Evidence supporting the use of: Ashwagandha
For the health condition: Hair (loss or thinning)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has a long-standing use in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for promoting overall health, vitality, and stress resilience. Its application for hair loss or hair thinning is primarily rooted in traditional practices, where it is believed to strengthen hair, reduce hair fall, and promote hair growth. Ayurvedic texts often link hair loss to imbalances in doshas—particularly stress-related imbalances—and ashwagandha is classified as a "Rasayana" herb, reputed for rejuvenating the body and reducing stress. Since chronic stress and elevated cortisol are considered contributors to hair thinning and telogen effluvium in both traditional and some modern frameworks, ashwagandha’s adaptogenic properties are thought to indirectly benefit hair health by lowering stress levels.

However, scientific evidence directly linking ashwagandha to prevention or reversal of hair loss is limited. Some small studies and preclinical research indicate that ashwagandha can reduce stress and lower cortisol, which might have a secondary positive effect on hair health. There is also preliminary evidence suggesting that ashwagandha may improve thyroid function, which could be relevant for individuals with hypothyroidism-related hair loss. Still, robust clinical trials specifically examining ashwagandha’s effect on hair growth or hair loss in humans are lacking. Thus, its use for hair loss is primarily supported by traditional evidence, with scientific research currently providing only indirect and modest support.

More about ashwagandha
More about Hair (loss or thinning)

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