Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on Body Composition: A Narrative Review
Study Details
This narrative review included 16 placebo-controlled studies, examining whether ashwagandha supplementation influences body mass, fat mass, lean mass, muscle size and anthropometric measures in adults 🔍
Key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
⚖️ The clearest potential benefit was in overweight or obese adults, where several studies reported greater reductions in body mass, BMI or waist circumference versus placebo
📉 In one 8-week trial, 600 mg/day KSM-66® reduced body mass by 2.32 kg versus 1.13 kg with placebo
📆 A 24-week study using the same dose reported an 8.46 kg reduction in body mass, compared with 2.41 kg for placebo
🔥 Evidence for reducing body fat percentage was inconsistent; only one of several studies found a significant additional reduction versus placebo
💪 Evidence for increasing lean mass, fat-free mass or muscle mass was also largely negative, with no included study demonstrating a clear benefit using these measures
📏 Two resistance-training studies did report greater increases in arm and chest circumference, although circumference is a less robust measure of muscle growth than DXA or BIA
🏋️ The apparent muscle-size benefits therefore have not been confirmed as greater gains in actual lean or muscle mass
🧬 Proposed mechanisms include reductions in cortisol and stress-related eating, improved glucose and lipid metabolism, and possible increases in testosterone, but these mechanisms remain partly theoretical or preclinical
↔️ Effects appear less convincing in healthy, already active or trained adults than in those with excess body mass
⚠️ Studies varied substantially in population, extract, dose, training and dietary intervention, and 4 of the 16 studies had commercial sponsorship
📊 The authors conclude that current evidence is mixed and not strong enough to recommend ashwagandha specifically for improving body composition
Conclusion
For athletes, ashwagandha may support stress or other performance-related outcomes, but there is currently little evidence that it reliably increases lean mass or reduces body fat beyond the effects of training and nutrition alone ✅
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42931579/
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