A single dose of ashwagandha may boost your brainpower, study suggests

A study of healthy young adults found that ashwagandha supplements improved both cognitive performance and mood. These improvements were observed one hour after taking the first dose and again after 30 days of daily supplementation. The findings were published in Nutrients.

Ashwagandha, known scientifically as Withania somnifera, is a plant commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medical system of India. It is a small evergreen shrub with velvety leaves and bell-shaped flowers, producing orange-red berries that resemble small tomatoes. Often referred to as “Indian ginseng” due to its rejuvenating effects—though it is not botanically related to true ginseng—ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen, meaning it is believed to help the body manage stress and maintain physiological balance.

Extracts made from the roots, and occasionally the leaves, of the plant are often marketed for a variety of health benefits. These include reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep quality, boosting energy levels, and enhancing cognitive function.

Study author Megan Leonard and her colleagues set out to examine the effects of taking a daily 225 mg dose of liposomal ashwagandha for 30 days on cognitive performance, mood, and health markers in healthy young men and women. They hypothesized that the supplement would be well tolerated, improve cognitive performance, and potentially offer other benefits as well.

The study included 59 healthy participants, with an average age of 23. Of these, 27 were men. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received a capsule containing 225 mg of liposomal ashwagandha root and leaf extract each day. The other group received a placebo capsule containing 225 mg of Gum Arabic. The capsules were identical in appearance, and the study was double-blind—neither participants nor the researchers directly interacting with them knew which supplement was being administered.

Liposomal ashwagandha refers to ashwagandha that has been encapsulated in tiny fat bubbles, or liposomes, which are thought to enhance absorption by the body. Gum Arabic, also known as acacia gum, is a natural product derived from the sap of acacia trees and is commonly used in food production and traditional medicine.

Participants completed a series of cognitive tests and mood assessments using the Computerized Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, version 6.0) and the Profile of Mood States. These were administered at baseline, one hour after the first dose, and again on the 30th day—both before and after taking the final dose. Participants also provided blood samples and completed questionnaires reporting any potential side effects.

The results showed that participants who took ashwagandha performed better on four different cognitive tasks and reported improvements in mood, specifically reduced tension and fatigue. These effects were evident both after the first dose and after 30 days of consistent supplementation.

“Results support contentions that ashwagandha supplementation (225 mg) may improve some measures of memory, attention, vigilance, attention, and executive function while decreasing perceptions of tension and fatigue in younger healthy individuals,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the psychological effects of the studied ashwagandha supplement. However, it should be noted that the study was conducted on a relatively small sample of young people. Results on other demographic groups might differ.

The paper, “Acute and Repeated Ashwagandha Supplementation Improves Markers of Cognitive Function and Mood,” was authored by Megan Leonard, Broderick Dickerson, Landry Estes, Drew E. Gonzalez, Victoria Jenkins, Sarah Johnson, Dante Xing, Choongsung Yoo, Joungbo Ko, Martin Purpura, Ralf Jäger, Mark Faries, Wesley Kephart, Ryan Sowinski, Christopher J. Rasmussen, and Richard B. Kreider.