Are you taking Ashwagandha supplements available in the market to increase height? Though marketers make tall claims about Ashwagandha’s effectiveness in advertisements, you might be a bit skeptical about its results. Before delving deep into this topic, first, let’s try to understand more about Ashwagandha.
What Is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, winter cherry, or its scientific name Withania somnifera falls under a class of plants called adaptogens. It is a herbal shrub and its roots and berries are famous for its medicinal properties. Ashwagandha is available in the market in several forms such as teas, tinctures, powders, and supplements.
Top 7 Health Benefits of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha has several science-backed benefits and some of them are
1. Relieves Stress And Anxiety
Studies have proven that ashwagandha is effective in lowering stress and anxiety levels.
2. Enhances Muscle And Strength
According to researchers, the plant increases muscle power. In some studies, it was observed that the plant led to significant gains in muscle strength among participants.
3. Reduces Blood Sugar And Fat
In clinical studies, it was found that consuming ashwagandha led to a reduction in blood glucose levels and triglycerides.
4. Effective For Sexual Dysfunction In Females
Ashwagandha improves sexual function among women. It has also been proven that the plant improves lubrication, arousal, orgasm, and satisfaction.
5. Improves Focus And Memory
In addition to improving cognition and memory, ashwagandha also enhances the ability to perform motor responses after instruction.
6. Enhances Fertility And Testosterone Levels In Males
The plant has been found to improve sperm quality tremendously in men. This is made possible by rebalancing reproductive hormone levels.
7. Supports Heart Health
Ashwagandha contributes to your heart’s health by increasing the VO2 max levels.
Factors That Affect Your Height
To start with, a combination of genetic and environmental factors is involved in the height of a human being. Now, let’s check the factors that play a major role in your height.
- Genes – A study by Medline Plus shows that 80 percent of a human being’s height is determined by the DNA sequence variations he/she has inherited.
- Environmental Variation – In modern Western societies, nearly 20% of the variation in body height happens because of environmental variation. However, this number is much larger in poorer environments.
- Nutrition and Diseases – When it comes to non-genetic factors, nutrition and diseases top the list of determinants of adult height.
Can Ashwagandha Increase Height?
Now’s its time to go back to the original question. Does Ashwagandha increase height?
- Take of Modern Science – According to modern science, no scientific evidence is available to prove that ashwagandha increases height. However, as discussed in the benefits section, it aids in maintaining good bone health and prevents bone damage. Ashwagandha contributes to improving body composition and increasing muscle mass and strength as well.
- Take of Ayurveda – Ayurveda says that since ashwagandha is a rasayana herb, it increases the essence of each Dhatu (tissue) in the human body. As per Ayurveda, these 7 dhatus are rasa (plasma), rakta (blood), mamsa (muscles), meeda (fatty tissue), asthi (bones), majja (bone marrow), and shukra (semen & reproductive tissue). On consuming ashwagandha, it improves asthi (the size of bones). However, the result depends on several other factors such as Prakriti (body type), that person’s age, and the strength of Pachak Agni (digestive fire).
Safety And Side Effects Of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is generally considered safe for most of the people. However, pregnant or lactating females and those diagnosed with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis should stay away from using ashwagandha.
Also, if you are taking other medications, it is better to consult with your doctor before taking ashwagandha. The reason is that it may interact with some other medications.
Conclusion
Hope the article cleared the air on whether Ashwagandha can increase height. As discussed earlier, neither modern medicine nor Ayurveda emphatically states that the herb increases height. However, to increase your height, try out natural methods such as eating a balanced diet, getting an adequate amount of sleep, staying active, practicing good posture, and doing yoga. However, before taking supplements it is always better to consult with your doctor as it may have side effects.
