The GymTok Bandwagon

The Dark Side of Ashwagandha

J. Lai

Withania Somnifera, or commonly known as ashwagandha, is a traditional herb which has existed for thousands of years within Indian and Middle Eastern communities as an adaptogen and a form of Ayurvedic medicine. Despite its long history, it has only seen a rise in popularity within the Western World in recent months, due to widespread promotion in bodybuilding communities on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, where ashwagandha is advertised as a natural athletic supplement. However, in-depth research on its side-effects and potential implications reveals a darker side to the supplement and draws concerns in its recent popularity.

Ashwagandha has been recently popularised due to the range of supposed mental and physical benefits that it provides. It is best known to reduce anxiety and depression through its ability to help control stress mediators such as heat-shock proteins and cortisol and to modulate neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. The reduction in emotional depth from the supplement has led to beliefs in its ability to make one supposedly emotionless, which has attracted users of the gym community due to the recent upsurge of the ‘Sigma’ and ‘Stoicism’ trends, where the lack of showing emotion is seen to be fashionable and masculine. The deprivation of one’s emotion in turn supposedly leads to one becoming more disciplined in their lifestyle and going to the gym more consistently. Its anti-inflammatory effects and ability to improve sleep quality, coupled with its alleged capabilities of increasing testosterone due to the lack of cortisol within the body, has further attracted users of the gym community due to its capacity to enhance athletic performance and recover more quickly.

Despite its supposed benefits, a deeper look into the adaptogen reveals a range of concerning side-effects which could seriously damage one’s brain chemistry and physical health.

Though Ashwagandha does reduce the lows of emotion, it also reduces the highs, as it desensitizes the production of serotonin in the brain, leading to the presence of the side effects associated with SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reputake Inhibitors), a type of antidepressant. This includes the blunting of emotion, the depletion of well-being and happiness, and a lack of motivation, which may lead to one’s relapse into depression and anxiety, as well as beliefs of existential nihilism due to anhedonia, or a lack of pleasure, in life.

Furthermore, the lack of modern scientific research, as well as investigations of the long-term effects of ashwagandha, draws serious concerns of its use and potential unseen effects after prolonged use, especially in large doses. This is especially susceptible to teenagers, whose brains and bodies have not fully developed and matured, with many concerned sceptics and medical experts fearing that the change in brain chemistry provided by the supplement may stunt growth and development.

The lack of regulation surrounding ashwagandha further draws concerns to the product, with the market susceptible to faulty and defective products. Impurities, contaminants, and unintended ingredients could pose fatal health risks to users, and the lack of consistency within the market leads to the effects of the supplement varying from brand to brand. This has led to various cases of fever, drowsiness, and liver damage for users, drawing large concerns to the usage of the supplement.

Ashwagandha’s rapid rise in popularity over recent months draws concerns about the potential unseen side effects that users may experience during consumption. As with most supplements however, more research will be developed in coming months and years in order to give consumers a better understanding of the product and to gain a full picture of the supplement’s potential side effects.  It is therefore highly recommended that anyone thinking of trying ashwagandha, as a result of the influence of social media, to wait until such research is conducted to see if it is endorsed by medical experts, as the potential implications can be fatal.