot be stopped, yet cause more harm than good in the long run.
I’m on zero medications and have a hard time tolerating Ashwagabdha. I think it’s more likely that some peoples biochemistry make them more susceptible to the potential negative effects .
I cant tolerate caffeine either. It’s rarely one size fits all in medicine ( or life in general).
I cannot tolerate caffein either, same result with Ashwagandaha, although only when I took a larger dose (500mg seems to be okay). I took one pill with 1950mg Ashwagandh and woke up at nightsweating and with a hot flash (I never have hot flashes otherwise), feeling like I had a hard time to breath (even though my pulse was normal). I went outside to the cold and could fall asleep an hour later, but the experience was scary.
I don’t take any SSRI’s. I have hypothyroidism and hashimoto’s and tried ashwagandha because I was told it was good for thyroid issues. Every time I take it at night to help me sleep, it causes heart palpatations. My heart literally stopped for a second and kept doing this throughout the night. I was honestly afraid to go to sleep. It was scary so I’ve stopped taking it.
Same to me. Ended up in ER with palpitations every 15 seconds to one minute. Scary. Chalking it up to this herb because everything camr back normal besides the PVC’s. Not taking it again!
I had the same reaction and also have hypothyroidism and take levothyroxine.
The same thing happened to me. I took it once and knew it was that. Never taking it again. People act like just because something is an herb or all natural means it can’t harm you, but that is false.
I’m bipolar 1 and take several meds. Can I take Ashwaganda long term. Also curious about Maca and Gotu Kola long term use? I don’t find many entries about psychiatric meds and herbal use. I could expand if you comment.
The first two weeks I took Aswhagandha it helped considerably with my social anxiety. Then suddenly it stopped and my general anxiety was as high as it’s ever been. Does something change with potency after a short time- is this a common reacation?
I’ve found this too. It helps me considerably with anxiety for around 2 weeks before then making me feel really ill, cold (i assume from lowering my blood sugar), and more anxious than without it.
Ashwaganda almost killed me last week, I was taking it for about two weeks then all of a sudden I started feeling weak and depleted my heart rate was dropping down to 37 bpm!
immediatly I stopped taking the ashwaganda and saw the Cardiologist the next day and he said I had arrhythmia! and ordered blood work and an echo.
so that evening I came home after seeing doc I started noticing my heart rate going back to normal.
went the next day for my echo and blood results everything was perfect heart rate was about 90% better.
will see doc again next week for a 24 hour monitor, just tp be on the safe side.
im 100% sure it was the ashwaganda 🙁
Do you take it for two weeks then stop and retake? Does it work when you stop/start again? Currently experiencing this same thing. The impact it has was life changing, now I feel my general anxiety has worsened as it’s stopped working and feeling discouraged.
I had the same thing happen..seems to really be helping with anxiety and sleeping, then all of a sudden it made anxiety worse…I’ve been off ashwaghanda for 2 weeks and still have panic attacks….don’t know how long till it’s out of my system…
The half-life of ashwagandha, off the top of my head vs. looking it up again is something like 4-6 hours. Super short, which is why a BID dosing schedule is indicated for. Given this fact, it has been long gone from you body for some time @ two weeks cessation.
Thank you for your wise comment. I have recently been using ashwaganda and I believe it is causing a flare in my RA joint pain.
I tried ashwaganda today and I had a bad reaction…diarrhea, which never ever happens to me. I am on ZERO prescription drugs. I am a health freak and exercise freak. I am 30 years old with zero major health problems. I am taking several supplements, so I am not sure if there was a reaction with a supplement. But, because I am so healthy, I am very sensitive to anything I put in my body. So for me, it wasn’t a good experience and I will stop taking it. I only took one pill and it prescribed 3 a day. One pill is 500mg of root extract and there is nothing else in the capsule. I could try half, but I really don’t want to risk it and experience what happened today. I could also try another brand, but would probably prefer to try another adaptogen.
Anyways, that’s my experience.
I took this back in November and had some nausea/ stomach issues. At first, I chalked it up to having the flu but as I realized there maybe was a connection, I decreased daily intake to every other day then quit completely after a couple weeks and my stomach started to feel better again. My husband takes this often and has know issues; it really helps his stress. So, lately I’ve been going through a tremendous amount of stress and decided to try one caplet yesterday evening. I should probably point out that I had a half glass of wine earlier, not a lot of calories eaten for the day, and I ate a basil leaf out of our garden. I noticed my stomach felt off about 15 minutes after taking the caplet. About an hour later, I was projectile vomiting several times to the point of vomiting bile, and dry heaves. My stomach, is just now seeming to feel normal. I don’t know if I’m allergic to something in ashwagandha or if I’m having issues with some of the areas they talk about in this article. I definitely can not take this, however it works great for my husband.
I decided to take Ash to supplement hypothyroidism issue in hopes of boosting metabolism. I took it once and, within 30 minutes, I became violently ill. Severe and almost unbearable abdominal pain, vomiting bile and diarrhea for almost 24 hours. I’m grateful that I’ve never had digestive issues, so I was pretty scared and my husband wanted to take me to the hospital, but I realized it was obviously the Ash and, in light of COVID, I prefer not to go unless absolutely unavoidable. I felt human again the next day with some residual abdominal pain but tolerable. Simple premise is that if something don’t feel right, it’s not right. Things you only do once! I can’t imagine even considering developing a tolerance for it.
I took my first dose of Ash Tuesday morning and within an hour I had an upset stomach and then began vomiting like I did when my gall bladder was quitting. I honestly thought I had caught a stomach bug but just felt like it was due to the Ash. I took it again today, and didn’t vomit, but have felt sick and just do not feel “right”. My breathing is off and my heart seems to want to be out of rhythm. I will not take this again. Pretty sure my body does like it.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I too started taking Ashwagandha to assist with hormone imbalance and general anxiety. I could not find anything online that suggested it can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. I have had both symptoms, and originally thought it was COVID-19. It was recommended I take it after eating, that only ensured there was something to come up when the nausea symptoms took effect. Not for me, and I think I’m done trying to make it work for me.
my adverse side effects say enough…
I bought ashwaganda last year in powder form tried it In my smoothie and was violently sick a couple of hours later, I thought I had a bug but next time I tried it same thing and the nauseous feeling was very bad. Just recently I bought a mixed green super food powder not realising it had Ash in it and once again very sick so as we know one size doesn’t fit all.
How long did it take to exit your body do think? im so lost, i started taking an herbal hormone supplement (Ashwasgandha among other herbs) and my life went upside down. Im healthy, althetic, 40 year old female with no symptoms and honestly picked this up on a whim to help with energy and skin….Ive been to the ER and primary, lots of EKG’s labs etc. I just want to know when to expect it to be out of my system. I took it for 3 weeks.
The supplement was Ora Hormonious.
YES! And my primary just called, all my blood tests were normal. I have been going insane trying to understand what was happening. It started with what seemed like heart racing, and brain fog then turned into severe anxiety (which I have never experienced before) and I chopped it up to thinking I was panicking of what I could have developed i.e. Hyperthyroidism…..literally to the point I couldn’t drive over a bridge because I began to panic so bad. So scary to feel so disconnected.Now Im just trying desperately to know when will this get out of my system. And I do not take any other meds just a multivitamin.
Hi there do you have an update for how you are feeling? I am suffering in a similar way and my last dose was nearly two weeks ago
Hi Andrew! Sorry your going through this too….each day I get better but it’s been almost 2 months since my last dose and it was a day to day challenge but each day DID get better. For me it was the not knowing how long it would take that was making me frustrated. I’m not 100%, but at least I know the worst is behind me. I have not had caffeine or alcohol and am following a clean diet to give my body a chance to heal. For whatever reason, Ashwagandha was not a fit for me and I’ve learned a lot from the whole experience. My advice would be try and find a holistic dr perhaps that can help you navigate what it has thrown off in your body and hopefully you can manage a way to heal it sooner than later. L-glutamine was suggested to me, and it’s been a lifesaver. Best wishes, feel free to ask me any other questions, because if you found yourself here, I’m sure you’ve been searching for a lot of answers like I was.
References Please. I mean, lots of criticism of ashgawanda without any evidence.
I have used ashwaghanda and it made me feel ill . The negative outweighed whatever positive that supposedly it was doing . extremely uncomfortable feeling in my throat .you won’t want to talk . It’s a sick ill feeling . It also elevated my body temperature and I felt uncomfortably hot …even inside the house in a/c . it made me feel weak and faint . I am not sure why but it made me feel ill and I was not taking any medications with it . I guess my immune system just can’t handle it
I agree. It makes me feel super weak in the chest and throat, dizzy and just ill.
I agree it made me feel very weak, difficulty in breathing, diarreha and stomach ache. Think it does not suit my digestion system
Is Ashwaganda high in Salicylates?
I have taken it three times, and each time I became increasingly nauseated. The third time I became violently ill, with vomiting and diarrhea as well as elevated temperature and profuse sweating. The first two times I was unaware that is was the herb until I realized that it was the only thing I had done identically on both days; on the chance I had simply gotten a hold of a ‘bad batch’ I tried a different source the third time which caused a reaction much worse than the first two. I have no idea why I react this way, as I have used other adaptogenic herbs in the past with no issues.
thank you…experienced similar side effects….flu like…apparently not for me either
Ashwagandha is grown in India – has many pollution and heavy metals in the ground. Since it’s an adaptogen it uses one body system at expense of other . You feel good in one area and bad in other in the body. I noticed dizziness, upset stomach, and runny nose. Taking with food lower stomach pain, ask manufacturer for certificate of analysis to get quality supplement.
Me too. Sooooo dizzy. Thought I was going to faint. Heart racing….. nearing on anxiety. Not for me. I tried it 3 times. 2 days apart each time….. same result!
It can affect your thyroid. It does make some people feel better, some worse. It’s not for people with hyperthyroidism.
This is exactly what I’m going through after taking gummies for 3 days with the herb and b-vitamins. Sick for 2 days vomiting and sweating and chills and bowel movements that are water. Horrible for me, others it works wonders. ????♂️
Hi I’m sorry you had such a neg effect. I’m feeling the same right now. Once you got off of it- did it get better?
my throat feels heavy and tight. Extremely uncomfortable feeling . My breathing is weird and making my acid reflux terrible .
I had these symptoms too!
I have a strong immune system and ashwaganda made me very tired so, I uped my caffeine intake by 4-5x than normal. I also was very hot and had a weird sort of attack I think it was anxiety or something else but I felt as my heart was going to fail.
I agree. I started taking Ashwagandha about two weeks ago and I feel ill. I am more bloated than ever in the diaphragm and have terrible muscle cramps in that area. I’m more tired along with depression, insomnia, and anxiety. The last thing I need is for anything to disrupt my hormones as I am 70 and I have never had a problem (menopause was a breeze for me). I have had a weakened immune system before now it’s worse. Since I have taken this I feel worse, I stopped taking it.
Me and my daughter have found great help with Ashweghanda putting in capsules and swallowing. Helping us a lot. We no longer take the ssri snri type medication. It helps with energy.
I’ve had chronic fatigue since a car accident this has helped me with that. I don’t know about negative effects as only found positive for me and my daughter.
Strange, seems to work for me and obviously everyone is different. I haven’t slept well since 0ct 16 of 2022 when I went to the hospital with stress, high BP and elevated heat rate and since then, I’ve had a hard time sleeping or staying sleep soundly. Plus my stress and anxiety levels soared. Been taking two Gogi Ashwagandha gummies, MAX, a day and have my stress and anxiety levels are nonexistent, my BP and heart rate is awesome and I’m taking no other meds, only regular vitamins. I use to take Ollys melatonin extra strength which worked maybe 20% of the time with sleep. I also tried Feals Cbd full spectrum med strength which was slightly more effective. Goli works for me thus far but I’ll update if it changes.
I agree. There’s so many people I know personally that Ashwagandha has literally changed their life. And no longer take any medications due to it. No more ambien for me as well with other meds. I do believe this is in the hands of the marketing right now. They are giving 1950mg as the number one selling product on amazon with Black pepper extract! That’s way way to much and how many bad reviews about Ashwagandha causing stomach problems? Stop taking dosages we don’t have research for and I stopped taking the brand with black pepper extract and I had no more stomach problems. Also you have to take a day off and cycle you don’t take this everyday for the rest of your life. And is this better than what your pharmacy is giving us? Of course. Will it work for everyone? Of course not. Just be careful don’t get sold by marketing know what works for you. Lower dosage could be the simple change in their negative results and products! I’m in a better mood, I haven’t had a panic attack In a week or two and I can’t remember the last time I didn’t get 2/3 everyday. So, we will take What is effective Ashwagandha isn’t going anywhere. There’s to many people who prefer natural supplements than detoxing off well, there’s to many medications to name…
Hi there Drew, I had to reply when I read you were having 2/3 panic attacks everyday.
Have you considered heavy metals. In Feb 2016 I started having panic attacks that would last all day every day for weeks at a time, and many more symptoms. I tried telling doctors it felt like a toxin or electrical type burning in the head. They looked at me as if I was the crazy one. But about 6 months ago I found a reference to a movie called “brain on fire”, it is a true story of a girl who was written off as a psycho case, anyway 10 years later a doctor heard of her and offered to help, he found it was her NMDA receptors. I think I have had that, but triggered by heavy metals. About 6 months ago also I managed to prove I have heavy metals even though the doctor argued with me for an hour telling me I didn’t need the test, she certainly was shocked when the results came in.
Anyway, from the start doctors were trying to convince me it was all psychological and I should take ssri, snri and valium and xanax, I did take valium at the start because it was so bad, and when I tried stopping it took 18 months of horrific symptoms to stop.
Heavy metals compromises the cns, they impair detox and methylation and digestion, all of this causes malnutrition too.
I have also had amazing results with taking organic ashwaghanda root powder and boiling the root itself. I once gave an extract to a boyfriend with alot of autoimmune issues- fibro, RA, lupus- and it absolutely decimated him. he would sleep for 20 hours straight and just felt awful and fatigued. i felt so bad, i’ve never trusted those extracts since then.
I’ve taken the Ashwagandha for three days now, I’m not taking anymore, two days of feeling very depressed, I couldn’t sleep, my mind was active all night, stomach feels awful and dizziness, my head feels extremely hot, I also feel weak, I will be glad when it wears off.
Hi Chris, I had your same reaction. And still feel not back to normal after 2 weeks, especially sleep wise. How are you progressing?
Has it weared off??
Are you feeling any better? My boyfriend is having a depressive episode it seems and he is having and anxiety attacks.
I am super hot all the time. Couldn’t sleep woke up every hr and I’m a good sleeper. Also gave me slight headache at night and I never get headaches .
My acupuncturist recommended this and I have been so I’ll after taking it. Stopped after 3 days and am slowly recovering. Water diarrhoea, nausea, drowsiness, stomach upset, nightmares when sleeping. Total debilitated and feel like I’ve been poisoned. White as a sheet. Acid bile
I still feel lightheaded/dizzy after weaning kyself off of it . Does anyone know how long it takes to wear off or exit the body? I quit taking the herb about a week ago. I only took it for 3 or 4 days and I had heart palpation, increased anxiety, tummy pain, dizzy lightheaded amd a racing heart!! Hope my lightheaded
Feeling goes away soon
I took a flora brand today and I was depressed. Herbs are tricky. Not good for me either
Can anyone give me an estimated time frame of how long it takes for the side effects to ward off?
I am currently living with my mother who is severely immuno compromised. I have been caring for her this year after her cancer diagnosis and we recently almost lost her a few times. In preparation to have her home from the hospital I isolated and started taking Stress ease with Ash in it. Over the past week I have had incredibly dry sinuses, cotton mouth and dry throat which has lead to an irritated throat. It feels tight and my breathing has slowed down. I have been through the worst anxiety of my life, slight depression, hyper vigilance, manic like episodes and more. I thought this was just heightened due to my mum being home and thought I might have been getting sick (strange as I have been isolating and aafter almost two weeks they haven’t progressed into an actual virus). So I haven’t been able to care for her as needed as I had symptoms such as dryness and irritated throat.
I only just researched this morning about Ash and found these comments. We are suspect that I have the MTHFR gene and it seems as though this is a trend. I am going to stop taking it.
I obviously don’t want to take any risks in exposing myself to my mother atm if I still have these throat and nose symptoms, but this is starting to get rediculous and my mind needs a break.
The evidence for me is that even 1/2 tablet of this herb seems to make me feel very anxious, instead of alleviating anxiety. Shaky and scared. Seems to lower my blood pressure a little and does not help me sleep the way I thought it would
Within two hours of taking this I had the most horrific sickness and diarrhoea I have ever experienced in my life. I was clammy and feverish and my heart was racing. I thought I was dying.
Took it 5 years ago and felt awful, like I was stoned: Dizzy, sick to my stomach. Went home sick. Never again I though.
Yesterday I tried again, because of the health claims. I was very carefull with dosage. I took it before sleeping, had fever- dreams, and became very nausious and still are.
Doesn’t suit me at all! Within hours of taking half the recommended dose, I start with debilitating diarrhoea and nausea. Also get a pounding headache and feel as though someone has sucked the life force out of me. Also shivers followed by high temperature – feels like the flu without the catarrh and cough etc. I had such high hopes when I read of so many benefits and food reports from others but it truly feels like I’ve been poisoned. As I say, I’ve tried halving the dose, taking it at different times of the day and also even just taking a quarter dose every other day. Makes no difference, my body obviously finds it highly toxic .
I only took this product for 2 days. On day 2 I became very unwell, vomiting bile, dry heaving. I had tremors and pins and needles. I was unable to sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. I had night sweats my sheets were soaking wet. I though I had Covid or was poisoned. Its been 5 days since I took Ashwagandh and I still feeling pretty awful. Fatigued and achey. Simply put, I don’t feel like myself. Before taking Ashwagandha I only studied the benefits. I should have done a lot more research before consuming this stuff because who knows the damage it has caused
self experience by so many individuals not consider as prove?