How Ashwagandha is helpful in Weight Gain?

Introduction

“Ashwagandha” is also known as “Indian Ginseng”. It has various health benefits. It is mainly useful to reduce stress and anxiety, helps to fight with cancer, reduces the blood sugar levels and increases the fertility in males. It acts as an antioxidant and boosts our immune system. It is used mainly in arthritis, asthma, hypertension, and rheumatism.

Description About Plant

Ashwagandha is a short, tender perennial shrub. It grows up to 35-75 cm (14-30 inches) tall. Its branches extend radially from a central stem. Leaves are dull green in color, which are usually up to 10-12 cm (4 to 5 inches) long. The flowers are bell-shaped and are of small size and green in color. The ripe fruit is orange-red in color.

Habitat

It is cultivated in the drier regions of India, and mainly found in Nepal, China,and Yemen. It prefers dry stony soil. To propagate it can be grown from seed in the early spring, or greenwood cuttings in the later spring.

Classification

It is classified as :-

Botanical Name – Withania Somnifera

Kingdom – Plantae

Family – Solanaceae

Genus – Withania

Species – Somnifera

Different Names

It is known by following names :–

1. Hindi Name – Asgandha, Asgandh
2. Sanskrit Name – Ashwagandha, Vajini, Gandhpatri, Balada, Kamrupini
3. Kannada Name – Ashvagandhi

Ashwagandha Ayurvedic Properties

Ashwagandha possess the following Ayurvedic properties :-

• Rasa – Tikta, Katu, Kashaya
• Taste – Bitter, Pungent, Astringent
• Guna – Snigdha, Laghu
• Virya – Ushna
• Vipaka – Katu
• Potency – Hot
• Physical Property – Light, Unctuous
• Meatbolic Property (After Digestion) – Pungent. After digestion, katu undergoes to pungent taste conversion

Ancient Verse about Withania Somnifera/Ashwagandha

Reference – Bhavprakashnighantu, edition of 2010: Verse 189-190, page no. – 393-394

Meaning -Ashwagandha has various synonyms – Hyahriya, Vrahkarni, Varda, Balda, Kusthgandhini, and Baji. It manages the emaciation problems. It is astringent and bitter in taste, energy provider, hot in potency and enhances the spermatogenesis. It is anti-aging, manages vata, kapha, inflammation, and leucoderma.

Part Used – The whole plant is useful but roots, leaves, and alkali are mostly used.

Ashwagandha Health Benefits

Its health benefits are :-

• It improves semen quality and quantity.
• It improves immunity and strength.
• It is useful in cough and cold.
• It improves the body nourishment.
• It acts as anti-aging, elixir, improves life expectancy.
• It brings down the inflammation.
• It acts as an Aphrodisiac.
• It acts as a quick wound-healer.

Ashwagandha Uses

They are as follow :-

• Anxiety, nervousness, nervous weakness, and depression.
• In tuberculosis, to improve liver activity and to improve body strength, and appetite
• Low immunity, recurrent fever, cold and cough
• Sexual weakness, low libido, oligospermia and male and female infertility
• Depression, anxiety, and insomnia
• Autoimmune Hypothyroidism
• Hemorrhoids
• Epilepsy
• Episodes of unconsciousness, fainting
• Leanness, weight loss
• Weak digestion

Ashwagandha Dosage

It is available in :-

1. Ashwagandha Powder – 3-6 gram per day

– For Weight Gain – Mix 3 grams of Ashwagandha powder with a teaspoon of ghee and take at night before meals for a month

2. Ashwagandha Capsule – 250-500 mg once daily/twice daily (Based on Doctor’s advice)

Phytochemistry – The main phytochemical constituents of Ashwagandha are withanolides, withanolides, withaferin, alkaloids, steroidal lactones, tropine, and cuscohygrine, withanolides, alkaloids, and numerous sitoindosides.

How Ashwagandha is Helpful in Weight Gain?

Withania somnifera is very helpful in gaining weight. Its property Kshayahara means that it increases the muscle mass and strength of the body. When it is used with foods like ghee, sugar, and milk, its nutritive value increases thus help in improving strength. Some people are very thin because their digestive gut bacteria are very weak which is the main cause of being under-weight.It also means that they have slow digestion. Due to this process, so many diseases can arise like – Constipation, Diarrhea, Irritable bowel syndrome. It may also lead to stress and anxiety. First of all, you need to improve your gut bacteria which will result in improving your digestion process. Drink a lot of water, Probiotics can be used. The best you can use is Ashwagandha which has no side effects and it will develop our stamina. This herb helps in solving digestive issues which will result in gaining weight. Many people take steroids, synthetic and protein supplements to gain weight which is a reversible process, once you will stop taking these products, you will start losing weight. But with Ashwagandha, once you will start using it, on discontinuing this product, you will not lose weight as it has stable results. This herb increases our overall body mass with bone mineral density. This is a very safe product so it can be used for a longer period of time. It has adaptogenic property, useful in making muscle building formulas and products. It is popularly known as Indian Ginseng. It mainly increases our testosterone levels, thus helps in increasing the stamina.

How to take Ashwagandha to Gain Weight ?

Ashwagandha is a powerful weight gainer. It can be taken to gain weight-

• Mix the Ashwagandha powder or Capsule with milk, add sugar, and drink once or twice daily. This is the easiest method.
• Ashwagandharista – It can also be used. It is a fermented preparation with jaggery and honey.
• Boil the decoction of Ashwagandha with ghee and consume this ghee daily.
• Its root on mixing with other herbs of dasamoola group, in a paste form by adding ghee and honey to make it as a lehya, can also be consumed. Sugar can also be added to this preparation.

Ashwagandha Products By Planet Ayurveda To Gain Weight

1. Weight Gain Formula

This is the combination of various herbs which are useful in weight gain. It contains- Ashwagandha, Haritaki, Bhibhitak, Amalaki, Saunf,and Jeerak. Take 1 capsule with plain water after meals. It can be taken two times daily.

2. Ashwagandha Capsules

This helps in treating weight loss and building muscle. It contains pure extract of herb Ashwagandha. Take 1-2 capsule twice daily with plain water after meals.