Ashwagandha benefits for women, including menopause

What does ashwagandha do for women?

Busy weeks, broken sleep and a to-do list that never shrinks. It's no wonder ashwagandha keeps popping up in women's social feeds, so what has actually been tested in women?

Most of the research in women is about menopause. Four small trials found menopause symptom scores fell more on ashwagandha than on a placebo [1][2][3][4]. Smaller studies have looked at hormones, sex drive and body fat, with less clear results.

For stress and sleep, most trials included men and women together and found much the same in both. Our ashwagandha guide covers that research in full. This guide covers what's been tested in women.

Does ashwagandha help with menopause?

Possibly. In four trials of 60 to 127 women, menopause symptom scores fell more on ashwagandha than on a placebo Moderate [1][2][3][4]. The trials were short, though, and all of them were in India.

The 12-week trial also found sleep quality improved more than on a placebo, a single result so far Early [4].

The questionnaires score many symptoms together, so a lower score doesn't show which ones eased. Three of the four trials were linked to the makers of the extracts they tested, and none lasted longer than 24 weeks [1][2][3]. No review has pooled them yet. The US National Institutes of Health, whose advice was last updated in 2023, says there isn't enough evidence to know whether ashwagandha helps menopause [5].

Does ashwagandha help hot flushes?

It hasn't been clearly shown to. Only one trial has reported hot flushes with numbers Early [2]. After 8 weeks, women on ashwagandha had about 11 hot flushes against 14 on a placebo. The gap at the end wasn't statistically clear, though, and the paper reports its figures inconsistently [2].

The 24-week trial says the hot flush part of its questionnaire improved more than on a placebo, but the main paper doesn't give the figures [3]. No trial has reported night sweats on their own.

Does ashwagandha affect women's hormones?

Hormones are where social media tends to run ahead of the science. The trials disagree Mixed. Pooling 23 trials with 1,706 people, a 2026 review found ashwagandha didn't change oestradiol, the main form of oestrogen, in women or men. It didn't raise testosterone in women either, though it did in men [6].

Single trials point the other way. In the perimenopause trial, oestradiol rose and FSH, a hormone that climbs around menopause, fell more than on a placebo [1]. In a 12-week trial of adults aged 40 to 75, oestradiol rose in the women taking ashwagandha, but not by more than on a placebo, and it stayed in the normal range [7].

So the evidence doesn't show that ashwagandha balances hormones, and its effect on oestrogen isn't settled.

Does ashwagandha increase sex drive in women?

It's been tested in women with diagnosed low sexual desire Early. In that trial, 80 women aged 18 to 50 took 600 mg a day or a placebo for 8 weeks. Their sexual function scores rose from about 14 to 23 on ashwagandha, against 14 to 19 on the placebo [8].

In women after menopause, the sexual part of a menopause questionnaire didn't improve more than on a placebo [3].

Does ashwagandha help women lose weight?

If you've seen ashwagandha sold as a weight-loss shortcut, the trials tell a duller story. There's little sign that it does. In the 12-week trial of 66 women after menopause, body fat fell by 0.6% on ashwagandha, against no change on a placebo Early [4]. That's a very small change, not meaningful weight loss.

How much ashwagandha should women take?

There's no separate dose for women. Trials in women used 250 to 600 mg of extract a day, often as 300 mg twice a day [1][2][3][4][8]. Most ran for 8 to 12 weeks, so give it about 2 months of daily use before you judge it.

Extracts differ, so follow the label of the product you take. If you're choosing between forms, our guide to ashwagandha powder vs capsules compares them.

Can ashwagandha help women with stress?

Most stress trials included men and women together, and none has reported a difference between them. Pooling 23 trials, the 2026 review found cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, fell more on ashwagandha than on a placebo Moderate [6].

In a 12-week trial of 120 adults aged 40 to 75, half of them women, tiredness eased more on ashwagandha than on a placebo Early. Stress scores fell about as much in both groups [7]. Our ashwagandha guide has the wider research on stress and sleep.

Can you take ashwagandha when pregnant?

No. US and French health advice says not to take ashwagandha while pregnant or breastfeeding [5][9]. France's food safety agency points to possible effects on fertility and on the baby's development [9].

In the UK, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS trust advises against any herbal supplement at this time, including when you're planning a baby, because there isn't enough reliable safety information [10].

What are ashwagandha's side effects for women?

The same as for men. Some people get drowsiness or stomach upset, and liver injury is a rare but serious risk [5]. Our guide to ashwagandha side effects has the detail.

Some women should check first or avoid it.

• Thyroid or autoimmune conditions, or surgery planned. US advice says it isn't recommended [5].
• Liver or heart conditions, or high levels of male hormones. France's food safety agency advises not to take it [9].
• Hormone-sensitive conditions, such as some breast cancers. An NHS trust advises avoiding supplements with oestrogen-like effects [10]. Ashwagandha's effect on oestrogen isn't settled, so ask your specialist first.
• Regular medicines. It might interact with medicines for diabetes, blood pressure and the thyroid, and with sedatives, epilepsy medicines and medicines that damp down the immune system [5]. Ask your GP or pharmacist first.

Where Nooroots fits

Nooroots Ashwagandha + Lion's Mane gives you 120 mg of KSM-66 and 500 mg of lion's mane extract in two caffeine-free capsules a day. It's made for calm focus and calm resilience on demanding days, as part of a morning routine.

KSM-66 is a root-only extract standardised to 5% withanolides. The lion's mane extract is standardised to 30% polysaccharides, and every amount is on the label.

Frequently asked questions

Is ashwagandha good for women?

For healthy adult women it can be. Trials that included women found menopause symptom scores and tiredness fell more than with a placebo, and side effects were mild [2][7]. It isn't suitable for everyone, as the side effects section above explains.

Can you take ashwagandha with HRT?

No study has tested ashwagandha alongside HRT, so nobody knows whether they interact. Because ashwagandha may change some hormone readings, ask your GP or pharmacist before taking both [1][7].

Can you take ashwagandha with the pill?

No study has looked at ashwagandha with the contraceptive pill, so it isn't known whether they interact. Ask a pharmacist before taking both.

Does ashwagandha increase testosterone in women?

No. A 2026 review of 23 trials found testosterone didn't rise in women, though it rose a little in men [6].

Does ashwagandha affect your periods?

Nobody knows yet, because no trial in healthy women has measured the menstrual cycle. If your periods change while you take it, stop and speak to your GP.

Does ashwagandha help women's hair?

There's no evidence either way. No trial has tested ashwagandha on its own, taken by mouth, for hair.

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 review it when new research is published.

1. Gopal S et al. (2021). Effect of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract on climacteric symptoms in women during perimenopause: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research 47(12): 4414–4425. PMID 34553463
2. Vani I et al. (2026). A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera) for managing menopausal symptoms in women. Frontiers in Reproductive Health 7: 1647721. PMID 41561822
3. Pingali U et al. (2025). Ashwagandha and shatavari extracts dose-dependently reduce menopause symptoms, vascular dysfunction, and bone resorption in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Menopausal Medicine 31(1): 21–34. PMID 40347163
4. Obhrai S et al. (2026). Effects of Withania somnifera root extract on sleep quality, body composition, and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Menopause, published online 15 September 2026. PMID 42742071
5. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (updated March 2023). Ashwagandha: usefulness and safety. US National Institutes of Health. nccih.nih.gov/health/ashwagandha
6. Fornalik M et al. (2026). Hormonal modulation with Withania somnifera: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials. Planta Medica 92(8): 790–805. PMID 41740946
7. Smith SJ et al. (2023). Exploring the efficacy and safety of a novel standardized ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract (Witholytin®) in adults experiencing high stress and fatigue in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology 37(11): 1091–1104. PMID 37740662
8. Ajgaonkar A et al. (2022). Efficacy and safety of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract for improvement of sexual health in healthy women: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Cureus 14(10): e30787. PMID 36447681
9. Anses (2024). Avis relatif aux risques liés à l'utilisation des préparations de Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal dans les compléments alimentaires (opinion 2021-SA-0077, in French). French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, 19 April 2024. anses.fr
10. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (reviewed April 2026). Herbal remedies and dietary supplements: overview. Patient information. guysandstthomas.nhs.uk