Although it’s been around for literally thousands of years, Ashwagandha has been getting a lot of attention in the health world lately. And for excellent reason. This powerhouse herb has been known for balancing thyroid hormones, lowering cortisol levels, regulating mood disorders, and aid in the prevention of degenerative diseases. 

Not familiar with ashwagandha? If this is a whole new herb for you, guaranteed you’ll see it next time you visit your favourite health food store. So what is ashwagandha, exactly? And why is the KSM-66 variety different? Let’s get into it!

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is most commonly used for its medicinal properties and grows in the Middle East, India as well as parts of Africa. Known as the “strength of the stallion” in India, some of ashwagandha root’s benefits include strengthening the immune system after illness, enhancing stamina and also works as a natural stress reliever. 

It has also been referred to as Indian ginseng, winter cherry and somnifera root. As for its actual name, the word “ashwagandha” literally means, “smell of horse” which is aptly translated due to its fresh roots smelling quite similar to that of a horse. To add to that, there’s a belief that this root may help you develop the strength and vitality of a horse. Who knew!

Is Ashwagandha an Adaptogen?

Ashwagandha is indeed an adaptogenic herb that has been used for more than 2,500 years in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s one of the most commonly used and extensively researched adaptogens as it has the powerful ability to work as a stress-protective agent. Much like all adaptogenic herbs, ashwagandha helps the body maintain homeostasis, especially in times of physical or emotional stress. 

What is KSM-66 Ashwagandha and How is it Different?

It’s safe to say that the quality of products that are available today are definitely not created equal. Unfortunately, this is especially true for products marketed as “health food.” A lot of claims and terms you see on packaging such as, “keto” and “superfood,” etc are, in fact, not regulated by the food administration or any governing body. This means that marketing companies pretty much have free reign to just stick these buzzwords on their product and call it a day. Sad, we know.  

When you’re browsing each aisle in your go-to health food store, it can be difficult to know whether or not that new mushroom adaptogen powder or turmeric latte mix is the real thing and actually worth your hard earned money. And that, fitness warriors, is where the handy tool of research comes in! 

But don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you this time around. Since we use KSM-66 Ashwagandha in our Flare Fat Burner, we made sure that you only get the best, high quality source available.   

What is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? According to their website, it’s a branded, full-spectrum extract, with the highest concentration of all major root only extracts available on the market today. It is produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent.

We’ll get to the juicy details soon, but here’s a shortlist of some of the notable benefits of KSM-66 Ashwagandha as stated on their website:

• Help reduce stress, anxiety, cortisol levels and stress-related food cravings
• Help promote enhanced memory and cognitive function
• Help promote endurance, strength, muscle size and muscle recovery rate
• Help enhance sexual performance health in both men and women, and testosterone in men

It’s also important to note that this family-owned business was founded with the sole mission of supplying the absolute best quality ashwagandha. 

What differentiates them from the rest is the fact that KSM-66 uses only the roots of the ashwagandha plant with absolutely no addition of leaves like their competitors. Why is this important? While the leaves can be used for topical skin conditions like burns, the root is where you’ll find all of the amazing adaptogenic benefits.  

Speaking of, let’s talk more about the health benefits of KSM-66 Ashwagandha for Women.

       “Photo property of KSM66ashwagandhaa.com”

10 Health Benefits of KSM-66 Ashwagandha for Women

• Help Reduce Stress and Anxiety.

We’ve already talked about how Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, right?  In essence, adaptogens help your body respond to both internal and external stressors. 

• Promotes Memory and Cognitive Function 

This ancient herb has been known to enhance brain function, memory, response times and overall focus. Studies also suggest that certain alkaloids from Ashwagandha can aid in nerve regeneration.

• Increases Muscular Strength 

A herb that enhances muscle mass and overall strength while decreasing body fat? Count us in. Ashwagandha also helps promote muscle recovery for those extra hard leg days. Of course, these benefits are only made possible when used in conjunction with resistance training. But you knew that already, right?

• Promotes Blood Sugar Regulation  

Processed and added sugars can find their way into so many food and beverage products today. Unfortunately, this can lead to high blood sugar levels and, if not monitored, Type 2 diabetes over time. Thankfully, ashwagandha is known for regulating blood sugar levels. In fact, this study found that Ashwagandha may have effectively reduced blood sugar levels in the body of six people with Type 2 diabetes. 

• Helps to Reduce Inflammation 

This word is thrown around a lot in the fitness and health industry, but what is it? Inflammation is a natural defence mechanism that defends your body from harmful external agents such as viruses and bacteria. This usually leads to an anti-inflammatory response in the way of swelling of the body, redness and tender skin. As a natural adaptogen, ashwagandha has been proven to be effective in reducing inflammation by increasing killer cells that fight off infections. 

• May Increase Anti-aging and longevity 

Can Ashwagandha get any better? The answer is yes. Since this adaptogen’s roots are Rasayanas (an Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy), they promote anti-aging and longevity by slowing down the aging process, revitalizing your body and increasing disease defences.  

• Promotes Restful Sleep

Name something better than catching some well deserved Zzz’s after an intense workout? We’ll wait. Sleep is crucial for our overall health as it supports both our physical and mental performance in and out of the gym. Lucky for us, Ashwagandha has been proven to have sleep inducing properties which can help you fall and stay asleep. 

According to this study conducted on sleep challenged people, supplementation of Ashwagandha root extract for 10 weeks resulted in increased sleep quality, decreased anxiety and overall sleep efficiency. Don’t know about you, but we can get on board with that!

• Helps to Regulate Your Thyroid 

Just how important is your thyroid? Well, it controls your metabolism which, in turn, affects your body temperature, heartbeat and how well you burn calories. The worst part is that if you don’t have enough thyroid hormone, these processes slow down. The good news? In addition to helping the body cope with stress, Ashwagandha also modulates the hormone balances. 

Get this, an 8-week study found that when 50 people with hypothyroidism ingested 300mg of ashwagandha root extract two times a day, they saw significant changes in thyroid concentrations compared to those getting the placebo. Mind. Blown. 

• Promotes Sexual Health

Queue the Barry White playlist because Ashwagandha is linked to improving reproductive health in women. It turns up the heat by regulating hormones and optimizes your reproductive system. Who knew? By the way, it also strengthens the adrenal glands, helps reduce cortisol (stress) levels and increases the production of blood. It’s no wonder that Ashwagandha has a positive effect on libido and menstrual health.

• Promotes Cardiovascular Endurance 

We’d like to say we’re saving the best for last for all your fitness warriors out there. But the truth is, KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a pretty awesome adaptation. But we digress. Lastly, Ashwagandha roots help give you that surge of energy when you need it most: during your hardcore cardio workouts. It promotes athletic performance by improving cardio endurance and strength in healthy women, just like you. 

So there you have it, fitness babes! KSM-66 Ashwagandha definitely gets our stamp of approval. Have you learned anything new about this powerful adaptogen during today’s read? Let us know in the comments what surprised you the most.