There are THOUSANDS of supplements used in the fitness industry, these supplements are meant to boost the body's performance or it's ability to recover from workouts.
Some of these supplements are harmless, such as creatine and protein powder.
Some of these supplements are safe when taken at moderate doses, this includes pre-workout and various vitamin pills.
Finally, some of these supplements are very harmful, this references anabolic steroids.
However there is ONE supplement that falls under a complete gray area when it comes to using to increase performance, and that is Ashwagandha.
Let's dive into the the mystery of Ashwagandha, we'll look into the what it is, how it is used in the gym and the side effects of the supplement. We will also look into how it is a gray area in the gym culture as well.
Let's go!
What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is plant that grows in Asia and Africa, it is most prevalent in the country of India where it is used in ancient medicinal techniques known as ayurvedic medicine. It is a green shrub that is also known as the "winter cherry".
When used in medicine, it allows for people to get better sleep, better brain function as well as improving the function of the reproductive system and allowing people to adapt to stress better.
This sounds great, but the side effects and the uses in the gym will show you why this plant/pill is such a mystery.
Many supplement manufacturers make this plant into pills, where they will be sold to consumers all over the world.
Fitness-Related Uses for Ashwagandha
As mentioned earlier, this supplement can be used for a variety of health benefits, however there are also a lot of fitness related uses for ashwagandha.
Benefits of Ashwagandha
Increased Testosterone:
A study involving numerous men taking this supplement showed that Ashwagandha is known to increase testosterone levels in the human body, testosterone being a necessity for producing muscle mass. This makes ashwagandha a natural testosterone booster that can be used for better gains and faster progress.
Increased Muscle Mass:
As a result of increased testosterone, there is obviously going to be increased muscle mass associated with ashwagandha (provided that there is good training and nutrition involved). This gives people a great incentive to use ashwagandha as a way to gain muscle much faster.
Aid in Reducing Fat
With the result of increased lean muscle mass, it will make the body outpace the body fat levels by making the ratio between fat and muscle even farther apart (increasing the muscle ratio). Furthermore, your body burns more calories when it has more muscle mass, providing there to be an increased aid in reducing belly fat levels.
Side Effects of Ashwagandha
After reading the benefits, you must think that this supplement is too good to be true, well it is. Below is. a list of side effects that research has shown, can occur if you take ashwagandha.
Proven Side Effects | Unofficial Side Effects |
Drowsiness | Dizziness |
Upset Stomach | Moods Swings |
Diarrhea | Lack of Emotion (feeling "blank") |
Headache/Nausea | Depression |
Note: The unofficial side effects are a consensus from fitness enthusiasts that have tried this supplement in order to increase performance
Although some of the unofficial side effects seem very scary, they are not proven to be side effects, only speculations associated with the supplement. Also, it is important to note that these side effects only occur when the supplement is taken in excess. These side effects are UNLIKELY TO OCCUR if taken in small doses.
The Gray Area
The reason why ashwagandha is in a gray area in the fitness industry is because of. the side effects that a lot of fitness influencers report.
The dilemma is that half of the people who take this supplement report that it makes them an emotionless person with signs of depression, although they said that the performance benefits did come through, they said that it was not worth taking the supplement because of the emotional effects that it had on them.
The other half of people report that the supplement does nothing of such, they say that the supplement works like a charm and that they did not see any negative side effects such as being emotionless or showing signs of depression.
I recommend trying a SMALL dose of ashwagandha, if you are EXPERIENCED in the fitness world and want to try something that is new, then it will not be an issue. But if you are beginner, then I recommend that YOU DO NOT try it due to the potential side effects that may occur.
References:
Overall, this supplement is a mystery, it shouldn't be treated as if it is not something to be cautious about.
Be safe, and make good decisions!
Just a young man trying to bring fitness to the world!
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