Does ashwagandha affect cardiometabolic health?

    Written by:
    Daryl Nault, Katie Jantz

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    by:

    Nick Milazzo, Bill Willis
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Animal studies indicate that ashwagandha may have cardioprotective effects, by improving lipoprotein profiles by reducing LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol while also showing the potential to lower blood glucose levels in both rodent models and in humans with metabolic syndrome. However, its exact mechanisms and effects on blood pressure in individuals without health conditions remain unclear.

    Ashwagandha has no clear influence on blood pressure in people without pre-existing health conditions, but the evidence is limited.[1]

    A reduction in LDL cholesterol has been seen in people with no health conditions who took 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.[2] A mild reduction in triglycerides has been associated with oral ingestion of ashwagandha when taken by people with metabolic syndrome.[2][3]

    Similarly, there appears to be a mild reduction in blood glucose with ashwagandha use (1,200 mg daily for 30 days) by people with metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance).[3]