Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial
Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 97 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2015-10-20 · J Int Soc Sports Nutr · vol. 12 · issue 1 · p. 43
- Publisher
- Springer Science+Business Media
- Cited
- 166 citations · more than 97% of similar papers · 9.8× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 56 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Phytochemicals and Medicinal Plants · Exercise and Physiological Responses · Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Keywords
- Medicine, Withania somnifera, Placebo, Randomized controlled trial, Creatine kinase, Bench press, Clinical nutrition, Sarcopenia, Leg press, Physical therapy, Sports medicine, Internal medicine, Muscle strength, Resistance training
- MeSH
- muscle, skeletal, humans, withania, plant preparations, treatment outcome, exercise, double-blind method, body composition, physical endurance, dietary supplements, adult, male, muscle strength, resistance training, sports nutritional physiological phenomena
5 authors
From IN
- Sachin Yadavrao WankhedeSmt. Kashibai Navale Medical College and General hospital
- Deepak LangadeMahatma Gandhi Mission's Dental College and Hospital
- Kedar Shashikant Joshi
- Shymal R. SinhaGovernment Medical College; Grant Medical College and Sir Jamshedjee Jeejeebhoy Group of Hospitals
- Sauvik Bhattacharyya · corresponding
Abstract
Background
Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) is a prominent herb in Ayurveda. This study was conducted to examine the possible effects of ashwagandha root extract consumption on muscle mass and strength in healthy young men engaged in resistance training.
Methods
In this 8-week, randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young male subjects (18-50 years old) with little experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment (29 subjects) and placebo (28 subjects) groups. Subjects in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while the control group consumed starch placebos. Following baseline measurements, both groups of subjects underwent resistance training for 8 weeks and measurements were repeated at the end of week 8. The primary efficacy measure was muscle strength. The secondary efficacy measures were muscle size, body composition, serum testosterone levels and muscle recovery. Muscle strength was evaluated using the 1-RM load for the bench press and leg extension exercises. Muscle recovery was evaluated by using serum creatine kinase level as a marker of muscle injury from the effects of exercise.
Results
Compared to the placebo subjects, the group treated with ashwagandha had significantly greater increases in muscle strength on the bench-press exercise (Placebo: 26.4 kg, 95% CI, 19.5, 33.3 vs. Ashwagandha: 46.0 kg, 95% CI 36.6, 55.5; p = 0.001) and the leg-extension exercise (Placebo: 9.8 kg, 95% CI, 7.2,12.3 vs. Ashwagandha: 14.5 kg, 95 % CI, 10.8,18.2; p = 0.04), and significantly greater muscle size increase at the arms (Placebo: 5.3 cm(2), 95% CI, 3.3,7.2 vs. Ashwagandha: 8.6 cm(2), 95% CI, 6.9,10.8; p = 0.01) and chest (Placebo: 1.4 cm, 95% CI, 0.8, 2.0 vs. Ashwagandha: 3.3 cm, 95% CI, 2.6, 4.1; p < 0.001). Compared to the placebo subjects, the subjects receiving ashwagandha also had significantly greater reduction of exercise-induced muscle damage as indicated by the stabilization of serum creatine kinase (Placebo: 1307.5 U/L, 95% CI, 1202.8, 1412.1, vs. Ashwagandha: 1462.6 U/L, 95% CI, 1366.2, 1559.1; p = 0.03), significantly greater increase in testosterone level (Placebo: 18.0 ng/dL, 95% CI, -15.8, 51.8 vs. Ashwagandha: 96.2 ng/dL, 95% CI, 54.7, 137.5; p = 0.004), and a significantly greater decrease in body fat percentage (Placebo: 1.5%, 95% CI, 0.4%, 2.6% vs. Ashwagandha: 3.5%, 95% CI, 2.0%, 4.9%; p = 0.03).
Conclusion
This study reports that ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass and strength and suggests that ashwagandha supplementation may be useful in conjunction with a resistance training program.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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