Ashwagandha

Is Ashwagandha an aphrodisiac?

Ashwagandha root supplements are commonly marketed as stress reducers, and enhancers of immunity, sexual performance and brain power.

Chris Kilham, the famous "herbal medicine hunter" and writer on the subject of obscure aphrodisiacs, raves about Ashwagandha. It's listed in his "hot 10" natural sex boosters [3] - and in his book [1] he tells a vivid tale of adventure on the subcontinent and of Ayurvedic professionals who recommend it as the supreme sexual tonic in the Indian herbal pharmacy.

Even the famous Deepak Chopra has a page on his web site devoted to Ashwagandha, where he mentions that it is employed "to enhance sexual potency for both men and women." [4]

Curiously however, on deeper exploration, it appears that Ashwagandha does not quite enjoy the long history of aphrodisiac fame ascribed to some of the other esteemed aphrodisiac plants, and which some modern sources would lead us to believe. Although databases of medicinal plants from India often list several plants as having aphrodisiac qualities, Ashwagandha is very often not among them.

It has, however, certainly had a long history of use. So it seems there is a mystery here to solve...

Historical and current use of Ashwagandha

"Ashvagandha" is mentioned in translations of the Kama Sutra, the classic Sanskrit text composed by Vatsyayana in the fourth century B.C. - not as a libido-enhancing aphrodisiac, but as part of a painful sounding recipe for penis enlargement! However, despite long lists of aphrodisiacs of all kinds in the Kama Sutra, Ashwagandha is not among them. [5] This is to be noted - as some modern promotions for Ashwagandha distort the interpretation of use mentioned in the Kama Sutra.

Ashwagandha seems to have been almost unmentioned in the west until recent times. The earliest mention of the plant I can find in western literature is from Baden Powell's 1868 Hand-book of the economic products of the Punjab, Vol. 1 - and it is described as narcotic used in fever treatment, but not aphrodisiac - even though eleven other plants in the same database are listed as aphrodisiac. [6]

The name "somnifera" means "sleep bringer" which would indicate that it has sedative properties. Interestingly, another plant whose latin name is derived from the same root is the Opium-poppy: Papaver somniferum. "Ashwagandha Rasayana" is amusingly advertised in the Calcutta Review of 1927 as "An Investment For Overworked Brain and Nervous Debility", further indicating use as a calmative. [7]

However, if it is aphrodisiac, they do not say - and neither did others: Ram Nath Chopra's 1958 tome Indigenous drugs of India lists over 20 items for which aphrodisiac properties are claimed (including Betel leaf, Saffron, Syrian Rue, Opium, Blepharis edulis, Psoralea corylifolia, Bala seed, Tribulus terrestris, Salix caprea, Dregea volubilis, Liquorice seeds and Ipomoea paniculata) but Ashwagandha, though mentioned briefly in the book, is not described by Chopra as aphrodisiac. Chopra's massive, highly detailed work extends to 816 pages but in spite of this, perhaps there is simply not enough room for everything and not all plants get a detailed entry. [8] However, such glaring omissions would indicate that Ashwagandha is not quite, as others might have us believe, "India's most potent hot plant" or "The aphrodisiac that has no equal".

In his 32-page pamphlet "Ashwagandha-The Stress Buster" (2002), Dr. M.Ali - a teacher of Pharmacognosy at Jamia University in New Delhi - specifically addresses the question of whether Ashwagandha is an aphrodisiac. His statement is that Ashwagandha is a stress reducer - and that therefore, it may work as an aphrodisiac for some people, especially those whose stress levels are causing difficulty with sexual performance - but he declines to state that it has any specific aphrodisiac action. [9]

Clinical herbalist and Ayurvedic practitioner Todd Caldecott, who writes excellent, detailed descriptions of Ayurvedic herbs on his website, mentions that it is indicated for infertility, impotence, frigidity and nervous exhaustion. [10]

What gives? Is Ashwagandha yet another victim of modern hype, and of salespersons eager to find the next buzz product to feed the insatiable appetite of the consumer for new stimulation? Where is the legacy commonly seen with other celebrated "hot plants"? It would appear that Ashwagandha's effect may be more appropriate for cases of infertility than as an aphrodisiac that increases desire - and that its inclusion in Ayurvedic sexual formulas is part of an effort to create a broad-spectrum sexual enhancer / tonic.

Ashwagandha - scientific studies

Turning to scientific literature - a quick look at Pubmed [11] shows that there are 412 entries for Ashwagandha; indicating that this plant has been the subject of much scientific research in recent years. Much of this research tests its effects on anxiety, cancer and the adaptogenic properties of the plant, with some very positive sounding results for the world of medicine.

There are some studies of sexual parameters. A 2009 human study from the C.S.M. Medical University, India showed that 5g/day Ashwagandha root powder for three months led to "improved overall semen quality in a significant number of individuals." [12]

A further 2009 human study at C.S.M. showed improved semen quality in adult males undergoing infertility screening. [13]

On the negative side, a 2002 study at the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, performed on male rats, [why wasn't this mentioned by Kilham in his 2004 book? He stated on p.102 that no clinical studies had been conducted to date] showed that an oral administration of 3000mg.kg of root extract led to marked impairment in sexual function, the effects of which were "partly reversible" on cessation of treatment. [14] 3000mg.kg would seem to this researcher to be an incredibly high dose, and so this study (as far as I can tell from looking at the abstract) seems highly flawed. 3000mg.kg of extract would equate to 210g given to a 70kg person - almost half a pound per day for seven days! Is this a typo, or attempted rat poisoning?

Ashwagandha - conclusions

Such a small number of studies cannot lead to conclusive answers - however Ashwagandha has enjoyed a long history of Ayurvedic use in connection with sexual enhancement, with few side effects noted, and this should not be ignored. However, neither should the fact that "sex sells" - and that given that farmers and manufacturers can make more money growing and selling Ashwagandha than they can growing and selling rice [1] , would it be any surprise if its aphrodisiac effects were exaggerated?

It would seem - once again - that more research into this fascinating plant is necessary before solid conclusions can be reached.

Ashwagandha - contraindications / safety notes

Ashwagandha has a long history of use with few side effects noted. Although commonly indicated for stress relief, Ashwagandha has been contraindicated in people with high blood pressure. [9]

Ashwagandha is listed in the AHPA's "Herbs of Commerce" [15]

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