RCTHumann = 562026
Ashwagandha Root Extract Stabilises Physiological Stress Responses in Male and Female Team Sports Athletes During Pre-Season Training.
Plain-language summary
This study looked at whether ashwagandha (an herbal supplement traditionally used to blunt stress) helps team-sport athletes handle the strain of pre-season training, when the stress hormone cortisol and fatigue pile up. Fifty-six rugby, water-polo, and football athletes took either 600 mg a day of ashwagandha root extract or a placebo for 42 days. Researchers tracked stress markers in saliva, muscle strength, aerobic fitness, and how recovered the athletes felt using the Hooper Index (a daily self-rating of fatigue, sleep, stress, and soreness, where a lower score means better recovery). Ashwagandha steadied the stress markers, improved recovery scores, and boosted strength through the hard training block.
Key findings
- Ashwagandha stabilized stress biomarkers (cortisol in women, cortisone in men) during pre-season training.
- Women taking ashwagandha reported better recovery scores (Hooper Index) and less muscle soreness.
- Men taking ashwagandha saw improved jump performance (Countermovement Jump).
How to analyze the study yourself
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trials are strong for testing cause and effect but may not reflect real-world conditions outside the study setting.
- Population
- Team sports athletes (rugby, water polo, football) during pre-season training.
- Funding
- Not reported
- Takeaway
- This study found that in 56 team-sport athletes taking 600 mg a day for six weeks, ashwagandha steadied stress markers and improved recovery, though the recovery gains showed up in the women and the clear gain in the men was jump height. That is one small trial in athletes, which is a reason to watch this rather than act on it.