Does ashwagandha lower cortisol? Evidence and safety

Does ashwagandha lower cortisol?

Some trials report lower serum cortisol in stressed adults taking specific ashwagandha extracts. This is narrower than saying every ashwagandha product lowers cortisol safely for everyone. Study participants, preparation and follow-up matter.

A closer look at one trial

Salve and colleagues’ 2019 randomized trial enrolled 60 stressed adults. Participants received 250 mg/day or 600 mg/day of the studied root extract, or placebo, for eight weeks; 58 completed the study. The authors reported improvements in perceived stress and reductions in serum cortisol in the extract groups.

Those amounts describe the study, not a personal dosing recommendation. A small, short trial of one preparation cannot establish long-term safety, equivalence across brands or a reliable treatment for a hormone disorder. A statistically significant group result does not tell an individual how much their own cortisol will change.

How long does ashwagandha take to lower cortisol?

The trial described above followed participants for eight weeks. That study length is not a promise that a supplement will work within eight weeks, and it does not establish an immediate effect. Cortisol+ cannot verify a hormone change: its wearable-based wellness score is a different measurement.

What remains uncertain

Different extracts contain different constituents. A product labelled “ashwagandha” is not necessarily equivalent to the tested preparation. Repeatedly choosing the largest percentage from a study also hides the population, comparator and uncertainty behind that number.

We have removed the old summary that incorrectly assigned the same percentage result to two separate trials. We also removed unsupported claims about the best time of day, routine cycling and guaranteed changes among Cortisol+ users.

Safety before supplementation

NCCIH’s ashwagandha guidance notes limited long-term safety evidence, possible digestive symptoms and drowsiness, and rare reports of liver injury. Avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is not recommended around surgery or for people with thyroid or autoimmune disorders; people with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer should avoid it. Interactions can involve thyroid, blood-pressure, diabetes, sedative, anticonvulsant and immunosuppressant medicines. Discuss it with a clinician or pharmacist before use.

Can a wearable show whether it worked?

A change in HRV, sleep or a wellness score does not establish a change in cortisol. Many factors can change simultaneously, and a before-and-after chart cannot isolate a supplement’s effect.

Cortisol+ can help you organize wearable observations; it cannot measure hormones or verify treatment benefit. See the score methodology and stress and sleep journal. If you have an abnormal laboratory result, discuss that result with the clinician who ordered it.

Editorial correction: September 9, 2026. This page has not received independent clinical review.