Sustained-release ashwagandha lowered reported stress in a short trial
Both tested doses improved perceived stress relative to placebo in healthy adults experiencing stress; the abstract does not establish that the larger dose worked better.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Both tested doses of sustained-release ashwagandha improved perceived stress, sleep quality, psychological well-being and eating behavior compared with placebo by the end of the trial. The abstract does not quantify the placebo-adjusted stress difference or demonstrate that the higher dose was superior. These findings concern this formulation and the healthy, stressed adults enrolled.
The abstract reports no safety concerns during the trial, but gives limited adverse-event detail. It does not establish longer-term safety or provide confidence intervals for the differences between groups.
What researchers found
Perceived stress favored AshwaSR
At day 60, both AshwaSR groups showed significantly better stress outcomes than placebo; the size of the between-group difference was not reported.
Baseline change needs context
The reported percentage reductions in perceived stress describe change from participants' starting scores within each active group. They should not be read as the amount of benefit attributable to ashwagandha compared with placebo.
Cortisol is a separate outcome
The abstract reports a significant cortisol reduction in the higher-dose group, without specifying a placebo-adjusted difference for that marker. This does not establish greater clinical benefit or prove a difference between the tested doses.
The original publication
Efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha root extract sustained-release (AshwaSR) capsules in healthy adult, stressed subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 3-arm clinical trial.
Thanawala S, Shah R, Alluri KV et al.
Medicine (Baltimore) · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41824889
- Record checked
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