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Let’s be honest here — when it comes to ashwagandha products, I’ve learned that it’s all about the details. It all boils down to two specific factors: the specific dosage and the concentration of withanolides in the extract.
Trust me, these can vary so much between brands, and they’re what truly makes a difference in terms of the outcome you want to achieve.
I’ve been looking into Now Foods, a well-respected brand in the world of supplements, but if you’re considering their ashwagandha product or perhaps a different one, you’ve gotta be familiar with the two factors I’ve mentioned.
Brief Summary
- This ashwagandha formula from Now Foods seems to be effective in the sense it contains a more than sufficient dosage— in other words, each serving goes slightly above the general consensus dosage from an assortment of different studies.
- On top of that, its withanolide content also seems to be within the correct range (albeit it’s too broad of a range) to take any kind of conclusions.
- It’s also priced very affordable at $0.09 per serving, which is incredibly low for an ashwagandha supplement.
What’s The Right Dose of Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is often called the king of herbs, and it makes sense because there’s well-documented evidence that it reduces stress and anxiety, and it may also improve physical performance to some degree.
The research on the dosage of optimal ashwagandha shows a broad spectrum when it comes to dosage, and if you do the research, you’ll find that they’ll go from a modest 120 mg to a whopping 5,000 mg of the root extract daily.
However, a general consensus points towards 600 mg as the go-to daily amount, usually broken down into a morning and evening dose.
When it comes to its dosage, Now Foods Ashwagandha contains about 450mg of ashwagandha per capsule, which can go slightly above the consensus dosage since the instructions are to take between 2-3 capsules per day.
What About The Concentration of Whitanolides?
Withanolides are naturally occurring steroids found in ashwagandha, and they’re at the core of the plant’s therapeutic properties.
Essentially, they’re the compounds that give ashwagandha its renowned health benefits. To guarantee consistent benefits, many ashwagandha extracts standardize their content, ensuring a specific percentage of these active withanolides.
How standardized are they? Clinical studies have reported concentrations ranging from as low as 1.5% to a high of 35%. But here’s where things get a bit murky: not every study discloses their withanolide content, so nailing down the ‘optimal’ concentration remains a topic of debate.
Now Foods’ ashwagandha supplement has a minimum of 2.5%; in fact, they claim that each capsule has a total of 11mg of withanolides. It’s hard to estimate the correct concentration, but it’s between that broad range.
Using Ashwagandha Long-Term
I was trying to find information about the long-term use of ashwagandha, and unfortunately, I couldn’t find conclusive information.
I browsed the web and found this page from the National Institute of Health suggesting that Ashwagandha seems safe when taken for up to 3 months, but that there’s no data to suggest its safety if you use it long-term.
The longest study I found lasted 12 weeks, which is nearly 3 months. Therefore, there is no data on its long-term use.
So, Did Now Foods Implement The Right Dosage?
Yes, just from looking at the data, Now Foods seems to be giving users the right dosage— each capsule contains 450mg of ashwagandha extract, which you have to take between 2-3 times per day, depending on your preference.
This type of dosage seems to be aligned with the one practiced in most studies that have led to positive health outcomes.
When it comes to the withanolides, it has a minimum of 2.5% concentration in the extract, which seems to respect the broad spectrum that comes up in studies, which suggests to me, after everything is taken into account, that Now Foods is promoting an effective ashwagandha supplement.
But What’s The Experience of Real Users?
Judging from the reviews on third-party websites, or in other words, websites that do not belong to the official brand, the feedback from customers is mostly positive.
For example, if you look at the reviews in iHerb, which is my preferred website for getting supplements, you’ll find users commenting on the following:
“I am pretty much stressed during the last couple of years, so it started to influence me a lot. I have decided to give this one a try, to see if gets any better. I started using it alongside 5-htp… taking ashwagandha in the morning and 5-htp at bedtime. I don’t know which of the two supplements worked out for me, but I definitely feel better, less stressed. It doesn’t make me lethargic, I still get nervous, but it passes me without affecting me inside and accumulating and burning out. It’s not a magic pill, effects didn’t show until at least three weeks, but slow and steady improvement is be…”
“The quality of this supplement is excellent. The size is good. Although it’s a capsule, you’ll not struggle when swallowing it. I don’t know about the smell 😅 It smells and tastes like dried leaves or tea 😂 I used to take Ashwagandha coz it helps me have a better sleep. I can sleep straight 8 hours without interuption when taking this 😍 The benefit of taking this supplement is it helps lower your stress level. I also take this to help reduce my dermatitis. One of my best purchase as well 😊”
Although, you can also come across negative reviews like the following:
“At first, I liked it. It made me calm and relaxed. But after one week of using, I started feel like I lost and confused; I don’t know how to describe it. I did some blood test then I the doctor told me that my liver enzymes levels were high and that usually happens with herbal using. And that happened of only one week of using. Please make sure before use such products read about them carefully and ask your doctor.”
This is why I always recommend talking to a qualified health professional before you decide to initiate a supplement routine. It’s really important.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
One bottle of Now Foods’ ashwagandha costs $8.27, or $0.09 per serving, which is incredibly cheap when you compare it to most brands.
Yes, all of the products from Now Foods are third-party tested, and they also have an NPA GMP certification, which essentially means that each aspect of the manufacturing process has been audited, including their laboratory/testing methods.
The product itself does not contain yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, or tree nut ingredients, but it is manufactured in a facility that also handles some of the ingredients. Therefore, if you have a really bad allergy (to one of these ingredients), refrain from buying it.
According to Now Foods, its ashwagandha product is suitable for vegans.
One of its questionable ingredients is stearic acid (because it can be derived from either animals or plants), but Now Foods does say that it comes from a vegetable source.
Editor’s note: The content on this website is meant to be informative, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
