Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, is an herb with a long history of medicinal use. In the Indian medicinal system known as Ayurveda, ashwagandha has been utilized for thousands of years. This herb continues to be relevant, and has become a subject of many studies due to its purported health benefits [*].
In Ayurveda, various parts of ashwagandha including its roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds are used to promote physical and mental health, as well as longevity and youthful vigor. It is used for anxiety, stress, insomnia, nervous breakdown, chronic fatigue, emaciation, senile debility, memory loss, rheumatism, muscle tension, muscle weakness, fever and painful swelling, constipation, parasitic worms, and many others. Moreover, ashwagandha is commonly prepared as an aphrodisiac and energy booster, and believed to promote sexual and reproductive health [***].
Ashwagandha contains various natural compounds including steroidal alkaloids and lactones that are collectively known as withanolides [*]. Withanolides from Ashwagandha are considered adaptogens because they help the body cope with stress [*].
Besides its anti-stress effects, ashwagandha also have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory properties [*].
Although additional research is needed to understand ashwagandha and its withanolides’ mechanism of action in various diseases, current data suggest that it has potential therapeutic benefits on various psychiatric [***] and neurodegenerative disorders [**], autoimmune and inflammatory ailments [***].
Due to its various purported health benefits, ashwagandha is a common ingredient in many dietary supplements. Products containing ashwagandha claim to help reduce stress and anxiety, as well as boost energy, promote good sleep, and enhance memory, learning, and concentration.
The popularity of ashwagandha has led to hundreds of brands flooding the marketplace; however not all supplements are created equal! Unfortunately, more than 90% of ashwagandha supplements in the market simply DON’T WORK!
We understand the challenges in finding the right supplement for your health needs. That’s why we gathered years of research and made this guide to help you find the top-rated formulas that work for you.
What To Look For
1. Organic Ashwagandha vs. Harmful Ashwagandha
Organic Ashwagandha is grown without synthetic pesticides and harmful chemicals. When choosing an Ashwagandha supplement, it is wise to purchase one that is organic. Why? Synthetic pesticides can be made from toxic chemicals that can harm your health. With organic Ashwagandha, you can be sure that you only get the benefits without having to worry about ingesting toxic chemicals.
2. Black Pepper for Absorption
Remember Ashwagandha is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. As a result, you could be missing out on its advantages to health. Research supports that combining black pepper and Ashwagandha enhances its absorption by up to 20 times.
Ashwagandha Benefits
- Help reduce stress and anxiety
- Powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant
- Help maintain healthy blood sugar levels
- Help lower cholesterol
- Improve brain function and memory
Side effects – there haven’t been any reports of negative side effects from the top rated Ashwagandha supplements.
Things To Be Cautious About
Has your brand been third-party tested? You should never buy supplements that don’t have Certificate of Analysis. The studies should be conducted in labs that are not affiliated with the manufacturer. These labs verify the product for safety and potency.
Does your ashwagandha contain cheap synthetic fillers? Some brands add artificial fillers to cut cost to offer cheap products. Some of these cheap fillers we found were titanium dioxide and artificial coloring. You should never purchase cheap products when it comes to supplements.
No return policy or customer service – A reputable supplement company will offer 100% money-back guarantee policy and provide customer support through phone number and email. We noticed many formulas out there are just copies of the top-rated brands. They don’t offer an easy refund policy or don’t even have a phone number to prove they are real.
Top 5 Ashwagandha Supplements
The result: we reviewed over 100+ brands of Ashwagandha Supplements in the market and complied a list of top 5 formulas based on effectiveness, safety, pricing, return policy, and overall customer satisfaction.
1. PureNature Ashwagandha
- Shipping & Return Policy 100%
- Customer Service 98%
- Essential Ingredients 100%
- Effectiveness 99%
Note: we test purchased this product. We can confirm on-time delivery, reliability and quality product from this brand.
PureNature has been in the market for a long time and is one of the most reputable companies. One of the few companies that offer 24/7 customer support through phone and email; they also offer a 1-year full refund policy which is unmatched in the market. PureNature Ashwagandha contains the recommended 1300 mg of Organic Ashwagandha plus organic black pepper.
– Non-GMO & Organic
– Contains the recommended dosage
– Manufactured in the USA
– 3rd party lab tested for potency and label accuracy
– Multiple bottle discount up to 50% off
How to use: Each bottle contains 60 capsules and it’s recommended to take two capsules per day.
Return Policy: PureNature offers 1-year full refund policy for both used or unused products. This level of flexibility shows the confidence this company has for their products backed by many happy customers. Contact 24/7: 1-888-457-6441 or contact@purenatureplus.com
The quality of this formula has been confirmed using a third-party independent laboratory that ensures its label accuracy, high quality and consistency of each batch.
Pricing Options: PureNature offers a great deal based on their bundling options. For example, customers can get up to 50% discount on bundles.
*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.
2. Swanson Ashwagandha
- Shipping & Return Policy 95%
- Customer Service 94%
- Essential Ingredients 96%
- Effectiveness 95%
Note: we test purchased this product. We can confirm on-time delivery, reliability and quality product from this brand.
Swanson is another well-known company with a wide variety of formulas serving consumers for over 50 years. Swanson Ashwagandha contains some of the recommended ingredients with lower dosage, hence the cheaper price. Swanson has label transparency and lists the amount of each ingredient they use in the product.
How to use: Each bottle contains 100 capsules with two capsules per serving.
Return Policy: Return and refund policy depends on where you purchase this brand; it’s best to call them to confirm 1-800-437-4148. Purchases directly from Swanson come with a 30-day return policy.
Pricing Options: Pricing varies by the retailers offering this supplement. Please contact the retailer to see the most updated price.
*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.
3. Gaia Ashwagandha Root
- Shipping & Return Policy 95%
- Customer Service 94%
- Essential Ingredients 94%
- Effectiveness 93%
Note: we test purchased this product. We can confirm on-time delivery, reliability and quality product from this brand.
Gaia Herbs is a reputable company with a wide variety of supplements. Their Ashwagandha formula is a top-rated supplement popular among consumers. Gaia Herbs contains many of the recommended ingredients, and it’s manufactured in the USA.
How to use: Each bottle contains 60 capsules and it’s recommended to take one capsule twice daily.
Return Policy: Return and refund policy depends on where you purchase this brand.
Pricing Options: Pricing varies by the retailers offering this supplement, we have noticed prices ranging ~$24.99 per bottle. Please see the retailer for the most up to date pricing.
*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.
4. Himalaya Ashwagandha
- Shipping & Return Policy 93%
- Customer Service 94%
- Essential Ingredients 93%
- Effectiveness 93%
Note: we test purchased this product. We can confirm on-time delivery, reliability and quality product from this brand.
Himalaya is another well-known company with a wide variety of formulas serving consumers for many years.
Himalaya Ashwagandha contains organic ashwagandha in veggie caplet form; Himalaya offers label transparency and lists the amount of each ingredient they use in the product.
How to use: Each bottle contains 60 caplets with one caplets per serving.
Return Policy: Return and refund policy could vary based on where you purchase this formula, but purchases directly from Himalaya are backed by a 60-day return policy.
Pricing Options: Pricing varies by the retailers offering this supplement, we have noticed prices around ~$22.95 with pack discount options. Please contact the brand for the most up to date pricing 1-800-869-4640.
*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.
5. Gives Ashwagandha
- Shipping & Return Policy 95%
- Customer Service 94%
- Essential Ingredients 97%
- Effectiveness 93%
Gives Nutrition offers many premium quality formulas. Their Ashwagandha formula is no exception, and it’s one of the top rated supplements out there. All the ingredients in Gives Nutrition have been listed on the bottle, ingredients potency and label accuracy has been confirmed by 3rd party lab results.
– Manufactured in the USA
– Non-GMO
– 3rd party lab tested for potency and label accuracy
– Multiple bottle discounts
How to use: Each bottle contains 60 capsules and it’s recommended to take two capsules per day.
Return Policy: Gives Nutrition offers a 90-day full refund policy for purchases made directly from them.
Pricing Options: Gives Nutrition offers a great discount on bundles. Please follow the link below for the most updated pricing offers.
*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.
Ranking Factors
Shipping & Return Policy: we check the shipping and return policy of each recommended product to make sure these brands stand behind their products.
Customer Service: we contact the top rated brands through email, chat or phone to make sure they are responsive and can answer potential questions customers might have.
Essential Ingredients: we verify the ingredients in every top rated brands, their safety and dosage amount in comparison with the latest scientific studies.
Overall Effectiveness: we check with real customers through their reviews and testimonials to make sure the top brands are as effective as they claim to be. We recommend the top 5 formulas based on their average score.
We highly recommend our reader to do their own research, read real reviews and contact any brands directly to make sure they can provide the products and services based on their needs.
1. PureNature Ashwagandha
- Shipping & Return Policy 100%
- Customer Service 98%
- Essential Ingredients 100%
- Effectiveness 99%
Sources and Citations
1. An Overview on Ashwagandha… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/
2. An investigation into the stress-relieving and… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6750292/
3. Steroidal Lactones from Withania somnifera… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6255378/
4. Natural Withanolides in the … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7121644/
5. Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6979308/
6. Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Stress… https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34254920/
7. Withania somnifera in Neurological… https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33538666/
*This is a subjective assessment based on the strength of the available information and our independent research and customer feedback. Results may vary based on individual.
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