Ashwagandha May Improve Reaction Time

Researchers studying ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in India have data that supports ashwagandha for improving reaction time in healthy subjects. The effect, which scientists believe would be related to the ingredient’s antioxidant status, is just one of several purported benefits of ashwagandha for brain health.

In a crossover trial, 20 men supplemented with 1000 mg of Sensoril ashwagandha (spread across four daily capsules) or placebo daily for 14 days. Researchers measured cognitive performance in each subject through scores on a series of computerized psychometric tests performed on the first and last day of the study. They observed significant improvements in performance with ashwagandha, compared to placebo, on five of the six tests.

More long-term studies on ashwagandha are required to confirm its beneficial effects on reaction time, but this new evidence complements existing data from ashwagandha studies showing improvements in children with memory deficit and elderly people with memory loss. The latest study, published in Pharmacognosy Research, is one of a series of Sensoril studies scheduled to roll out this year.

Sensoril ashwagandha is a product of Natreon Inc. (New Brunswick, NJ). It is available to North American customers through NutraGenesis LLC (Brattleboro, VT).