Evidence supporting the use of: Ashwagandha
For the health condition: Attention Deficit Disorder

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine as a general adaptogen to improve stress resilience, cognitive function, and vitality. Traditionally, it has been used to support mental clarity, memory, and focus, which are areas often affected in Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD). However, the traditional use of ashwagandha has not specifically targeted ADD/ADHD as a defined medical condition, since these diagnoses are modern constructs. Instead, it has been used more broadly for symptoms such as inattentiveness, restlessness, or poor concentration.

Scientific research directly evaluating ashwagandha for ADD/ADHD is very limited. A few small studies have explored ashwagandha’s effects on cognitive performance, stress, and anxiety in both children and adults. Some of these studies suggest modest improvements in attention, impulse control, and executive function, possibly due to ashwagandha’s adaptogenic and anxiolytic properties and its influence on neurotransmitters like GABA. However, these studies are often limited by small sample sizes, lack of rigorous controls, or inclusion of participants without formal ADD/ADHD diagnoses.

In summary, ashwagandha’s use for ADD is rooted primarily in traditional practices rather than robust scientific evidence. Current clinical data are insufficient to strongly support its efficacy for ADD/ADHD, and further well-designed research is required to establish clear benefits for this specific condition.

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Other health conditions supported by ashwagandha

Addictions (drugs)
Addictions (general remedies for)
Afterbirth Pain
Aging (prevention)
Alcoholism
Allergies (respiratory)
Alzheimer's Disease
Amenorrhea
Anemia
Anger (excessive)
Angina
Anorexia
Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders
Appetite (deficient)
Arthritis
Asthma
Athletic and Exercise Aids
Attention Deficit Disorder
Autoimmune Disorders
Backache
Bedwetting
Body Building
Cancer (prevention)
Cancer Treatment (reducing side effects)
Emotional Sensitivity
Endurance (lack of)
Energy (lack of)
Epilepsy
Erectile Dysfunction
Exercise
Fatigue
Fear (excessive)
Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Goiter
Grief and Sadness
Hair (graying)
Hair (loss or thinning)
Hair Care (general)
Headache (general)
Headache (tension)
Heart (weakness)
Hot Flashes
Hypertension
Hypothyroid
Hysteria
Infertility
Inflammation
Insomnia
Irritability
Leucorrhea
Lyme Disease
Memory and Brain Function
Menopause
Menorrhagia
Menstrual Irregularity
Menstruation (scant)
Mental Illness
Miscarriage (prevention)
Mood Swings
Muscle Tone (lack of)
Nervous Exhaustion
Nervousness
Neurosis
Nightmares
Nocturnal Emission
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Pain (general remedies for)
Parkinson's Disease
Peripheral Neuropathy
Pets (supplements for)
PMS (general)
PMS Type C
PMS Type D
Post Partum Depression
Post Partum Weakness
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Premature Ejaculation
Prolapsed Uterus
Sex Drive (low)
Sleep (restless and disturbed)
Stress
Syphilis
Tension
Testosterone (low)
Thinking (cloudy)
TMJ
Tremors
Triglycerides (high)
Tuberculosis
Vitiligo
Weight Gain
Weight Loss
Worry
Adrenal Fatigue
Cancer (natural therapy for)
Cholesterol (high)
Circulation (poor)
Concentration (poor)
Depression
Diabetes
Digestion (poor)
Migraine
Osteoporosis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Wounds and Sores
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder