Stress-relieving herb on the rise amongst Kent State students
Ashwagandha, an herbal supplement made naturally from the plant, continues to reign prominent with a market value projected to reach over $500 million in 2027. The most common use of this herb is for stress and anxiety relief.
As stress and anxiety levels continue to increase, the usage rate of ashwagandha increases with it.
Studies done on ashwagandha have been limited compared to other supplements, but interest has grown with its popularity. Ashwagandha is not FDA-approved, meaning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved and researched its safety.
Placebo effects are a major possibility when it comes to ashwagandha. If a patient believes in the treatment, the treatment may work solely on the belief from that individual.
Dr. Daniel Keaton, psychiatrist and chief of staff at Ashtabula Hospital Cleveland Clinic, said he believes in the placebo effect.
“If someone believes in a treatment, it works 5% of the time,” said Keaton. “We have had multiple documented cases where even cancer was cured with a placebo.”
Even without the FDA’s approval, its usage among college students has increased according to Allied Market Research. The results are not conclusive, but in most cases, ashwagandha has helped mellow the user.
EmaLee Dedrick, junior hospitality management major, said she found out about ashwagandha from TikTok and decided to give it a try.
“I took it to help calm me down and help me sleep better,” Dedrick said. “I would say that it is working.”
Another student, Taylor Francis, junior early childhood education major, found the supplement from Tiktok when she was seeking to reduce her panic attacks.
“My senior year of high school, I took ashwagandha and my panic attacks went away,” Francis said. “Once I stopped taking ashwagandha they came back. I started taking it again and I haven’t had a panic attack since.”
Beyond its calming effects, ashwagandha is also gaining popularity for its potential benefits in overall awareness, boosting energy levels, and improving sleep quality.
Jack Lyden, junior business management major, took ashwagandha in the past for two months and said he had a positive effect from the herb.
“I noticed that certain things stopped bothering me,” Lyden said. “One of the biggest mistakes I think that I made was taking it in the morning. I felt as if it messed with my cortisol levels.”
While some people have reported positive effects from ashwagandha, responses can vary from person to person. Cierra Miller, sophomore speech pathology and audiology major, did not see any effect from the herb.
“My family doctor recommended it to me when I was a sophomore in high school,” Miller said. “They wanted to try it before they put me on any anxiety meds, but it did not work for me.”
With almost every supplement or pharmaceutical drug comes side effects. Common side effects reported by users are upset stomach, loose stools, drowsiness and nausea. According to the National Institutes of Health, users should take it for three months at a time, as long-term effects are unknown.
Senior Lecturer for the Nutrition & Dietetics and School of Health Sciences Tanya Falcone warned users of potential harm from ashwagandha.
“The only type of negative effects that we see..is if you overdo it, your liver tends to take a hit,” said Falcone. “In a lot of herbals that are dried you see issues in large quantities, but we know that it is safe to use daily for 3-4 months.”