Ashwagandha Side Effects – Natural Herbal Remedies

Possible Ashwagandha Side Effects – Natural Herbal Remedies. Side effects known to some from taking Ashwagandha.

 

If you read NaturalHerbalRemedies often, you will know they are a lot of benefits in taking Ashwagandha. It’s a herb we do recommend for many health issues including depression and stress.

As with all good things, they are some negative points we thought it would be best to point out.

 

 

 

1: Decrease blood pressure

Although some people would appreciate a supplement that lowers blood pressure, this side effect of ashwagandha can be dangerous for others. Many people with hypertension, or high blood pressure; are on a prescription medication monitored by their primary care physician to lower their blood pressure. Taking ashwagandha along with these drugs may cause your blood pressure to drop further. That’s why you should always seek out medical advice before adding something new to your regimen.

 

 

2: May Cause Miscarriages

If your pregnant you should always seek medical advice from a healthcare professional before starting any supplement. While pregnancy can be both joyous and stressful, ashwagandha isn’t the answer for stress relief in this case. Despite its many benefits, ashwagandha contains compounds that may cause miscarriage. If you’re feeling stressed, talk to your healthcare provider about potential treatment plans. St Johns Wort may be better in this  case.

 

 

3: Boost of Immune activity

Having a robust immune system that’s working hard for you is good, right? Not always. People with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or multiple sclerosis can potentially worsen their symptoms by taking ashwagandha. Autoimmune diseases, characterized by the body attacking itself; so the more immune function, the harder it will fight. Since ashwagandha may boost your immune response, people with these health conditions should avoid this herbal supplement.

 

 

4: Could increase thyroid function

This may sound like welcome news for some, especially those suffering from conditions characterized by low thyroid function, such as hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Still, it can be dangerous for people with already elevated thyroid function or hyperthyroidism.

One study looked at people with subclinical hypothyroidism (meaning thyroid levels that weren’t low enough for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism). In those who took ashwagandha root extract, the two main thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), returned to normal levels. Researchers believe this effect may happen due to ashwagandha’s cortisol-lowering effect, but more work must done to confirm that.

This study sparks hope that Withania somnifera may prove helpful in treating people with thyroid function that isn’t low enough to meet the blood level cut-offs of true hypothyroidism but can still cause lethargy, weight gain, and hair loss.

 

 

5: Could decrease blood sugar

Several animal studies suggest that ashwagandha may lower blood sugar levels. But clinical trials in humans, limited for now. If you already have low blood sugar levels or are taking diabetes medications, using ashwagandha may cause your glucose levels to drop dangerously low.

 

 

 

 

 

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