What does ashwagandha do for women? The research, plainly
Share
What does ashwagandha do for women? The best evidence says ashwagandha extract may help some adults feel less stressed after 6 to 8 weeks, and a 2025 trial in postmenopausal women found better menopause quality of life scores on an ashwagandha extract. It also comes with real safety questions, so I want you to know both sides before you try it.
Ashwagandha is a root used in Ayurveda for centuries, and right now it's everywhere. I put it in our Superfood Adaptogen Powder, so I have read a lot of this research closely. Here's what it actually says.
what does ashwagandha do for women, in plain words
Ashwagandha, or Withania somnifera, gets called an adaptogen, which is a loose term for plants people use around stress. Most of the human research looks at stress and sleep in adults, both men and women. Very few trials have looked at women specifically.
That matters, because a lot of what you read online about ashwagandha and women's hormones runs way ahead of the studies. So I'll stick to what was actually tested and in whom.
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements keeps a consumer fact sheet on ashwagandha, last updated in December 2023. It says ashwagandha extracts might help reduce stress and anxiety, based on studies where people took it for 6 to 8 weeks. In some of those studies, 500 to 600 mg a day of extract worked better than lower doses.
For sleep, the picture is smaller. The NIH describes the results as coming from a few small studies, with modest benefits overall, mostly at 600 mg a day or more for at least 8 weeks.
Notice the word extract. These were concentrated, standardized products at set doses. A food blend with ashwagandha in it is a different thing, and I won't pretend it does what a trial capsule did.
Ashwagandha deserves curiosity and respect in equal measure.
ashwagandha and menopause: the newest trial
The most interesting women's study I found was published in March 2025 in the Journal of Menopausal Medicine. Researchers in Hyderabad, India, ran a double blind, placebo controlled trial lasting 24 weeks in postmenopausal women aged 40 to 55. They enrolled 127 women and 123 finished, split into six groups of about 20. Some took an ashwagandha extract at 250 or 500 mg, some took shatavari, some took both and one group took a placebo.
The women taking ashwagandha reported better menopause quality of life scores than the placebo group, and the higher dose did more. The researchers also saw shifts in blood markers of bone turnover in the ashwagandha groups, with the biggest changes at 500 mg. Side effects were mild, with one woman in the higher ashwagandha group reporting stomach upset.
Here's the fine print I'd want you to know. The groups were small. The researchers didn't track diet or exercise. And the study was funded by the company that supplies the branded extract they tested. That's common in supplement research, and it's why independent trials matter before anyone treats this as settled. One trial is a promising signal, and it's still one trial.
ashwagandha side effects women should know
The NIH fact sheet says ashwagandha appears safe for up to about three months, and it's not clear whether it's safe for longer. The common side effects are mild, like upset stomach, loose stools, nausea and drowsiness.
The more serious concerns are worth reading slowly. Ashwagandha extracts have been linked to liver injury in some people, though more research is needed. A few studies suggest it may affect how the thyroid works, and it may interact with thyroid medication. The NIH also flags possible interactions with diabetes medication, blood pressure medication, sedatives and drugs that suppress the immune system. It says ashwagandha may not be safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Regulators are watching too. Denmark banned ashwagandha in food supplements in 2023 after a 2020 report from the Technical University of Denmark, and the Danish food agency has warned about effects on sex hormones. Several countries, including Sweden and France, opened their own reviews, the Netherlands advised against use in 2024, and the UK Food Standards Agency launched a call for evidence that same year. As of July 2026, European regulators were still weighing a wider review. Researchers who study ashwagandha have pushed back, arguing that no clear causal link to liver injury has been shown. Both of those things are true at once, and I think you deserve to hear them together. I also wrote about a related issue in why ashwagandha leaves are under scrutiny in India.
what i would do first
I would talk to my doctor first if I were pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive or taking thyroid, diabetes, blood pressure or sedative medication. Same if I had any history of liver trouble or a thyroid condition. That conversation takes ten minutes and it's worth it.
I would keep my expectations honest. The research points to a modest effect on how stressed people feel over several weeks. I wouldn't expect ashwagandha to change anything about my hormones, and I'd be wary of any brand that promises it will.
I would also look at the whole picture of my evenings. When I'm wound up, the things that help me most are boring ones, like putting the phone away and going to bed earlier. A cup of Good Night Lavender Rose tea is part of my own wind down.
And if I wanted ashwagandha as part of a food ritual, I would enjoy it the way I use our Superfood Adaptogen Powder, which blends maca, L theanine, cacao and ashwagandha. I whisk a scoop into a cup of warm almond milk for a cozy cacao latte. If you're curious about the other plants in that blend, I wrote about how cacao and maca actually work.
questions women ask about ashwagandha
What does ashwagandha do for women?
Studies in adults suggest ashwagandha extract may help reduce feelings of stress after 6 to 8 weeks. One 2025 trial in postmenopausal women found better menopause quality of life scores, though it was small and industry funded.
Is ashwagandha safe for women?
The NIH says it appears safe for up to about three months for most adults. It may not be safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It has also been linked to liver injury in some people and may affect the thyroid, so talk to your doctor first.
Does ashwagandha help with menopause?
Early research is promising. A 24 week trial of 123 postmenopausal women found improved menopause quality of life scores with an ashwagandha extract compared with placebo. Independent trials are still needed.
Can I take ashwagandha with thyroid medication?
Check with your doctor first. The NIH notes ashwagandha may affect thyroid function and may interact with thyroid medication.
make it a ritual
My favorite way to enjoy ashwagandha is in a warm cacao latte made with our Superfood Adaptogen Powder and almond milk, sipped slowly with a Good Morning bar on the side.
About the author
Yvette Rose is the cofounder and creative director of Joulebody in Malibu. She has spent more than 20 years in product formulation, functional nutrition, hormone health and wellness education, and she writes every post on this blog.
Sources
1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Ashwagandha: Is it helpful for stress, anxiety, or sleep? Fact Sheet for Consumers, 2023
2. Pingali U, et al. Ashwagandha and Shatavari Extracts Dose Dependently Reduce Menopause Symptoms, Vascular Dysfunction, and Bone Resorption in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study. Journal of Menopausal Medicine, 2025
3. Hancocks N. Timeline: Will authorities de throne the King of Herbs? NutraIngredients, 2026
4. Patwardhan B, et al. Danish ban on Ashwagandha: Truth, evidence, ethics, and regulations. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 2024
This is general wellness education, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing medication or starting something new.