Animal studies suggest ashwagandha may be cardioprotective against a variety of insults.[1][2][3] The exact mechanism responsible for this effect is still unconfirmed, as limited evidence indicates ashwagandha has no clear influence on blood pressure parameters in people with no health conditions.[4]
In rodent studies, ashwagandha appears to improve the lipoprotein profile with a mild increase in HDL-C and more notable reductions in LDL-C and total cholesterol. The reduction in LDL cholesterol actually appears to be a per se mechanism of action rather than just fixing a metabolic abnormality, and occurs in normal rats as well as those with metabolic ailments.[5][6] A reduction in LDL cholesterol has been confirmed in people with no health conditions taking ashwagandha (750–1,250 mg for one month), though there was no indication of changes in triglycerides in these same individuals over the same period.[7] A mild reduction in triglycerides has been associated with oral ingestion of ashwagandha when taken by people with metabolic syndrome.[7][8]
In rodent models of diabetes, ashwagandha reduced blood glucose when given at the standard oral doses, with a potency comparable to reference drugs such as glipizide.[9][10][6] Similarly, there appears to be a mild reduction in blood glucose when supplemented (1,200 mg daily for 30 days) by people with metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance).[8]