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Ashwagandha for women: what the trials in women found

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Many ashwagandha trials included women, and most used 600 mg a day of root extract. Four small trials in women around or after menopause reported lower discomfort scores, which we grade as early evidence. NIH says to avoid ashwagandha in pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and it can change thyroid hormone levels.1,2,3

Key facts

  • Trials in women around menopause used 250 to 600 mg a day for 8 to 24 weeks.2,4,5
  • In a pooled analysis of 23 trials, testosterone rose in men but not in women.6
  • Three published case reports of an overactive thyroid linked to ashwagandha involved women aged 32 to 73.1
  • France's food safety agency advised in 2024 against ashwagandha for pregnant and breastfeeding women.1

Women in ashwagandha research

Many stress and sleep trials enrolled men and women together, so their findings are not specific to either sex. A smaller set of trials looked at women directly: four in the years around menopause, and one in professional women footballers.1,2,7

A 2026 pooled analysis of 23 trials found a modest rise in the thyroid hormone T4, with no change in TSH or T3. Testosterone rose in men but not in women, and estradiol did not change in either sex.6

That pooled result sits beside two menopause trials that did find hormone changes, described below. Hormone results in women are mixed, which matters for anyone with a condition affected by estrogen.2,8

Around and after menopause

May ease some self-rated discomforts around menopause*2,4,5,8

Early evidence

Four small randomized trials in India gave women around or after menopause 250 to 600 mg a day of ashwagandha extract for 8 to 24 weeks, and each reported lower scores on menopause rating questionnaires than placebo. One, in 100 women, used 300 mg twice a day for 8 weeks; another, in 60 women aged 45 to 55, also counted fewer hot flashes. Two of the trials found higher estradiol and lower FSH and LH, a sign the extract can act on reproductive hormones.

Amount studied: 250 to 600 mg a day of root or root and leaf extract, for 8 to 24 weeks

The four trials were small, all run in India, and used three different extracts, from 250 mg a day for 24 weeks to 600 mg a day for 8 to 12 weeks. Their results come from questionnaires the women filled in themselves, and no pooled analysis of them was found.2,4,5,8

In the 24-week trial, scores on a menopause quality of life questionnaire, where lower means fewer complaints, fell further on 500 mg a day than on 250 mg, the only comparison of amounts in women we found. The 12-week trial in 66 women after menopause also measured sleep, and the women on ashwagandha rated their sleep better than those on placebo.4,5

Training and recovery

May support strength gains when combined with resistance training*9,10

Early evidence

Two 8-week trials of a branded root extract at 600 mg a day alongside a resistance training program (57 young men; 80 men and women) reported larger strength gains than placebo; in the first, bench press rose 46 kg against 26 kg. Both were run in India with extract supplied by the maker, and the first enrolled men with little training experience.

Amount studied: 600 mg a day of root extract (300 mg twice a day) for 8 weeks, with resistance training

In the second strength trial, 39 of the 73 people analysed were women. Bench press and leg press rose more on ashwagandha than on placebo in women as well as men, after 8 weeks of training with 300 mg twice a day.10

In 30 professional women footballers taking 600 mg a day of root extract, self-rated sleep quality differed from placebo from day 14, and self-rated recovery by day 28.7

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, thyroid and hormones

NIH's complementary health center says ashwagandha should be avoided during pregnancy and should not be used while breastfeeding. Denmark's 2020 risk assessment, which led to its ban, raised the possibility that it could end a pregnancy, a concern the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia says rests on a misreading of its report.1,3

Thyroid: in three published reports, women aged 32 to 73 developed an overactive thyroid while taking ashwagandha, one of them on an unusually high 1,950 mg a day, and all recovered after stopping. NIH says ashwagandha might interact with thyroid hormone medicines, and its complementary health center does not recommend it for people with thyroid disorders.1,3

Hormone-sensitive conditions: two menopause trials found estradiol rose and FSH and LH fell on ashwagandha. If you have a condition affected by estrogen, such as some breast or uterine cancers, ask your doctor first.2,8

  • Do not take it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding3
  • Ask your doctor first if you have a thyroid, liver or autoimmune condition3
  • Ask first if you take thyroid hormone, sedatives, or medicines for diabetes or blood pressure1

Questions people ask

What does ashwagandha do for women?

The trials in women looked mainly at the years around menopause and at training and recovery, and both findings are graded early. Women also took part in many stress and sleep trials. It is not for use in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.2,3,10

Can women over 50 take ashwagandha?

Two of the menopause trials enrolled women aged 40 to 65 after menopause and reported no serious side effects. Ask your doctor first if you have a thyroid, liver or hormone-sensitive condition, or take thyroid or blood pressure medicine.1,4,5

Does ashwagandha raise testosterone in women?

Not in the trials pooled in a 2026 analysis, which found a rise in men but not in women. The perimenopause trial that measured it also found no change.2,6

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Sources

  1. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Ashwagandha: Is it helpful for stress, anxiety, or sleep? Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated May 2, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Gopal S, Ajgaonkar A, Kanchi P, et al. Effect of an ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) root extract on climacteric symptoms in women during perimenopause: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021;47(12):4414-4425. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Ashwagandha. Last updated March 2023. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. Pingali U, Nutalapati C, Wang Y. Ashwagandha and Shatavari Extracts Dose-Dependently Reduce Menopause Symptoms, Vascular Dysfunction, and Bone Resorption in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. J Menopausal Med. 2025;31(1):21-34. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Obhrai S, Shenoy S, Arora M. Effects of Withania somnifera root extract on sleep quality, body composition, and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Menopause. Published online September 15, 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. Fornalik M, Malkiewicz A, Adamczak D, Nawrocki F, Zielinska A, Mondal SA. Hormonal Modulation with Withania somnifera: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized-controlled Trials. Planta Med. 2026;92(8):790-805. Opened 2026-10-07.
  7. Coope OC, Reales Salguero A, Spurr T, et al. Effects of Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on Perception of Recovery and Muscle Strength in Female Athletes. Eur J Sport Sci. 2025;25(3):e12265. Opened 2026-10-07.
  8. Vani I, Muralidhar G, Rao BS. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera) for managing menopausal symptoms in women. Front Reprod Health. 2026;7:1647721. Opened 2026-10-07.
  9. Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S. Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:43. Opened 2026-10-01.
  10. Verma N, Gupta SK, Patil S, Tiwari S, Mishra AK. Effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) standardized root extract on physical endurance and VO2max in healthy adults performing resistance training: an eight-week, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. F1000Res. 2023;12:335 (revised version published April 8, 2024). Opened 2026-10-01.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.