Ashwagandha and cognitive function in healthy young adults
What it found
In 59 healthy young men and women, a 225 mg ashwagandha supplement improved some memory and attention test scores and reduced tension and fatigue over 30 days.
The authors say more research is needed.
What they found
Studies in people
Word recall
After 30 days, the ashwagandha group tended to increase correct word recall attempts above baseline, while the placebo group showed no change.
Choice reaction time
Acutely, ashwagandha tended to maintain the ability to correctly identify targets, while the placebo group had a significant decline.
Picture recognition
Acute ashwagandha supplementation significantly improved correct, yes, and overall reaction times. After 30 days, it better maintained correct picture recall and reaction times.
Mood: tension and fatigue
Ashwagandha reduced tension scores from baseline after acute and 30-day supplementation. It also reduced fatigue after acute doses on day 0 and day 30, with 30-day pre-fatigue scores significantly lower than placebo.
Health markers
Ashwagandha supplementation either had no effect or more favorably improved clinical blood panels, with no differences in reported side effects.
What the authors conclude
“This study’s results support that acute (225 mg) and 30 days of dietary supplementation of a liposomal form of ashwagandha (225 mg/d) can improve short-term memory, attention and vigilance, and reaction times in healthy younger men and women.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that acute (225 mg) and 30 days of dietary supplementation of a liposomal form of ashwagandha (225 mg/d) can improve short-term memory, attention and vigilance, and reaction times in healthy younger men and women.
- They state that additional research is warranted to evaluate the potential nootropic effects of ashwagandha at different dosing strategies, longer supplementation periods, older individuals, and potential clinical applications.
How it was done
Ashwagandha has been reported to reduce stress and slow cognitive decline in some clinical groups, but its effects as a potential nootropic in younger, healthy people are unclear.
59 healthy men and women (average age 22.7 years) took either 225 mg of a liposomal ashwagandha root and leaf extract or a placebo for 30 days. They completed cognitive tests and mood questionnaires before and 60 minutes after the first dose, and again after 30 days.
What it can’t tell you
- The study lasted only 30 days, so it cannot show what happens with longer use.
- The participants were healthy young adults, so the results may not apply to older people or those with health conditions.
- Diet and exercise were not controlled during the study, which may have affected the results.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Specnova, Inc. (Boca Raton, FL, USA) (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- R.J. and M.P. are principals and researchers affiliated with Increnovo. They were not involved in the data collection or analysis. R.B.K. served as Principal Investigator at the study location. He has conducted sponsored grants and contracts awarded to the universities with which he has been affiliated, received an honorarium for making scientific presentations, served as an expert on legal cases, and consulted with industry on product development unrelated to the product studied. He has no financial or intellectual property-related conflict of interest with the study sponsor or nutrient examined. Other authors report no conflicts.
- Authors work at
- Texas A&M University, USA; University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, USA
The paper
- Title
- Acute and Repeated Ashwagandha Supplementation Improves Markers of Cognitive Function and Mood
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Leonard M, Dickerson B, Estes L, et al (2024). Acute and Repeated Ashwagandha Supplementation Improves Markers of Cognitive Function and Mood. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu16121813Free full textPubMed 38931168DOI
Summary written 29 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error