One supplement that’s been receiving a lot of attention over the last few years is Ashwagandha. Studies have shown that it has a whole myriad of benefits from improving energy levels to rebalancing hormones, but you probably haven’t heard about Ashwagandha’s Immune System benefits. In this article we’ll be answering a question that many Ashwagandha users have, “Does Ashwagandha help your immune system?”, and how you can implement this ancient herb to strengthen your immune system.
A Brief Overview of Ashwagandha And Your Immune System
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha has been used in traditional Indian medicine for thousands of years and has been proven to provide benefits for general stress and anxiety. Also referred to as Withania Somnifera, Ashwagandha is actually a member of the nightshade family, which include plant varieties such as potatoes, tomatoes and even peppers. The herb is native to regions such as India, the middle east and certain regions within Africa. As the western world has become more acquainted with this exotic herb it can be found in a wide variety of forms including Ashwagandha powders, Ashwagandha capsules, and even gummies.
The Immune System: Why Is It So Important?
Our immune systems play a critical role in allowing us as human beings to function and exist everyday. Our immune system is composed of a combination of cells, tissues and organs within our body that protect us from dangerous pathogens, viruses, parasites and bacteria. This complex system is able to differentiate between protecting cells within our body that are essential to us, while simultaneously attacking cells that pose a risk to our overall health.
How Does Ashwagandha Help Your Immune System?
Immune Cell Activity
Ashwagandha has been shown to support our immune system by increasing overall cell activity. Through its effect on Cytokine production, macrophage function and NK cells, preliminary research indicates that organic Ashwagandha provides support for the body’s ability to handle these processes on a cellular level. So how is Ashwagandha good for immune system health? Improved immune cell activity is certainly one answer.
Inflammation Reduction: Ashwagandha for Immunity Support
Chronic inflammation is a very serious health issue affecting millions of people everyday. Continuously elevated inflammation levels within the body can lead to a whole host of health issues and diseases that can be fatal or difficult to manage in the long run. This is where Ashwagandha can help. Ashwagandha contains active compounds called withanolides which have been scientifically proven to contain powerful anti-inflammatory properties that inhibit the production of proinflammatory molecules, Curcumin found in turmeric. This is another example highlighting Ashwagandha’s immunity benefits.
Stress Reduction: Another way How Ashwagandha Alters The Immune System
One of the most significant ways Ashwagandha supports your immune system is by reducing our stress and anxiety levels, which is why we include it in our Relaxedfx Chill Elixr supplement.
Chronic stress has a profound effect on our body and our immune system. Over time sustained levels of stress can deteriorate our immune system and its ability to function by releasing powerful hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline into the body. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen to process stress by moderating the quantity of cortisol and other stress related hormones in the body.
