Giving Clinicians a Clearer Path to Personalizing Adaptogenic Care

Speaking at SupplySide Connect New Jersey, Suresh Lakshmikanthan, PhD, chief business officer at Natural Remedies, discussed the science behind Ashwa-30, an ashwagandha extract designed to deliver efficacy at significantly lower doses than traditional formulations.

Unlike conventional ashwagandha extracts typically dosed at 300–600 milligrams Ashwa-30 is standardized for effectiveness at just 30 milligrams. According to Lakshmikanthan, this leap in potency is driven by the company’s proprietary bioactive optimization technology, which identifies and concentrates multiple active compounds within the plant.

A key differentiator is Ashwa-30’s dual standardization: 15% withanolides—commonly associated with stress modulation—and 15% ATP-active compounds, a proprietary blend of phytonutrients including phenolics and natural minerals. These ATP-active fractions are designed to support mitochondrial function, energy metabolism, and endurance.

Clinical and preclinical data support these claims. Lakshmikanthan highlighted findings showing a roughly 10% improvement in VO2 max, a key marker of aerobic performance, along with reductions in markers of muscle damage in healthy adults.

Further validation comes from molecular docking and cellular studies, including research using the C.elegans model, which demonstrated increased cellular and mitochondrial energy production.

Transparency is another focus for Natural Remedies. The company uses validated analytical methods, including modified HPLC techniques for withanolides and proprietary—but third-party validated—methods for ATP-active compounds.

Overall, Ashwa-30 represents a shift in ashwagandha innovation, targeting sports nutrition and energy applications with a lower-dose, high-potency approach.

A transcript of his conversation can be found below.

Nicholas Saraceno: I know in various press releases and things of that nature, you've mentioned that this research provides objective markers that are helping to let clinicians bridge that gap between both traditional botanical use and Western clinical frameworks. With the study showing a 44% reduction in DASS-21 stress scores and a stabilized cortisol response, how do you think practitioners can use these specific reference points when it comes to customizing protocols for patient experience, fatigue, physical strain? How does that play an effect, keeping Ashwa-30 in mind.

Suresh Lakshmikanthan: Perfect, perfect. So we believe the practitioners come across a lot of patients in their day-to-day practices. The primary target population we believe should be the patients with underlying stress-induced cortisol levels, d it's because of dysregulations in their systems, which may be because of the chronic stress, occasional burnout, and physical and mental strains.

For these types of patients, in our pre-clinical model, we use the DASS metrics, DASS-21 metrics because it's a very practical and validated scale, it's a measurable process to see where the cortisol levels are at the starting point, along with the cortisol levels under the end point. It's a very practical guide and validated scale that we used, and even the practitioners in their daily practice can use such a scale to measure pre- and post-use of Ashwa-30. Almost a 19% rise versus 86% classical suggest a significant adaptogenic activity.

We believe this mechanism we attribute to the HPA axis control of cortisol levels. It's a response to the stimuli, and I think at a practical level, even physicians or practitioners, they can measure the stress reduction at a DASS-21 scale. In addition to that, Ashwa-30 is based on the effects of horizontal significant reduced, alongside the lifestyle interventions. See, Ashwa-30 is a product that can help with stress, increase energy, and at the same time, counseling, and mentoring the patients to the lifestyle modifications is very critical, I believe.