Ashwagandha changed some hormone measurements, with uncertain clinical meaning
A review of placebo-controlled trials reported lower cortisol and changes in several other hormones, without establishing improvements in symptoms or health.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Compared with placebo, ashwagandha was associated with lower cortisol in the pooled trials. The review also reported changes in serotonin, thyroid-hormone measurements and testosterone, alongside several null results. These are laboratory outcomes; the abstract does not show whether participants felt better or experienced other clinical benefits. Differences between studies limit confidence in a single overall effect.
The authors report differences between studies and limited data for some outcomes. The abstract does not report treatment durations, clinical benefits or safety results, limiting interpretation beyond hormone measurements.
What researchers found
Circulating cortisol
Pooled ashwagandha-versus-placebo comparison; treatment durations were not reported. The standardized mean difference describes lower cortisol, not a percentage change.
Reading the cortisol result
The cortisol estimate uses a standardized scale to combine results across trials. It describes a laboratory difference, not a percentage reduction in stress or a measured improvement in daily functioning.
The hormone results were mixed
Some thyroid-hormone measures and estradiol showed no detected change. Testosterone rose in men but not women, with a reported difference between the groups. This mixed pattern argues against describing the supplement as a general solution to hormone problems.
The original publication
Hormonal Modulation with Withania somnifera: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized-controlled Trials.
Fornalik M, Malkiewicz A, Adamczak D et al.
Planta Med · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41740946
- Record checked
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