Ashwagandha for Weight Loss: Benefits and Limitations

Written by: Sarene Leeds
Medically reviewed by: Jared Meacham, PhD, RD, CSCS

Anxiety can make weight loss harder by raising cortisol levels, which could trigger stress eating, disrupt sleep, and otherwise undo healthy habits you've built over time. Ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb known for its stress-supporting properties, may help support healthy cortisol levels and your body's stress response, making it easier to stay on track with your weight-management goals. Here's what the research says and who may benefit most.

Ashwagandha is not a weight-loss supplement. But what it may do is address one of the most overlooked drivers of stubborn weight—chronic stress. And that's a distinction worth understanding before you add it to your routine.

This adaptogenic herb, also known as Withania somnifera, has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to support mental and physical health. Some recent research suggests it may aid weight management by helping lower stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels. 

However, while ashwagandha is one of the more notable supplements for stress and anxiety, it is not a standalone weight-loss tool.

Ashwagandha weight loss: What the evidence actually shows

Two small trials—one from the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine in 2016 and another from the Journal of Medicine and Life in 2025—suggest that ashwagandha may contribute to weight loss. Both studies determined that ashwagandha lowered the subjects’ stress levels. This, researchers believe, contributed to the subjects’ decreased food cravings, body weight, and body mass index (BMI), especially when compared to the subjects who received a placebo instead of ashwagandha. 

What’s important to remember about these results, however, is that most ashwagandha weight loss research has focused more on stress, anxiety, sleep, and cortisol than on body fat reduction. 

Ashwagandha’s “connection to weight is largely indirect,” says Dr. Gabrielle Francis, a member of the Veracity Doctor Team who specializes in functional medicine and naturopathic medicine. 

So while these trials suggest ashwagandha may help support weight management, its weight-loss effects have not been proven.

How ashwagandha may affect body weight

Potential ashwagandha benefits can be traced to “one key hormonal player,” says Dr. Francis. 

Cortisol, aka the stress hormone. 

“When we're chronically stressed, cortisol surges,” she continues. This upswing in cortisol “drives cravings for high-sugar, high-fat foods; promotes fat storage (especially around the abdomen); disrupts sleep; and creates inflammation—all of which sabotage weight-loss efforts.”

Enter ashwagandha, which helps lower cortisol levels by regulating the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, your body’s stress response system. 

“Lower cortisol means less abdominal fat deposition, better insulin sensitivity, improved sleep, and reduced stress-driven cravings,” says Dr. Francis. 

By improving these factors, ashwagandha can help “create the physiological environment where weight loss becomes possible,” but the herb itself does not directly burn fat. 

Limits of ashwagandha for weight loss

So, can ashwagandha cause weight loss? 

In short, no. Instead, it’s a potential tool for weight management alongside non-negotiable habits necessary for healthy weight loss, like protein intake and resistance training. 

“Ashwagandha supports the terrain but doesn't replace foundational work such as sleep, nourishment, movement, and nervous system regulation,” says Dr. Francis.

At best, it has modest, indirect effects on weight due to its stress-reducing properties. There is not enough evidence to confirm that ashwagandha causes any meaningful long-term weight loss, mainly because the research available is based on small studies. 

Potential ashwagandha benefits beyond weight loss

The most well-known benefit of ashwagandha is its potential effect on stress and anxiety. As an adaptogen, ashwagandha helps your body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue, and overall well-being by managing both physical and mental stressors. 

There is also evidence that ashwagandha may improve sleep quality and total sleep time, especially in those who experience insomnia. 

Dr. Francis also highlights that ashwagandha may support the following:

• Thyroid function: Research has suggested possible moderate support of the production of the hormones T3 and T4, which help control your body’s metabolism. Since subclinical hypothyroidism (or elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone levels) is a common weight-loss obstacle, ashwagandha may benefit certain patients. 
• Blood sugar balance: Ashwagandha may improve insulin sensitivity—or how effectively your body uses insulin to manage blood-sugar levels—helping to address a root metabolic issue in many people struggling with weight.
• Inflammation reduction: Chronic low-grade inflammation in the body disrupts metabolism and hormone signaling, or how hormones communicate between cells. Ashwagandha's anti-inflammatory properties support the whole system.

Ashwagandha’s effects, like reducing stress levels and supporting good sleep, are just as beneficial as hitting an arbitrary number on the scale.

The best time to take ashwagandha for weight loss

While there is no specific “best” time to take ashwagandha for weight loss, Dr. Francis notes some optimal times to take it, depending on your primary goal. 

• Mornings (with breakfast): If your main goal is cortisol regulation and daytime stress resilience, then you’ll want to take ashwagandha in the mornings. Dr. Francis recommends taking it with food to reduce the chances of gastrointestinal upset. 
• Evenings (1 to 2 hours before bedtime): If your main goal is improving sleep, then take ashwagandha in the evening. Its mild sedative properties can support deeper, more restorative sleep.
• Split dosing (morning and evening): If you’ve been approved to take a higher dose of ashwagandha—a daily 300 mg dose was used in both the 2016 trial and the 2025 trial—splitting the dose can provide more sustained adaptogenic support (addressing both cortisol regulation and sleep). 
  
  

When to take ashwagandha supplements

Remember that these are only suggestions: Timing shouldn’t be a make-or-break variable if you’re considering taking ashwagandha. Speak to your healthcare provider for advice on how much to take, and when, depending on your health goals.

How to choose an ashwagandha supplement

Since supplements aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), again, it’s a good idea to check with your provider for advice before taking ashwagandha.

When researching ashwagandha supplements, Dr. Francis says, “quality is everything.” Look for:

• Standardized extract: Look for products standardized to ≥ 5% withanolides, the active compounds in ashwagandha. KSM-66® and Sensoril® are two well-researched, standardized root extracts with clinical trials behind them.
• Root, not leaf: The root is the traditional and most studied part. Leaf-based extracts have different (and less validated) withanolide profiles.
• Third-party tested: Look for NSF Certified, USP Verified, or Informed Sport logos. These confirm potency, purity, and absence of contaminants.
• Clean label: Rigorous quality control at every step, and minimal-to-no fillers
• Reputable brands: Prioritize brands using Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and transparent sourcing. Ask your practitioner for brand recommendations that are sold through doctors or reputable online sources.

Avoid any product with unfounded claims, e.g. “rapid fat loss” or “lose weight fast.” Veracity's supplements meet every standard above: standardized root extract, third-party tested, clean-label, and GMP-made.

Veracity’s Cortisol Calming, formulated to balance stress levels with ashwagandha and two other adaptogens, rhodiola and eleuthero. Fatigue Ease, which helps combat exhaustion and brain fog also contains ashwagandha as a key ingredient. 

If you’re looking for weight loss support, one option is to pair Cortisol Calming and Metabolism Ignite. Metabolism Ignite supports a healthy metabolism with Metabolaid, a blend of lemon verbena and hibiscus extracts, and decaffeinated green coffee bean extract.

Ashwagandha safety and potential side effects

Though ashwagandha is plant-based, it can come with mild side effects, like drowsiness, loose stools, and nausea, and even pose risks for certain people. 

Below, Dr. Francis details who should approach ashwagandha with caution and why.

• Pregnancy: Since it may stimulate uterine contractions, pregnant people should not take ashwagandha.
• Autoimmune conditions: People with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis will want to use ashwagandha with caution because it stimulates immune activity. 
• Thyroid interactions: Ashwagandha may raise thyroid hormone levels, so if you’re on any thyroid medication, you’ll want to carefully monitor your levels and consult with your healthcare provider first. 
• Sedative synergy: Ashwagandha may enhance the effects of sleep aids, anti-anxiety medications, or sedatives. Make sure you consult your provider before combining these therapies with ashwagandha.
• Rare liver concerns: Although the causality is still being debated, there have been isolated case reports of hepatotoxicity (serious liver injury) from ashwagandha use. Dr. Francis advises avoiding very high doses and taking periodic breaks (e.g., 3 months on, 2 to 4 weeks off).
  
  

When weight gain needs medical attention 

Ashwagandha can have a place in your wellness toolkit, but it’s an optional tool. It’s not the advised first response to unexplained metabolic changes. In some cases, weight gain warrants professional medical advice instead. 

“Weight that doesn’t respond to consistent diet, lifestyle, and supplement changes may signal an underlying condition that needs investigation,” says Dr. Francis. 

She recommends watching for the following signals:

• Unexplained or rapid weight gain, particularly without changes in diet or activity

• Thyroid dysfunction symptoms: cold intolerance, hair loss, fatigue, constipation, dry skin (hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is a common culprit)

• Insulin resistance or blood sugar dysregulation: fasting glucose above 100, fatigue after meals, belly fat accumulation

• Adrenal or cortisol disorders: Cushing's syndrome (caused by too much cortisol in the body), purple striae (stretch marks), central obesity (excess fat in the abdominal area), “moon face” (facial swelling)

• Hormonal imbalances: Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in women, low testosterone in men, perimenopause/menopause-related shifts

• Medication-induced weight gain: antidepressants, antipsychotics, corticosteroids, birth control

• Mental health factors: depression, binge-eating disorder, or emotional eating that requires professional support

If you’re experiencing any of the above signs or symptoms, make an appointment with your healthcare provider to discuss potential treatment plans.

Key takeaways

• Ashwagandha’s weight-loss effects are indirect. It helps to lower cortisol, the stress hormone, which may help reduce stress-driven food cravings and fat storage.
• Ashwagandha’s cortisol-lowering properties can help ease stress and anxiety.
• Ashwagandha is available as both a standalone supplement and as an ingredient in stress support supplements 
• Supplements cannot replace non-negotiable lifestyle habits that support overall health and weight, like a nutritious diet, regular movement, sleep, and stress management. 
• Ashwagandha should be used with caution or avoided by pregnant individuals and those with autoimmune conditions, thyroid issues, or anyone currently taking sedatives or anti-anxiety medications.
• Rapid or unexplained weight gain that doesn’t respond to lifestyle changes may be a signal of an underlying medical condition that requires seeing a healthcare provider.
  
  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Does ashwagandha help with weight loss?

Ashwagandha may help with weight loss, albeit modestly and indirectly. It does not directly cause or lead to weight loss. There is research supporting its positive effect on lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can in turn result in fewer abdominal fat deposits, improved sleep, and fewer stress-driven cravings. 

What is the best time to take ashwagandha for weight loss?

There is no clearly proven best time to take ashwagandha for weight loss. However, certain times of day are better for ashwagandha intake, depending on your primary goal. To help lower stress levels, take it in the mornings. If your main goal is deeper, more restorative sleep, try taking it in the evenings. 

Are there side effects or risks with ashwagandha?

Yes, there are some side effects and risks with ashwagandha, even though it is generally considered safe. Mild common side effects like drowsiness, loose stools, and nausea can occur. Also, people with certain medical conditions should exercise caution. If you’re pregnant, avoid ashwagandha. If you have an autoimmune condition or thyroid issue, or take any sedatives, consult with your healthcare provider first.