Ashwagandha and coffee, can you take them together?
Can you take ashwagandha with your coffee? What the studies on each one show, what we know about ashwagandha coffee, and how to time them.
- Written by
- Amy D.
- Last updated
- Reading time
- 7 min read
Overview
No interaction between ashwagandha and coffee is known, though we found no trial testing the two together. In separate studies, ashwagandha lowered cortisol compared with placebo, while caffeine raised it, less so in daily drinkers. Healthy adults can have up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, and coffee is best kept earlier if you take ashwagandha in the evening.
Key points
- No interaction between ashwagandha and coffee is known, though we found no trial of the two together.
- Ashwagandha lowered stress scores and cortisol compared with placebo in an 8-week trial of 60 adults.
- Caffeine raised cortisol in studies, less so in people who drink it every day.
- Up to 400 mg of caffeine a day doesn't raise safety concerns for healthy adults.
- Caffeine cut total sleep by about 45 minutes in a review of studies.
"Can I take my ashwagandha with my morning coffee?" It's a fair question when your capsules and your first cup land on the kitchen table at the same time.
Research has looked at each one separately. Here's what the studies on each one show, and how to fit them into your day.
Can you take ashwagandha with coffee?
No interaction between them is known, though we found no human trial of ashwagandha with coffee or caffeine, or of whether coffee changes how it works.
What we do know comes from separate studies. An ashwagandha trial in stressed adults found lower stress scores and lower cortisol than placebo [1]. Caffeine, on the other hand, raises cortisol, though less in people who drink it every day [2]. Our page of ashwagandha studies lists the trials in people, with their doses and length.
Does coffee cancel out ashwagandha?
In separate studies, the two pull cortisol in opposite directions. Whether one blunts the other hasn't been tested.
| Study | What it found | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Ashwagandha, 60 stressed adults | Lower stress and cortisol than placebo after 8 weeks [1] | Early |
| Ashwagandha, pooled trials | Lower cortisol, with no change in how stressed people felt [3] | Mixed |
| Caffeine, 96 adults | Raised cortisol, less so in daily caffeine users [2] | Moderate |
In one 8-week trial, 60 stressed adults took 250 or 600 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha or a placebo. Both doses lowered stress scores and cortisol more than placebo, and the higher dose did so more. The extract was supplied by its maker, and there were 20 people in each group [1]. A 2025 review pooled the cortisol results and found a clear drop, though people's own stress ratings didn't change [3].
In a caffeine study, 96 adults took caffeine capsules or placebo for five days at a time. After five days without caffeine, test doses clearly raised cortisol. After five days on 300 or 600 mg a day, a morning dose no longer raised it, but a dose after lunch still did [2]. A second study found three doses of 250 mg kept cortisol higher across the whole day [4].
What about ashwagandha coffee?
Ashwagandha coffee is a blend of ground or instant coffee with ashwagandha powder or extract, sold as one drink. We found no research on these blends, or on whether hot coffee changes ashwagandha's active compounds.
For reference, the 23 trials in a 2026 safety review all used standardised root extracts, at 125 to 600 mg a day [5]. In the trial above, people took 250 or 600 mg a day for 8 weeks [1]. A blend's label should tell you which part of the plant it uses and how much is in each cup.
How much caffeine is too much?
The European Food Safety Authority says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, spread across the day, doesn't raise safety concerns for healthy adults. Single doses up to 200 mg don't raise concerns either [6].
The NHS puts a cup of instant coffee at about 100 mg and a cup of tea at about 75 mg. Filter coffee and coffee-shop drinks can contain more [7].
Timing ashwagandha and coffee
Take ashwagandha whenever suits you, with or without your coffee. Caffeine timing matters more, because of sleep.
A review of caffeine studies found it cut total sleep by about 45 minutes and made it take about 9 minutes longer to fall asleep [9]. So if you take ashwagandha in the evening, keep coffee to earlier in the day. Our guide to ashwagandha dosage has more on timing.
Side effects to know
In a 2026 review of 23 trials in 2,317 healthy adults, ashwagandha's side effects were mild and uncommon [5]. Our guide to ashwagandha side effects has the full list.
Where Nooroots fits
Nooroots Ashwagandha + Lion's Mane pairs KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract with lion's mane fruiting body extract in two caffeine-free capsules a day. It's made for calm focus and calm resilience on demanding days.
The capsules contain no caffeine, so your coffee stays your choice. Take them at the same time each day, with or without your morning cup.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take ashwagandha with coffee?
No interaction is known, though we found no trial of the two together. Stay within 400 mg of caffeine a day, and check with your GP or pharmacist if you take regular medicines [6][8].
Does caffeine cancel out ashwagandha?
It hasn't been tested. Caffeine raises cortisol, less so in daily drinkers, while ashwagandha lowered cortisol in trials [1][2].
What are the benefits of ashwagandha coffee?
Ashwagandha's trial results come from standardised root extracts, at doses such as 250 or 600 mg a day [1]. We found no research on coffee blends.
Should I take ashwagandha in the morning if I drink coffee?
Take it whenever suits you, as coffee isn't known to change the best time. If you take it in the evening, keep coffee earlier, because caffeine cut total sleep by about 45 minutes in a review of studies [9].
How much coffee is safe a day?
Up to 400 mg of caffeine a day doesn't raise safety concerns for healthy adults, says the European Food Safety Authority. That's about four cups of instant coffee at the NHS figure of 100 mg a cup [6][7].
References
Every study here is listed so you can read it yourself. This guide is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your GP or pharmacist. We check it again at least every six months.
- Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D (2019). Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study. Cureus 11(12): e6466. PMID 32021735
- Lovallo WR, Whitsett TL, al'Absi M, et al. (2005). Caffeine stimulation of cortisol secretion across the waking hours in relation to caffeine intake levels. Psychosomatic Medicine 67(5): 734–739. PMID 16204431
- Albalawi AA (2025). Dual impact of ashwagandha: significant cortisol reduction but no effects on perceived stress. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition and Health 31(4): 1395–1408. PMID 40746175
- Lovallo WR, Farag NH, Vincent AS, et al. (2006). Cortisol responses to mental stress, exercise, and meals following caffeine intake in men and women. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 83(3): 441–447. PMID 16631247
- Coope OC, Willems MET, Levington A, et al. (2026). Back to the roots: safety and tolerability of standardised ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract in healthy adults. A systematic review of biomarkers and adverse events. Pharmaceuticals 19(5): 725. PMID 42198398
- European Food Safety Authority. Caffeine (topic page; scientific opinion published 27 May 2015). Accessed 26 October 2026. efsa.europa.eu
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy (caffeine). Page last reviewed 15 June 2026. Accessed 26 October 2026. nhs.uk
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (updated March 2023). Ashwagandha: usefulness and safety. US National Institutes of Health. Accessed 26 October 2026. nccih.nih.gov
- Gardiner C et al. (2023). The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews 69: 101764. PMID 36870101
