Ashwagandha for Women: Benefits, Over 50, Dose and Side Effects

Ashwagandha suits women who want support with everyday stress, a calmer mood and better sleep. Trials that enrolled women and men found that 250 to 600 mg a day of root extract for 8 weeks lowered perceived stress and improved sleep quality, and in adults aged 65 to 80, 600 mg a day for 12 weeks improved sleep quality and quality of life. Most people tolerate it well, with mild stomach upset or drowsiness the usual complaints.

Key Takeaways

• In 60 stressed but healthy adults, men and women, 125 mg or 300 mg of root extract twice a day for 8 weeks lowered perceived stress and improved sleep quality compared with placebo (Salve et al., 2019).
• In older adults aged 65 to 80, 300 mg twice a day for 12 weeks improved sleep quality, mental alertness on waking and quality of life, with no adverse events reported (Kelgane et al., 2020).
• Trials have used 225 to 700 mg a day for stress, and a review of 5 sleep studies found the clearest benefit at 600 mg a day taken for at least 8 weeks (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).
• Side effects in trials were mostly mild: stomach upset, loose stools, nausea and drowsiness.
• The research is about stress, calm and sleep in adults; women took part in most trials alongside men.

What Ashwagandha Is and Why Women Take It

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a root used for centuries in Ayurvedic practice and often called an adaptogen, a plant taken to help the body handle everyday stress. Supplements use an extract of the root, usually standardized to compounds called withanolides. Our ashwagandha root extract page covers the plant itself, and our guide to ashwagandha benefits covers the full research picture.

Women search for it for the same reasons the trials studied it: a busy, stretched life and sleep that does not feel restful. Most trials enrolled men and women together, so the results below apply to women as part of those groups:

Trial	Who took part	Amount and length	What changed
Salve et al., 2019	60 stressed, healthy men and women	125 mg or 300 mg twice a day, 8 weeks	Perceived stress lower at both amounts; sleep quality better than placebo
Two-center trial in India	130 healthy men and women aged 20 to 55 with self-reported stress	300 mg once a day, 90 days	Stress and sleep quality improved compared with placebo
Kelgane et al., 2020	50 adults aged 65 to 80	300 mg twice a day, 12 weeks	Sleep quality, mental alertness on waking and quality of life improved
Trial in adults with low energy	120 men and women, average age about 54, overweight or mildly obese	200 mg twice a day, 12 weeks	Fatigue lower than placebo; perceived stress did not change

Sources: Salve et al., 2019; Kelgane et al., 2020; other trials as summarized by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.

Ashwagandha Benefits for Women: Stress, Calm and Sleep

Everyday stress

Stress is where ashwagandha has the most research. In the 8-week trial above, 60 healthy adults with raised stress scores took 125 mg twice a day, 300 mg twice a day or placebo. Perceived stress scores fell at both amounts (Salve et al., 2019). A 2021 review of 7 studies with 491 adults found larger benefits at 500 to 600 mg a day (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements). For more on the stress side, see our guide to saffron vs ashwagandha and our stress, mood and nervous system hub.

Sleep

A 2021 analysis pooled 5 studies with 372 adults who took 250 to 600 mg a day for 6 to 12 weeks. The effect on sleep was small but real, and it was stronger at 600 mg a day and with at least 8 weeks of use (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements). Sleep quality also improved in the 8-week stress trial and the 12-week trial in older adults. Women who want help winding down often pair it with magnesium; see ashwagandha and magnesium.

Ashwagandha for Women Over 50

Two trials looked at older adults. In the first, 50 adults aged 65 to 80 took 300 mg of root extract twice a day or placebo for 12 weeks. Sleep quality, mental alertness on waking and quality of life scores all improved more than with placebo, and no participant reported an adverse event (Kelgane et al., 2020). In the second, 120 men and women with an average age of about 54 who were overweight or mildly obese and had low energy took 200 mg twice a day for 12 weeks; fatigue went down compared with placebo, while perceived stress did not change (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).

For women over 50, that points to ashwagandha as part of a routine for steady energy, calm and sleep. It pairs well with other nutrients that matter more at this stage; our guides to L-theanine for women and vitamin D for women cover two of them. If you are weighing ashwagandha against maca, our guide to maca vs ashwagandha compares the two and covers taking them together.

How Much Ashwagandha per Day for Women, and When?

Trials did not use different amounts for women and men. Stress trials used 225 to 700 mg a day of extract, most often 250 to 600 mg, and sleep trials used 120 mg to 600 mg depending on the extract (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements). Extracts are not interchangeable, so follow your product's label rather than converting from a trial.

• Once or twice a day: trials used both, from 300 mg once a day to 300 mg twice a day.
• Morning: fits a daily routine for stress and steady energy.
• Evening: a good fit if sleep is your main goal, since drowsiness is one of its known side effects.
• Give it weeks: trials ran 8 to 12 weeks, and the sleep review saw stronger effects after at least 8 weeks.

Ashwagandha Side Effects in Women

Most people tolerate it well. In trials lasting up to about 3 months, side effects were mostly mild: stomach upset, loose stools, nausea and drowsiness. Rare case reports have described liver problems and thyroid changes, sometimes with products whose contents were not verified or at high amounts, such as 1,950 mg a day in one thyroid case (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).

Check with your clinician first if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Have a thyroid or liver condition.
• Take prescription medicine.

Our full guide to ashwagandha side effects covers each point in more detail.

Ashwagandha, Saffron or Theanine: Who Might Choose Which

These three are often compared by women looking for calm, and they can be taken together:

• Ashwagandha: for women who want a daily root extract for stress, steady energy and sleep, taken over weeks.
• Saffron: for women whose main goal is a brighter, steadier mood; see saffron vs ashwagandha.
• L-theanine: for women who want a calm, focused feel during the day; see L-theanine for women.

Ashwagandha is also often taken with shilajit and functional mushrooms in one morning capsule; see shilajit and ashwagandha. Our Saffron Mood and Calm Capsules are coming soon, with 28 mg of saffron extract and 200 mg of L-theanine per serving in the planned formula; join the waitlist to hear when they launch.

Where Our Forage Fits

Our Forage gives 100 mg of ashwagandha root extract and 100 mg of Himalayan shilajit extract in every 2-capsule serving, with seven 8:1 fruiting body mushroom extracts: lion's mane 200 mg, cordyceps 200 mg, reishi 200 mg, chaga 150 mg, maitake 150 mg, turkey tail 150 mg and shiitake 150 mg. The other ingredients are ginger extract and vegan capsules, made with third-party tested ingredients. Take 2 capsules daily in the morning, with or without food.

Benefits build with consistent daily use. Months 1 to 2 can bring early changes, and 3 months and beyond is where the full benefit builds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of ashwagandha for women?

In trials that enrolled women and men, ashwagandha lowered perceived stress and improved sleep quality over 8 to 12 weeks.

Is ashwagandha good for women over 50?

In adults aged 65 to 80, 600 mg a day for 12 weeks improved sleep quality, morning alertness and quality of life, with no adverse events reported.

How much ashwagandha per day should a female take?

Trials used the same amounts for women and men, most often 250 to 600 mg a day of root extract. Follow your product's label.

What are the side effects of ashwagandha in women?

Most people tolerate it well. The usual side effects are mild: stomach upset, loose stools, nausea or drowsiness.

Can women take ashwagandha every day?

Yes, daily use is how it was studied, in trials of 8 to 12 weeks. Check with your clinician first if you take prescription medicine.

Should women take ashwagandha in the morning or at night?

Either works. Morning suits a stress and energy routine; evening suits a sleep goal.

Does ashwagandha affect female hormones?

The trials in this guide measured stress, sleep and quality of life, not female hormones. If you have a thyroid condition, check with your clinician first.

Can I take ashwagandha while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Talk with your clinician before taking ashwagandha if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Sources

• Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D. Adaptogenic and anxiolytic effects of ashwagandha root extract in healthy adults: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study. Cureus, 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32021735/
• Kelgane SB, Salve J, Sampara P, Debnath K. Efficacy and tolerability of ashwagandha root extract in the elderly for improvement of general well-being and sleep: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Cureus, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32226684/
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Ashwagandha: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Ashwagandha-HealthProfessional/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.