Targeting High Potency Ashwagandha at a Lower Dose

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: Ladies and gentlemen. Nico Saraceno, senior editor with Nutritional Outlook, reporting live from SupplySide Connect New Jersey. I am joined by a very special guest here at the booth. His name is Dr. Suresh Lakshmikanthan, he's the chief business officer with Natural Remedies. Doc, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule today to join us. I really appreciate it.

Suresh Lakshmikanthan: It's my pleasure to be here, and thanks for coming here.

Saraceno: I was very excited to come by. I know it's organized chaos here at the booth, but we were able to get a quiet spot.

Lakshmikanthan: It’s been surprising. A lot of footfall here this year compared to last year, and I see it's too noisy. It’s too noisy around here.

Saraceno: Yeah, we have a lapse of major noise here, but we have a lot to get to today. Let’s dive right in, shall we? So first of all, doc, Ashwa-30. It's currently formulated to be effective at the 30 milligram daily dose, which is compared to a much lower compared to the 300 to 600 milligram rates. Could you explain how the dual standardization of both withanolides and ATP- active fractions allow for this high potency at a fraction of traditional doses? Because that is a significant difference. That's what's seen in traditional literature, so could you get into that?

Lakshmikanthan: That's correct. Ashwa-30 was developed with belief on the premises that the current options available in the market, which are the 300 and 600 milligram dose, do not fully capture the breadth of the benefits ashwagandha has to offer. What we did with our team of scientists, we developed Ashwa-30 using our proprietary bioactive optimization technology, and through the technology, we applied orthogonal array assays and developed multiple fractions of various compounds in ashwagandha, which includes withanolides and many other new phyto compounds.

With the iterational model, we were able to narrow down the dose and standardize to both withanolides and new compounds. And those new compounds we named as ATP actives, because those compounds in our pre-clinical data and in our molecular docking study, they were able to identify that those compounds, in combination with withanolides, helps with energy endurance, metabolism, and mitochondrial biogenesis.

Saraceno: Oh, thank you for that breakdown, because some of the literature can be a little complex, so you simplified it for the audience. I really do appreciate that. There's also clinical data highlighting a 10% increase in VO2 max and a reduction in markers of muscle damage among healthy adults. I'm curious, particularly for formulators and natural practitioners who function in the sports nutrition space, you mentioned the ATP active fraction of 15%, so could you dive into how that influences mitochondrial biogenesis and cellular production, compared to extracts that only focus on, say, stress-modulating withanolides?

Lakshmikanthan: True, so our clinical data showed that there's a 10% reduction in VO2 max, which is a very significant data point for someone who's looking at energy endurance and the cellular assays. We attribute this reduction to the combination factors of withanolides and ATP fractions. With the orthogonal assay model that we applied to develop this product, we were able to fractionate withanolides separately, which is 15% standardization, and ATP actives, which is another 15% standardization. And these ATP actives are a combination of ferulytes, phenolics, and other natural minerals and elements.

Together, this combination helps with reduction of a stressor and increase of VO2 max. In addition to the clinical data, we also have developed pre-clinical data demonstrating significant improvement with the C.elegans model. The C.elegans model also showed a presence of the ATP and an increase in the cellular energy and mitochondrial energy, along with an increase in the view of the max.

Saraceno: Wow, thank you. I know that was a handful of a question, so thanks.

Lakshmikanthan: It's a long question. Basically, we are looking at that. In a nutshell, we are looking at us two standardization, 15% of withanolides, and the 15% ATP actives, which can be tested by a very transparent method. Withanolide fractions can be tested using a modified HPLC-ESP method, while ATP actives can be tested using a proprietary method, but it's been validated by third party labs, which is very important. And then we transparently share those methods with all our customers.