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Is ashwagandha safe while breastfeeding?

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

NIH's complementary health center says ashwagandha should not be used while breastfeeding, and NIH's lactation database says to avoid it, especially with a newborn or preterm infant, because no data exist on its safety for nursing mothers or infants. France's food safety agency advised against it in 2024. Ask your doctor first.1,2,3

Key facts

  • NCCIH says ashwagandha should be avoided during pregnancy and should not be used while breastfeeding.1
  • NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says no data exist on whether any component of ashwagandha reaches breast milk, or on its safety in nursing mothers or infants.2
  • The same database says it should be avoided, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant, because there is no published experience.2
  • NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements says ashwagandha might not be safe for women who are breastfeeding, and reports a 2024 French food safety agency statement advising against it for breastfeeding women.3,4
  • In adults, the common side effects are upset stomach, loose stools, nausea and drowsiness.1,3

What does NIH say about ashwagandha and breastfeeding?

NCCIH's advice is short and firm: ashwagandha should be avoided in pregnancy and should not be used while breastfeeding. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements is less blunt but points the same way. Its consumer sheet says ashwagandha may not be safe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.1,4

The Office's sheet for health professionals adds that France's food, environmental and occupational health agency issued a statement in 2024 recommending against ashwagandha for several groups, among them pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with endocrine disorders.3

What does NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database add?

LactMed is NIH's database on medicines and supplements and breastfeeding. Its entry for ashwagandha, listed under its botanical name Withania, is cautious in a specific way: it is built on an absence of data, not on a harm that was seen.2

  • No data exist on whether any component of the plant passes into breast milk.2
  • No data exist on safety or efficacy in nursing mothers or infants.2
  • In adults, the entry calls it generally well tolerated, with occasional severe diarrhea, skin burning, sedation and allergic skin reactions.2
  • It advises caution for people with diabetes or high blood pressure, and for men with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.2
  • With no published experience in breastfeeding, the entry says to avoid it, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.2

What is still not known?

Because nobody has measured it, several basic questions have no answer in the sources. It is not known whether ashwagandha reaches a baby through milk, in what amount, or whether it would change a baby's sleep or digestion. It is not known whether the form matters, such as a root powder, an extract or a tea. The sources also do not say whether the drowsiness reported in adults matters for a parent who is up at night with a baby.1,2

What is known about side effects comes from adults, and NIH and NCCIH describe it this way.1,3

Common side effects are usually mild: upset stomach, loose stools, nausea and drowsiness. Vomiting has also been reported.1,3,4

Who should ask a doctor about ashwagandha while breastfeeding?

Ask your doctor, or a lactation consultant, before using ashwagandha if you are breastfeeding or pumping. If you already took some, ask your baby's pediatrician whether anything needs watching, since the sources do not describe what to look for.

  • Bring the product label, including the type of extract and any other herbs in it.
  • Mention any thyroid condition or thyroid medicine, because NIH says ashwagandha might affect thyroid function.3
  • Mention medicines for blood pressure or diabetes, which NCCIH lists as possible interactions.1
  • Mention any liver problem, because rare cases of liver injury have been linked to ashwagandha.1

Questions people ask

Is ashwagandha OK while breastfeeding?

NCCIH says it should not be used while breastfeeding, and NIH's lactation database says to avoid it for lack of data. Ask your doctor first.1,2

Is ashwagandha safe while nursing?

No source has measured ashwagandha in nursing mothers or infants, and NIH's lactation database advises avoiding it, especially with a newborn or preterm infant. Ask your doctor.2

Is ashwagandha tea safe while breastfeeding?

The sources do not treat tea differently from other forms, and the advice from NCCIH and NIH's lactation database is not limited to capsules. Ask your doctor before using any form.1,2

Is ashwagandha root safe while breastfeeding?

Most supplements contain root extract, according to NIH, and NIH's lactation database covers roots and berries. Its advice to avoid it applies to the plant, not one part.2,3

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Sources

  1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Ashwagandha. Last updated March 2023. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Withania. In: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006 onward. Updated December 15, 2024. Read as its summary of use during lactation, indexed in PubMed as PMID 30000965. Opened 2026-10-11.
  3. 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.
  4. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Ashwagandha: Is it helpful for stress, anxiety, or sleep? Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated December 4, 2023. Opened 2026-10-07.

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