Ashwagandha: Sexual Health Benefits For Men?
Ashwagandha, scientifically Withania somnifera, is a plant species that is perhaps best known for its use as a herbal remedy in Ayuverdic medicine.
It is commonly sold in supplemental form, where it occupies 3 of the top 100 selling supplement spots on Amazon Canada.
My regular readers will recall that I’ve actually already written on some of the potential evidence-based benefits of Ashwagandha supplementation.
These include:
Reductions in cortisol levels (the stress hormone)
Reduction in perceived stress/anxiety levels (evidence is strongest for this effect)
Improved sleep quality
Improved athletic performance ( strength/endurance)
I encourage anyone curious about Ashwagandha’s role in these areas to give that piece a read.
Today, however, we turn our attention to Ashwagandha’s role in men’s sexual health including relevant themes under this umbrella.
Let’s also acknowledge the fact that many of the benefits noted above, given their relevance to quality of life and mental health, also have significant potential to contribute indirectly to improved sexual health.
With that being said, let’s see what else Ashwagandha may have to offer to men’s seuxal health.
Ashwagandha May Increase Male Testosterone Levels
In a 2022 randomized controlled trial published in Health Reports, men with low sexual desire who took 600 mg of Ashwagandha daily over an 8 week period ( 300 mg 2x per day) experienced around a ~15% increase in testosterone levels.
If you’d like to learn more about how foods/supplements interact with testosterone levels – please read my blog post on the subject.
Despite a deluge of products promising a “testosterone boosting” effect, the only other herbal supplement that is supported by any level of meaningful human evidence to increase testosterone levels is fenugreek.
Ashwagandha May Improve Male Sperm Health
I recently wrote a comprehensive article on how men can leverage nutrition and strategic supplementation to improve their sperm health and potentially improve their fertility as a result.
Ashwagandha was briefly mentioned in that piece, but I’d like to explore it…
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