Can Ashwagandha Enhance Muscle Gains?

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The review was narrative rather than systematic, so no formal risk of bias scoring was applied. Eighty percent of the studies were conducted in young men, with the first randomized controlled trial of women not appearing until 2025, limiting data on women.

Sample sizes were typically below 60 participants, and most studies lasted only 8–12 weeks, leaving long-term outcomes unclear.

Lean muscle and strength gains

The effects of ashwagandha on muscle growth are evident. “There is a distinct increase in lean mass that is measured and verifiable,” explained Dr. Israel, “It’s about a few pounds of muscle in that typical amount of time.” About 25-40% of the muscle capacity of creatine. modest but meaningful.

Results for strength were slightly better: results of “40 to 60% of creatine effect” for one-repetition maximal improvements, typically showing 5-8% increases over 8-12 week programs.

Can Ashwagandha Optimize Hormones?

Ashwagandha appears to work through hormonal regulation. “Testosterone makes you push, cortisol makes you less,” said Dr. Israetel. “Testosterone makes you leaner, cortisol makes you less lean.” (2)(3)

“If you lower cortisol substantially with [ashwagandha] and boost testosterone, that’s really where a lot of those other benefits come from,” explained Dr. Israel.

Aerobic capacity and recovery

Ashwagandha appears to significantly enhance VO2 max, with studies showing approximately 4 ml/kg/min improvements over 8-12 weeks. (4) This enhancement of aerobic capacity could improve recovery between sets and workouts.

Recovery indices showed improvement, demonstrating 10-20% better recovery scale scores and reduced pain perception.

Effects on stress and anxiety

Ashwagandha has powerful effects in managing anxiety, with multiple studies showing a reduction in anxiety. (5)(6)(7)(8) This has psychological and physiological benefits, such as improved training results through better sleep quality and lower chronic exposure to cortisol. (9)

Side Effects & Safety

Although generally safe for most healthy adults, ashwagandha is not always completely free of side effects, with many reports of adverse mental and physical reactions. Reducing stress and anxiety, while good, could affect physical emotions if overdone.

The Ashwagandha Verdict

The review positions ashwagandha as a “moderate multi-mechanism supplement” rather than a first-tier supplement like creatine. Ashwagandha provides about half the physiological effects of creatine plus more benefits.

Stressful periods such as the late stages of fat loss, when cortisol levels are elevated, may be optimal for ashwagandha dosing. Taking 300-600 mg daily of a high-quality extract in the morning can provide a low-risk option for modest but noticeable improvements. Always talk to your doctor before taking new supplements.

More Nutritional Content

References

1. Supplement Sprengel M, Laskowski R, Jost Z. Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): a review of mechanisms, health benefits and role in athletic performance. Nutr Metab (London). 2025 Feb 5, 22(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s12986-025-00902-7. PMID: 39910586; PMCID: PMC11800443.
2. Katsuhara S, Yokomoto-Umakoshi M, Umakoshi H, Matsuda Y, Iwahashi N, Kaneko H, Ogata M, Fukumoto T, Terada E, Sakamoto R, Ogawa Y. Impact of Cortisol on Reduction in Muscle Strength and Mass: A Mendelian Randomization Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Mar 24, 107(4):e1477-e1487. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgab862. PMID: 34850018.
3. Braun TP, Marks DL. The regulation of muscle mass by endogenous glucocorticoids. Front Physiol. February 3, 2015, 6:12 am. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00012. PMID: 25691871; PMCID: PMC4315033.
4. Choudhary B, Shetty A, Langade DG. Effectiveness of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy adult athletes. Ayu. 2015 Jan-Mar;36(1):63-8. doi: 10.4103/0974-8520.169002. PMID: 26730141; PMCID: PMC4687242.
5. Bachour G, Samir A, Haddad S, Houssaini MA, El Radad M. Effects of Ashwagandha Supplements on Cortisol, Stress, and Anxiety Levels in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BJPsych Open. 2025 Jun 20;11(Suppl 1): S39. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2025.10136. PMCID: PMC12242034.
6. Akhgarjand C, Asoudeh F, Bagheri A, Kalantar Z, Vahabi Z, Shab-Bidar S, Rezvani H, Djafarian K. Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on anxiety and stress management? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2022 Nov. 36(11):4115-4124. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7598. Epub 2022 Aug 25. PMID: 36017529.
7. Pandit S, Srivastav AK, Sur TK, Chaudhuri S, Wang Y, Biswas TK. Effects of Withania somnifera Extraction in adults with chronic stress: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2024 Apr 26 16(9):1293. doi: 10.3390/nu16091293. PMID: 38732539; PMCID: PMC11085552.
8. Albalawi AA. Dual impact of Ashwagandha: Significant reduction in cortisol but no effect on perceived stress – A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Health. 2025 Aug 1:2601060251363647. doi: 10.1177/02601060251363647. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40746175.
9. Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D. Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study. Cureus. 25 Dec 2019, 11(12):e6466. doi: 10.7759/cureus.6466. PMID: 32021735; PMCID: PMC6979308.

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