Ashwagandha And Fertility

Discover the role of Ashwagandha and fertility in enhancing reproductive health. This ancient herb is linked to improved vitality and conception chances.

Those battling with infertility or who are struggling with difficulty trying to conceive know the physical and mental toll this can take. It can leave you feeling like a failure to yourself and your partner. While there are treatment options out there, fertility treatments can put a strain on your relationship and your wallet and they don’t work for everyone.

Because of this, many are searching for natural ways to help boost fertility and increase their chances of being able to conceive. Most of these natural options are centered around diet but there may be specific herbs that can help increase your fertility, according to research.

Herbs, such as ashwagandha root have been recently studied for their positive effects on increasing both male and female fertility. While the available literature is limited, it’s pointing in a positive direction for future studies and potential treatment options. Let’s take a deeper look.

How Ashwagandha Can Help You Treat Male And Female Infertility

Withania somnifera, also known as ashwagandha, is an adaptogenic herb that has been used in alternative and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. While there are several perceived health benefits to taking ashwagandha, including helping to manage chronic stress, insomnia, schizophrenia, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 2 diabetes, most recent research has found that it may help boost fertility in both men and women.

It’s believed that ashwagandha contains properties that may help with hormone regulation and sperm production but several potential mechanisms may be at work. (Source)(Source) 

One study conducted on rats found that ashwagandha helped to increase sex hormones, including progesterone, an important female sex hormone, while a more recent study in 2022 found that ashwagandha helped boost testosterone levels, an important male sex hormone in sperm production. (Source)(Source)

Other studies have found connections between ashwagandha root and improvements in vaginal lubrication, increased sexual desire, improved symptoms of erectile dysfunction, and improved sperm count and motility.

There are several ways ashwagandha has helped to benefit fertility in both genders. Below is a more in-depth look at how this popular herb may provide specific benefits to men and women.

Ashwagandha For Female Fertility

Aside from increasing important sex hormones needed for fertility, ashwagandha may provide further benefits towards improving the likelihood of conception in women in a few different ways.

Ashwagandha may help to improve sexual health in women and, in turn, increase desire. A 2022 study found that women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) who consumed 30mg of ashwagandha root twice a day experienced significant improvements in sexual satisfaction, arousal, desire, and orgasm. (Source) 

Ashwagandha root may also improve vaginal lubrication which may enhance fertility by improving comfort during sex and increase the frequency of sex.

A more recent review of ashwagandha conducted in 2023 found that 300mg of ashwagandha root twice a day showed significant improvements in vaginal lubrication, sexual arousal, and orgasm. (Source)

Ashwagandha For Male Fertility

In addition to boosting testosterone levels, ashwagandha root may help to increase the quantity and motility of sperm for more successful egg fertilization.

A 2018 review found that ashwagandha root may elicit increased enzyme activity in semen and reduce oxidative stress. Both of these may then promote an increase in sperm and improved motility (the sperm’s ability to move effectively to fertilize the egg). (Source)

Additionally, ashwagandha may help to improve symptoms of erectile dysfunction by enhancing sexual arousal and increasing the ability to maintain a full erection for successful intercourse.

These factors along with ashwagandha’s beneficial effects on sex hormones, such as testosterone, and its ability to help with stress management and potentially increase circulation can allow for significant improvements in male fertility. (Source)

How To Take Ashwagandha

If you’re interested in trying ashwagandha root to boost your fertility, you must do so safely. Always speak with your doctor or healthcare provider before adding ashwagandha to your routine as it may interact with certain medications or health conditions. It is not recommended that pregnant or nursing women or children take ashwagandha root as the available research on these populations is lacking and safety is not well-known.

There is no current dose recommendation for ashwagandha root, especially when it comes to fertility as there is not enough evidence to support the available studies. Most research studies have used varying doses of ashwagandha with 250-500mg per day appearing to be the most effective. Doses of 500mg have been frequently used in many research studies conducted on fertility. (Source)(Source)

Ashwagandha is available in a variety of forms including pills, capsules, gummies, powders, teas, and tinctures. Ashwagandha is also a common additive to multi-ingredient supplements such as green powders.

There is no specific time of day you need to take your ashwagandha root aside from the best time for you to remember to take it. It’s more important to be consistent with your intake than what time you take it. Some may find that taking ashwagandha before bed may help with falling asleep but it doesn’t appear to cause sleepiness as a side effect. (Source)

Once you start taking ashwagandha, you can expect to notice benefits between 4 and 12 weeks. It’s also commonly combined with other health-promoting ingredients such as beetroot and L-theanine, as well as in gender-specific supplements such as supplements for men or women.

When choosing an ashwagandha supplement, be sure to choose from a trusted brand that offers third-party testing for quality and purity as well as full ingredient transparency, such as Human Tonik Supergreen Tonik powder.

Human Tonik products are free of proprietary blends so you know exactly what and how much of each ingredient is in their products. Their Supergreen Tonik powder contains 500mg of ashwagandha root extract along with 38 organic vegetables, superfoods, adaptogens, and nutrients, all scientifically dosed to enhance energy, immunity, mental clarity, and overall health.

Bottom Line

Based on the available research studies on ashwagandha and fertility, this popular herb may be a future treatment option for those struggling to conceive. While research remains limited, it is promising and has helped to pave the way for future research studies.

Despite the need for further studies, ashwagandha root has been well-researched for a variety of potential health benefits and is believed to be safe in doses up to 600 mg per day. Whether you are taking ashwagandha for fertility, or its many other potential health benefits, make sure you choose a trusted brand for your ashwagandha supplement.

Always communicate changes in your supplement routine with your doctor or healthcare provider, especially if you have any chronic health conditions or take any medications as ashwagandha may interfere with these.

Meghan Stoops, RDN

Meghan is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist from San Jose, California. She received her undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in 2015. Following an unexpected cross-country trip that landed her in Florida, she completed her didactic training through AdventHealth Orlando.

Meghan has extensive experience in multiple aspects of dietetics including critical care, motivational interviewing, writing, and research. She is passionate about health and wellness and has dedicated her free time to breaking down complicated nutrition topics and disseminating them to the public through the arena of writing.