It is no secret, that heightened levels of stress can cause performance anxiety and can have a negative impact on athletic performance. Regardless of where it stems from, it can interfere with our ability to perform routine tasks such as sleeping, eating, focusing, and maintaining overall health.
The benefits of Ashwagandha for athletes are not only limited to performance, and strength, but also to all the factors that affect performance such as stress, anxiety, mood, focus, and concentration. By modulating stress, the ashwagandha root assists the body to reduce the energy normally required to rein in the stress hormone cortisol. That has made ashwagandha one of the go-to herbs for reducing stress and increasing general energy. Sports Nutrition products that incorporate adaptogens such as Ashwagandha help the body adjust to this stress and achieve balance.
An 8-week randomized, double-blind clinical study, published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine examined the effects of KSM-66 ashwagandha root supplementation (600mg/day) and found remarkable results in the reduction of stress and subjective measures of stress. This study included 64 participants with a history of chronic stress. At the study’s end, those in the KSM-66 group experienced a 28% reduction in cortisol levels. Also, ashwagandha root produced a 44% reduction on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and reduced depression, anxiety, and stress by more than 70% on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS).
In a study published in Cureus, KSM-66 Ashwagandha (300mg twice daily) produced a 32.63% decrease in serum cortisol levels, significant when compared to the placebo. KSM-66 Ashwagandha supplementation led to a substantial decrease of 16.39% in anxiety and 38.3% in stress levels, as evident by HAM-A and PSS scores, significant when compared to the placebo.
In another study, published in Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine found that the consumption of KSM-66 ashwagandha (600mg/day) resulted in improved scores on the perceived stress scale, positively affected serum cortisol, body mass index (BMI), and body weight. At the study’s end, KSM-66 Ashwagandha supplementation resulted in a 22% decrease in serum cortisol and a 32.74% decrease in PSS scores.
As one of the world’s most known and best-selling adaptogen, Ashwagandha provides dual action of both calming and giving energy. Thus, Ashwagandha’s stress-less prowess is bound to improve sports performance. There are a plethora of products on the market for alleviating stress and increasing energy that use KSM-66 Ashwagandha.
Here are a few such examples:
GNC Stress Support
Centrum Calm & Reset
Nature’s Bounty Anxiety & Stress Relief
DailyNutra Calmness Formula
Spring Valley Stress Support
Mind Nutrition Neurochill
Claridream Peace
Vital Proteins Feeling Zen
Winged Wellness Chilled Out Powder
Natreve Stress Less
