Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Jul 20;5(4):e741.
doi: 10.1002/hsr2.741. eCollection 2022 Jul.

Effect of standardized root extract of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on well-being and sexual performance in adult males: A randomized controlled trial

Sanjaya Chauhan  1 , Manoj K Srivastava  2 , Anklesh K Pathak  3
Affiliations

Effect of standardized root extract of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on well-being and sexual performance in adult males: A randomized controlled trial

Sanjaya Chauhan et al. Health Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Background and aim: In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is a popular plant for promoting youthful energy, longevity, and overall well-being. It is also an excellent aphrodisiac herb that aids in the improvement and maintenance of normal sexual health. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of ashwagandha root extract on improving sexual health in adult males.

Methods: In this 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we investigated the aphrodisiac property of an ashwagandha root extract in adult males. Fifty participants with lower sexual desire were randomly allocated to take 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract or placebo capsules twice daily. Outcomes were measured using the derogatis interview for sexual functioning-male (DISF-M) questionnaire, serum testosterone, serum prolactin, and short-form survey-36 quality of life questionnaire before and after the intervention.

Results: Compared to placebo, ashwagandha root extract supplementation was associated with a statistically significant increase in the total DISF-M scores (mean difference -9.8; 95% confidence interval, -10.73 to -8.87; p < 0.0001; t-test). It was also associated with a statistically significant increase in serum testosterone levels (-66.52; -80.70 to -52.34; p < 0.0001; t-test). However, the prolactin level did not change after intervention in both the ashwagandha and placebo groups (-1.06; -2.78 to 0.66; p > 0.05).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that ashwagandha demonstrated a significant subjective perception of sexual well-being and assisted in increasing serum testosterone levels in the participants.

Keywords: DISF‐M; aphrodisiac; ashwagandha; male sexual wellness; prolactin; testosterone.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The corresponding author declares that he had full access to the data and complete control over the analysis and publication of its results. He declares he did not receive any funding to carry out this project. However, other authors received a financial grant (clinical consultation fee) from Shri Kartikeya Pharma to recruit study volunteers.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT flow diagram: participants checklist
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of total derogatis interview for sexual functioning‐male (DISF‐M) score between ashwagandha and placebo group at baseline, Weeks 4 and 8
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of serum testosterone between ashwagandha and placebo groups at baseline and Week 8
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organization, Department of Reproductive Health and Research . Defining Sexual Health: Report of a Technical Consultation on Sexual Health; 2006. https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/sexual_health/defini...
    1. American Psychological Association . Stress in America™ 2020: a National Mental Health Crisis; 2020. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/sia-mental-health-cr...
    1. Chen L, Shi GR, Huang DD, et al. Male sexual dysfunction: a review of literature on its pathological mechanisms, potential risk factors, and herbal drug intervention. Biomed Pharmacother. 2019;112:108585. - PubMed
    1. Hale VE, Strassberg DS. The role of anxiety on sexual arousal. Arch Sex Behav. 1990;19(6):569‐581. 10.1007/bf01542466 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rastrelli G, Maggi M. Erectile dysfunction in fit and healthy young men: psychological or pathological. Transl Androl Urol. 2017;6(1):79‐90. 10.21037/tau.2016.09.06 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources