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Ashwagandha UK: The 5 Best Ashwagandha Supplements

BY Promoted Content

31st Oct 2023 Wellbeing

7 min read

Ashwagandha UK: The 5 Best Ashwagandha Supplements
Ashwagandha is a herb extracted from the Withania somnifera plant. One of the most important and celebrated herbs in Indian medicine, it’s often called the “king of Ayurvedic medicine” thanks to its long list of health benefits.
Ashwagandha has been clinically proven to help fight stress and anxiety and lower blood sugar. You can harness those benefits and more with one of the many ashwagandha supplements on the market today, but with so many options, which one should you go for? 
Don’t worry, we’ve done the work for you! Read on for our guide to buying ashwagandha, and check out our pick of the top 5 ashwagandha supplements you can buy in the UK.

Is Ashwagandha safe?

Yes. Ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years and is generally safe for most people, with no major or unpleasant side effects. However, if you suffer from autoimmune, metabolic or thyroid diseases, you should ask your doctor before you try ashwagandha. In fact, it’s a good idea to run it by your doctor if you have any pre-existing condition, you take medication, or you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.  

What should I look for in an ashwagandha supplement?

As you can imagine, the quality and effectiveness of ashwagandha supplements varies quite dramatically between brands! To get the most for your money, we recommend looking out for the following things. 
  • Root extract 
Ashwagandha extract can be made from the roots, leaves or berries of the Withania somnifera plant. Root extract is the most concentrated, so we recommend looking out for ashwagandha products made from the root for maximum potency. 
  • Withanolide content 
Withanolides are the active compounds of ashwagandha extract. Ideally, you’re looking for a product with at least 5%. However, one particular withanolide called withaferin A can be toxic in high concentrations. It’s found mostly in the leaves of the plant, so if you want to avoid this without sacrificing the beneficial withanolides, make sure to choose a root-only extract. 
  • Full-spectrum 
Full-spectrum means that the all of the natural compounds of the ashwagandha root are present in the supplement. Together, they’re thought to work in synergy to provide benefits greater than they would on their own (similar to CBD’s “entourage effect”). 
  • KSM-66
KSM-66 is a brand of ashwagandha extract. It’s made using a proprietary “green chemistry” extraction method that took over 14 years to perfect, using no alcohol or chemical solvents. Made from only the root, full-spectrum KSM-66 is considered the cleanest, most potent and effective ashwagandha extract on the market. 
  • Synergistic Ingredients
Adding piperine (a black pepper extract) is thought to improve your body’s absorption of ashwagandha significantly. It has the same effect on turmeric, which is why you’ll often find it added to turmeric supplements. 
So now you know the benefits and you know what to look for, let’s look at the best ashwagandha supplements on the market. 

The 5 Best Ashwagandha Supplements in the UK

Image of a bottle of MAGSUPPS Ashwagandha Pro tablets
  • MAGSUPPS® Ashwagandha Pro
For those on the lookout for an Ashwagandha supplement that embodies both potency and purity, MAGSUPPS Ashwagandha Pro stands out in the crowded wellness market.
The standout ingredient, Ashwagandha KSM-66, is hailed for its unparalleled adaptogenic properties. This specific extract boasts the title of the highest concentration, full-spectrum root available, solidified by its evaluation in 24 'Gold Standard' clinical trials.
Every two-capsule serving of MAGSUPPS Ashwagandha Pro delivers a potent 500mg dose, ensuring users receive the optimal potency and bioavailability each time. But what truly elevates this product is its intricate blend of additional vitalising nutrients. MAGSUPPS goes the extra mile, enhancing its potent Ashwagandha formula with 150mg of Magnesium, 5mg of Zinc, and 2mg of Vitamin B6 per serving. These essential nutrients don't just complement; they amplify. Magnesium, for instance, is integral to over 300 crucial bodily functions, while Zinc and Vitamin B6 offer a plethora of wellness-boosting benefits, from supporting muscle function to bolstering cognitive clarity.
Lastly, in a market where additives often crowd the ingredient list, MAGSUPPS's commitment to purity is evident. Their capsules contain absolutely no fillers, no flow agents or any other unnecessary ingredients.
Produced in a state-of-the-art UK facility, the brand adheres to stringent global quality benchmarks. If there's an Ashwagandha supplement that deserves top billing for its holistic approach to wellness, it's certainly MAGSUPPS Ashwagandha Pro.
  • True Veda Organic Ashwagandha Capsules
True Veda is a natural, organic brand focused on providing the cleanest, most concentrated supplements. With 34 awards and the hard-to-get Soil Association organic certification, we’d say they’re doing a great job! 
The brand uses only KSM-66 ashwagandha, so you can count on a potent, high-quality product. Each serving contains 600mg of full-spectrum ashwagandha root with 5% withanolides – and nothing else. No fillers, binders or preservatives. No allergens, additives or animal ingredients. Just pure, potent ashwagandha in a vegan, easy-swallow capsule. 
When you buy from True Veda, you’re not just supporting your wellbeing. For every purchase, the brand donates a meal to the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a charity dedicated to feeding hungry schoolchildren in India.   
  • Nutravita Organic Ashwagandha Capsules
Established in 2014, Nutravita is a UK-based, family-owned supplement brand that has quickly become known for its commitment to quality. 
Like True Veda, they use only the best KSM-66 ashwagandha and nothing else. They use strict, world-class GMP and BRC manufacturing processes here in the UK, and their entire production chain has the coveted Soil Association organic seal of approval. 
You get a little less ashwagandha at 500mg per serving and the withanolide content isn’t clearly stated. However, because it only contains KSM-66 ashwagandha, you can very likely expect the same quality and potency. 
  • SuperSelf Organic Ashwagandha with Black Pepper Extract
SuperSelf steps up the game with an extra-strength 1000mg of ashwagandha and throws in 10mg of black pepper extract for good measure. They don’t use KSM-66, but with the brand’s Soil Association and ISO certifications, it’s clear that their organic ashwagandha is seriously high-quality. 
Despite the high dose, SuperSelf have formulated their ashwagandha capsules to be odour-free and gentle on the stomach. Like any good supplement brand, they don’t do unnecessary additives and fillers, and their vegan-friendly ashwagandha capsules are free from wheat, dairy, hormones and antibiotics. 
Another brand that likes to give back, SuperSelf donates a percentage of profits from your purchase to Vitamin Angels. This incredible charity aims to reduce preventable disease and malnutrition by providing essential vitamins to children and mothers worldwide. 
  • Prowise Organic KSM-66 Ashwagandha with Organic Black Pepper 
London-based Prowise is known for delivering pharmaceutical-grade supplements at reasonable prices, making better health and well-being affordable to everyone. Their ashwagandha supplement combines the industry-leading KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract with organic black pepper for maximum potency and absorption. 
Like our other favourites on this list, they have the Soil Association seal of approval to back their organic credentials. They’re so confident you’ll love their ashwagandha capsules, they’ll refund you in full if you don’t see results after you’ve finished the pack. And like SuperSelf, they donate a percentage of their profits to Vitamins Angels, so you can help to improve the health of vulnerable children with every purchase.  

What are the benefits of ashwagandha?

  • May support health stress levels
Ashwagandha is a powerful adaptogen, which means that it helps your body and mind to cope with stress. It’s proven to reduce levels of cortisol, AKA the stress hormone, and might even moderate pathways in your nervous system to help you better withstand stress. 
This is not just important for helping you to keep calm in a traffic jam! Chronic stress is linked to serious illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, so reducing your stress and building your resilience is vital for a long, healthy life. 
  • May support better sleep and relaxation
Anxiety and sleeplessness often go hand in hand, and both can seriously affect your quality of life. Ashwagandha has been shown to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and sleep disturbances, as seen in this study and this study.
  • May help to keep your heart healthy 
High levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Ashwagandha lowers both triglycerides and LDL levels, potentially helping to keep your heart healthy. 
  • May improve cognitive function 
If you’re not feeling as sharp as you’d like to, ashwagandha may be able to help by boosting cognitive functions like attention, processing speed, memory and task performance. This may be down to its antioxidant effect, which also protects your neural cells from oxidative damage and slows down cognitive decline.   
  • May fight inflammation 
Chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of serious health conditions, like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, chronic pain syndromes, autoimmune diseases and more. According to this study and this one, ashwagandha may help to reduce inflammation, although it’s worth noting that more research is needed in humans. 
  • May improve exercise performance 
Want to get more from your workouts? This study found that supplementing resistance training with ashwagandha significantly increased muscle mass and strength. Another found that ashwagandha improved speed, strength and neuromuscular coordination. 
  • May improve libido and fertility  
Ashwagandha is renowned in Ayurvedic medicine for improving sex drive and fertility in men. In study after study after study, ashwagandha has been shown to improve reproductive hormone balance and improve the overall quality and function of sperm. In one study of infertile men, 14% had pregnant partners by the end of the study! 
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