Ashwagandha dosage, how much to take and when
The doses used in ashwagandha trials, what happened at higher doses, when to take it, how long it takes to work and who should check first.
- Written by
- Amy D.
- Last updated
- Reading time
- 9 min read
Overview
Most ashwagandha trials used 300 to 600 mg of root extract a day, taken once a day or split into two doses with food. In one trial, 600 mg lowered cortisol more than 250 mg. Doses depend on the extract, so follow your label, and give it about 8 weeks before you judge it.
Key points
- Most trials of root extract used 300 to 600 mg a day, and none in a 2026 review of healthy adults went higher.
- In a trial comparing doses, 600 mg lowered cortisol more than 250 mg and was the only dose to ease anxiety scores.
- Extracts differ in strength, so a milligram of one isn't the same as a milligram of another.
- We found no trial comparing morning with evening, so take it when you'll remember, or in the evening if it makes you drowsy.
- Give it about 8 weeks, and check the safety advice before you start.
How much ashwagandha should you take a day?
Morning or night, with food or without, 300 mg or 600 mg? Those three questions come up again and again, and the research answers more of them than you might expect.
Most trials of root extract used 300 to 600 mg a day. A review of 12 trials with 1,002 adults found ashwagandha lowered stress scores more than a placebo, and its dose analysis found the benefit for stress at 300 to 600 mg a day. The reviewers rated the certainty of that evidence as low [1].
A review of 5 sleep trials with 400 adults found a small improvement overall, and the effect was larger at 600 mg a day or more [2]. In a 2026 safety review of 23 trials in healthy adults, every trial used between 125 and 600 mg a day [3].
| Trial | Extract | Dose a day | How it was taken | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salve 2019, 60 stressed adults [4] | KSM-66 | 250 mg or 600 mg | Split into two doses, after food | 8 weeks |
| Gopal 2021, 100 women in perimenopause [5] | Root extract | 600 mg | 300 mg twice a day | 8 weeks |
| Thanawala 2026, 135 stressed adults [6] | Slow-release root extract | 150 mg or 300 mg | Once a day, after breakfast | 60 days |
| Lopresti 2019, 60 stressed adults [7] | Shoden | 240 mg | Once a day | 60 days |
| Deshpande 2020, 150 adults with unrefreshing sleep [8] | Shoden | 120 mg | Once a day | 6 weeks |
Does a higher dose work better?
A few trials have tested two doses side by side, and they're the most useful guide here. In one, 60 stressed adults took 250 mg or 600 mg of KSM-66 a day, or a placebo, for 8 weeks. Both doses lowered stress scores and cortisol more than the placebo, and 600 mg lowered cortisol more than 250 mg did. Anxiety scores improved only at 600 mg Early [4].
That trial was small, with 20 people in each group, and the extract was supplied by its maker [4]. In another, 150 mg and 300 mg of a slow-release extract both lowered stress scores more than a placebo over 60 days, while overall wellbeing beat the placebo only at 300 mg [6].
So, within the range that's been tested, a bit more has tended to do a bit more. Above 600 mg a day, there's much less to go on, because none of the 23 healthy-adult trials in a 2026 review went higher [3]. More isn't automatically better, and the dose on your product's label is the one to follow.
Do different extracts need different doses?
Yes, because a milligram of one extract isn't the same as a milligram of another. Shoden is more concentrated than KSM-66, which is why its trials used 120 to 240 mg a day rather than 300 to 600 mg [7][8]. Comparing two labels by milligrams alone is a bit like comparing two phone tariffs by price without checking the data allowance.
Our page of ashwagandha studies lists the extract and dose behind each trial, so you can find the research that matches your product. To compare labels, our nootropic label calculator turns a withanolide percentage into milligrams.
Root powder is different again. It's measured in grams rather than milligrams, and our guide to ashwagandha powder vs capsules explains how the two compare.
When should you take ashwagandha?
Whenever you'll remember it. Trials have used once a day after breakfast and two doses a day after meals, and both lowered stress scores more than a placebo [4][6]. We didn't find a trial that compared morning with evening.
- With food. Trials gave it after meals [4][6], and food can help if it upsets your stomach.
- In the evening. Some people feel drowsy on ashwagandha [9], so take it later in the day if that's you. Our guide to ashwagandha for sleep covers bedtime use.
- Split or single. In these trials, the higher doses were split into two a day [4][5], and the lower ones were taken once [6][7].
The habit matters more than the hour. Pick a time you can stick to, like with breakfast or after your evening meal, and keep it the same each day.
How long does ashwagandha take to work?
Give it about 8 weeks. Many trials ran for 6 to 8 weeks [4][8], and the sleep review found bigger effects in trials of 8 weeks or longer [2]. Think of it like a fitness tracker, where the first few days tell you very little and the trend only shows up after a while.
A simple way to judge it is to note how you're sleeping and how stressed you feel before you start. Check again at 8 weeks, rather than day to day.
Can you take ashwagandha every day?
That's how the trials used it, every day for up to 6 months [3]. Across the 2026 review, liver, kidney, blood and hormone tests stayed within normal ranges, and side effects were mild and uncommon [3].
The US National Institutes of Health says it may be safe for up to 3 months, and that there isn't enough information on longer use [9]. None of the trials in this guide tested taking regular breaks, so there's no evidence for or against cycling it.
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.
Take the two capsules at the same time each day, with food if you prefer.
Frequently asked questions
How much ashwagandha should a woman take a day?
Trials haven't set a separate dose for women. Most used 300 to 600 mg of root extract a day for men and women alike, and one trial in women in perimenopause used 300 mg twice a day [1][5].
Is 1,000 mg of ashwagandha too much?
It's more than any trial in a 2026 review of healthy adults used. Across its 23 trials, doses ran from 125 to 600 mg of root extract a day, so follow the amount on your product's label [3].
Should I take ashwagandha in the morning or at night?
Either can work. Trials have used it after breakfast and twice a day after meals, and none we found compared the two times. If it makes you drowsy, take it in the evening [4][6][9].
How long does it take for ashwagandha to work?
Many trials ran for 6 to 8 weeks, and a review of sleep trials found larger effects after 8 weeks or more. Give it about 2 months before you judge it [2][4].
How much ashwagandha per day for testosterone?
Trials that measured testosterone used doses within the usual 125 to 600 mg range. In one trial of 240 mg a day, men's testosterone rose, but not by significantly more than on a placebo [3][7].
Can you take ashwagandha and magnesium before bed?
Yes. No interaction between them is known, though no trial has tested the two on their own together. Our guide to ashwagandha and magnesium covers taking them together.
Read more in our ashwagandha guide, which covers what the research has found for sleep, stress and exercise.
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.
- Akhgarjand C, Asoudeh F, Bagheri A, et al. (2022). Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research 36(11): 4115–4124. PMID 36017529
- Cheah KL, Norhayati MN, Husniati Yaacob L, Abdul Rahman R (2021). Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE 16(9): e0257843. PMID 34559859
- 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
- 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
- Gopal S, Ajgaonkar A, Kanchi P, 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
- Thanawala S, Shah R, Alluri KV, et al. (2026). Efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha root extract sustained-release (AshwaSR) capsules in healthy adult, stressed subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 3-arm clinical trial. Medicine 105(11): e47990. PMID 41824889
- Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Malvi H, Kodgule R (2019). An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine 98(37): e17186. PMID 31517876
- Deshpande A, Irani N, Balkrishnan R, Benny IR (2020). A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep quality in healthy adults. Sleep Medicine 72: 28–36. PMID 32540634
- 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
- McIntyre D, Nguyen P, Kim Y, et al. (2026). Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)-Associated Liver Injury: A Scoping Review of Clinical Characteristics and Safety Considerations. Cureus 18(5): e109764. PMID 42367407
