Ashwagandha Extract Powder

What is Ashwagandha?  Ashwagandha is a traditional Ayurvedic practices and adaptogenic herb extracted from the plant Withania Somnifera. Originally native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East with a history of use that dates as far back as 3,000 years, the Withania Somnifera plant is now also grown in milder climates including the United States. The Ashwagandha plant is noted for its oval leaves, yellow flowers and raisin-shaped fruit that are red in color. The name Ashwagandha is a combination of the two words Ashva (meaning horse) and Ghanda (meaning smell) and is a reference to a fresh Ashwagandha root's strong "horse-like" smell. The name is also a lesser reference to the traditional belief that Ashwagandha may give its user the strength or virility of a horse. Ashwagandha is also sometimes referred to as 'Indian Ginseng' or Wintercherry, is often touted as the 'King of Ayurveda' and has quickly become one of the most popular natural nootropic supplements available. Ashwagandha is usually classified as an Adaptogen, which are herbs or vitamins that are able to reduce the biochemical effects of a perceived stress; and as a Rasayana, which is a term used to refer to the highest class of Ayurvedic herbs. Traditional Ashwagandha uses have included as an astringent, adaptogen, immuno-stimulant and cardioprotective dietary supplement. The Ashwagandha root or root extract are commonly used in extracts, although the fruits of the Ashwagandha plant (otherwise known as the Winter Cherries) also have potential therapeutic benefits. Ashwagandha Benefits and Uses Uses and Benefits of Ashwagandha may include: May help support healthy stress levels* May help promote energy and focus* May help support cognitive function* May help promote neuroprotection* Ashwagandha in Ayurveda Ayurvedic practices believe that the nutrients we consume daily are converted into the energy and information that form our cells, tissues and organs. An Ashwagandha supplement is thought to help provide its user the proper balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that our bodies need. More specifically, it is believed that Ashwagandha balances Vata (that which governs all movement in the mind and body) and Kapha (that which governs all structure and lubrication in the mind and body). Vata and Kapha are two of three Doshes or Ayurvedic principles. Is This Ashwagandha Extract Standardized to Withanolides? Yes, Nootropics Depot’s Ashwagandha Extract is standardized to 9% Withanolides. Withanolides exist in plants belonging to the Solanaceae family. Of the plants in this category, Ashwagandha has the highest concentrations of withanolides. Withanolides are known for their properties supporting pain management and promoting feelings of restfulness.* This formulation of Ashwagandha has a balanced blend of withanolides at 9%. Withanolides are primarily responsible for Ashwagandha’s adaptogenic properties. Withanolide A, which is one of the most abundant withanolides in Ashwaghanda, has been reported to fully regulate elevated cortisol levels in animal studies. The Sourcing And Testing Of Nootropics Depot's Ashwagandha Extract With 9% Withanolides Ashwagandha is a traditional Indian botanical, so why is it sourced so often from China? For years, Nootropics Depot sourced its generic ashwagandha from China. This is where most ashwagandha is often sourced these days, due to China's extensive supply chain. However, the main issue was consistent quality. We were just not getting ashwgandha with the specific withanolide profile that we desired. This made us ask the question: If ashwagandha is a traditional Indian Ayurvedic product, why not go direct to its ancient source? That's actually harder than it sounds. Why is that? Well India doesn't have as sophisticated of a supply chain as modern China does. It's much harder to find a quality supplier in India than it is in China, which is partly why it took us so long. However, once we found the right farm and extraction partner in India, we discovered that we could much more closely control the product quality and consistency. It appears that the long history of production and use of ashwagandha in India has left it uniquely suited to produce high-quality and unique modern extracts. Let's discuss the details of our new extract! Besides the difficulties in sourcing quality Ashwagandha, proper lab testing has also been a struggle throughout the supplement industry. This is another challenging problem that took us years to solve, but we finally have state-of-the-art Ashwagandha testing methods which has greatly contributed to the creation of this high potency Ashwagandha extract! One of the biggest difficulties with Ashwagandha is knowing exactly what to test for. Our response to this challenge was to develop a highly comprehensive profile of withanolides that we specifically standardize to. With many of the Ashwagandha extracts sourced from China that we were te