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Arjuna’s low-dose ashwagandha helps ease stress & anxiety
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Saturday, 30 November, 2024, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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Nutraceutical innovators Arjuna Natural, Pvt. Ltd., announce the publication of a new clinical study that highlights the positive effect of its proprietary Shoden brand ashwagandha extract in alleviating stress and anxiety. More importantly, the extract exhibited efficacy even at low doses.
As people around the world become increasingly stressed out and anxious in this post-Covid era, they are seeking natural—yet effective—science-backed means to unwind. The Indian adaptogenic, Withania somnifera, known as ashwagandha, has a time-honoured reputation for its role in easing stress and enhancing sleep quality. Today’s science-based investigations are supporting the ancient botanical intervention.
Until today, this celebrated botanical has presented absorption challenges due to the low solubility of certain active compounds, particularly withanolides. Withanolides are the primary phytochemical family present in the plant and have proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and stress-calming properties.
The study
Published in the peer-reviewed journal Heliyon in September 2024, the randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 60 healthy adults complaining of higher-than-normal levels of stress and anxiety. Led by Deo Nidhi Mishra, the study was conducted at Nirmal Hospital, Jhansi, India and tested out Shoden on alleviating stress and anxiety at low daily dose of 60mg and 120mg. Shoden is Arjuna’s advanced formulation of ashwagandha extract standardised to 35% withanolide glycosides.
Following 60 days of supplementation, the volunteers in the Shoden groups showed significantly reduced levels of anxiety, (59%) compared to the placebo group, as measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA). Morning blood cortisol levels, the hormone involved in stress response, was lowered by 66% and 67% among the Shoden group. The placebo group only exhibited a 2.2 % change in cortisol. Testosterone levels also increased significantly in men using Shoden.
The study participants also reported a marked reduction in stress levels, as per the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), along with significant improvements in the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI). The CGI assessment provides a clinician’s view of the subject’s overall functioning before and after the intervention and the Patient’s Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scales.
Benny Antony, joint managing director of Arjuna Natural, said, “This study represents a significant advancement in our understanding of the profound effects that low-dose Shoden Ashwagandha can have in managing stress and anxiety. That these benefits were achieved at such a low dose underscores the exceptional work done by our research team in offering an optimal solution for formulators seeking science-backed stress-relief products.”
The new research builds on the promising results from an earlier clinical trial involving a 240mg dose of Shoden and demonstrates Shoden to be as effective on even a quarter of that dose. Earlier research indicates identified withanolide glycosides as contributors of the positive effect on stress, lowering cortisol levels through modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and counteracting some of the negative impacts of cortisol.
“Prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol is known to exert detrimental effects on mental and physical wellbeing. It leads to increased feelings of anxiety which over long periods of time will decrease the quality of life. Withanolides can increase the activity of certain neurotransmitters, or ‘happy’ hormones, such as serotonin, acetylcholine, and GABA all of which can help regulate the HPA axis, keeping cortisol in check and reducing stress,” said Antony.
Shoden is manufactured from carefully selected and validated ashwagandha roots and leaves, to ensure zero waste and maximum economic value for its partnering farmers. It is a highly purified extract standardised to more than 35% glycowithanolides.
“We have conducted extensive safety studies on Shoden. This includes acute and subchronic toxicity studies on animals, which have demonstrated excellent safety profiles. We are currently conducting human clinical trials to further establish the long-term safety of Shoden, which continues to demonstrate an efficacy without compromising safety,” concluded Antony.
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