Supplements Ashwagandha basic questions

[Jabberwocky]

So I first learned of ashwagandha for it's gabaergic properties, but recently also learned it can give a huge natural T boost especially amongst older men.

This is 2 birds with one stone since I am on a tail end of a benzo taper and beginning a fitness journey.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with it. Buy fresh powder or pills from the store? Daily dose?

Thanks for any tips

 

[bingey]

I take it in tea form, so I don't really have an idea as to dosage. But it works for anxiety not exactly like a regular gabaergic but more in a sustained take the edge off way. It's not abuseable BTW which is another positive for me.

As for strength training it definitely doesn't do any harm ime but i can't prove anything with test results.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I bought some standardized extract. Gonna take 900mg/45mg withanolides per day for the next few months see what happens.

Can't believe I haven't heard of this herb before. Sounds like the best supplement for men ever after doing more research.

 

[AutoTripper]

I bought some standardized extract. Gonna take 900mg/45mg withanolides per day for the next few months see what happens.

Can't believe I haven't heard of this herb before. Sounds like the best supplement for men ever after doing more research.

I bought some, but I never took it, because I literally stopped trying any new supplements or herbs etc years ago as I react allergenically to over 95% of them, and it’s never fun for a simple lesson.

But Ashwagandha has a long, very established positive reputation, particularly for mood and stress.

I actually really rate 5htp as well. I feel it’s healthy. I’m very allergic to that one too. No way would I consider ever taking one capsule again, while there are alternatives to seek.

Got some wicked new Instant Kava from Malekula Islands coming on Tuesday.

 

[AutoTripper]

So I first learned of ashwagandha for it's gabaergic properties, but recently also learned it can give a huge natural T boost especially amongst older men.

This is 2 birds with one stone since I am on a tail end of a benzo taper and beginning a fitness journey.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with it. Buy fresh powder or pills from the store? Daily dose?

Thanks for any tips

Black ginger, is it? For the T boost and other type influences.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I dare say the 600mg I took definitely seems to be interacting with and potentiating the small dose of benzo I took several hours ago. Definitely not placebo.


Edit: hmm. Seems to be creating anhedonia and reduced appetite. Too much serotonin?

 

[AutoTripper]

I dare say the 600mg I took definitely seems to be interacting with and potentiating the small dose of benzo I took several hours ago. Definitely not placebo.


Edit: hmm. Seems to be creating anhedonia and reduced appetite. Too much serotonin?

Actually, I would have intrinsically expected and predicted to notice an enhancement to benzo effect with ashwaganha.

Can’t comment on the appetite reduction.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Actually, I would have intrinsically expected and predicted to notice an enhancement to benzo effect with ashwaganha.

Can’t comment on the appetite reduction.

Yeah it definitely potentiated the benzos a bit (I was on a very small dose but definitely felt it), but after about 90 minutes I felt off. Flushed, noticeably anhedonic, lack of appetite. Unpleasant.

Lasted 3-4 hours before I fell asleep

Hmm. Will do more experiments. I could be sensitive to it.

 

[AutoTripper]

Yeah it definitely potentiated the benzos a bit (I was on a very small dose but definitely felt it), but after about 90 minutes I felt off. Flushed, noticeably anhedonic, lack of appetite. Unpleasant.

Lasted 3-4 hours before I fell asleep

Hmm. Will do more experiments. I could be sensitive to it.

Maybe the benzos bring out a different edge and character to the Ashwaganha, more of the grogginess. I hated valerian always.

Clove powder as a tea felt much better but I’m allergic to both anyway.

It seems plausible though that how ashwagandha feels could be modulated by benzos action.

 

[plumbus-nine]

I recently acquired ashwagandha after hearing good stuff about and tried it in low as well as high (5+g) dosages but it just makes me feel bad. Somehow less physically but more mentally fatigued, usually I'm the other way round. In a book I'm currently reading they say there's no way of naturally increasing testosterone other than exercise and supplementing artificial T.

Kava on the other hand was nice. It's long ago but I remember it as to be at least equal of not superior to (weaker, like lorazepam) benzos. These milkshakes off the big colorful auctionhouse even taste good, vainilla or chocolate etc. A shame that the EU banned kava because of some impurity which wrecked some livers but the people on Pacific Islands are using this stuff like we alcohol but kava doesn't increase aggression.

Appetite reduction unfortunately is much, much easier when you're already lean. As a teen I could eat what I wanted or not eat for a day or two, didn't matter. Now I'm like 80-85kg and should rather be 65 and it's fucking hard not to eat at least two times a day. Best candidate imo are stimulants if you tolerate them then maybe ephedrine if you aren't so after psychostimulant effects, can get it and have a healthy heart. 5-htp seems to work in people who aren't as tolerant to 5-HT from year-long unneccessary SSRI use like myself, for me it's like any plant material, causes nausea in excess but otherwise nothing. But with amphetamine it's no big deal not to eat, while even bupropion didn't do shit recently.

Note that you want to continue eating just a little less than you need, fasting too strong makes your body protecting its belly fat apparently.

 

[Serotonin101]

I'd be curious to see how it affects heart rate and BP. Could be a nice adjunct for general health stack

 

[Genetic Freak]

So I first learned of ashwagandha for it's gabaergic properties, but recently also learned it can give a huge natural T boost especially amongst older men.

This is 2 birds with one stone since I am on a tail end of a benzo taper and beginning a fitness journey.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with it. Buy fresh powder or pills from the store? Daily dose?

Thanks for any tips

There isn't much increases natural testosterone that actually works, but maybe look into Tongkat Ali 400mg/day, and Fadogia agrestis a LH inducer..

 

[Jabberwocky]

After looking into it ashwaganda doesn't really increase T (it does, but a negligible amount), but it seems to increase muscle gain in a similar way/effectiveness as creatine

it seems to have an effect on serotonin that I find uncomfortable, I can't take 600mg doses like most sources suggest

 

[Genetic Freak]

After looking into it ashwagandha doesn't really increase T (it does, but a negligible amount), but it seems to increase muscle gain in a similar way/effectiveness as creatine

it seems to have an effect on serotonin that I find uncomfortable, I can't take 600mg doses like most sources suggest

Creatine is proven to induce skeletal muscle hypertrophy, I wouldn't consider ashwagandha to have similar properties..

 

[plumbus-nine]

I found ashwagandha to be dysphoric, pretty strongly so. Do you guys like it? Tried different dosages from tiny to huge but all I got was a weird sensation and dysphoria.

About T, there's this TOT bible book which has a ton of information about test replacement therapy and he says that nothing reliably increases test besides supplementing T (or using SARMS, maybe - I don't fully understand them yet).

Recently tried the only product available here, gel with 50mg T per dose, and got some nice energy and increase in libido but it's too expensive to continue without end

 

[Jabberwocky]

I found ashwagandha to be dysphoric, pretty strongly so. Do you guys like it? Tried different dosages from tiny to huge but all I got was a weird sensation and dysphoria.

Yes, due to it's serotonergic activity. I experienced distinct anhedonia as well as reduced appetite at doses of 600mg (KSM extract). 300mg seemed more tolerable but I stopped experimenting with it so much.

It does absolutely have some GABA activity and potentiated benzos for me very noticeably (but the side effects ruined this basically)

I am still very interested in this plant, but not as excited as I used to be.

Not tossing it, just gonna keep playing with it.

I might start taking 300mg every day (at NIGHT*).

Combining it with daily creatine seems seems to boost muscle growth by very significant amounts. 30-40 % according to some papers (about 20% each, maximally)

 

[plumbus-nine]

Yes, due to it's serotonergic activity

Do you have more details or a source about this, which subreceptors and agonism or antagonism?

Do these supplements only work when exercising heavily or will taking daily creatinine + ashwagandha do a bit fine-tuning on the metabolism and cauise a (slow) transition to more muscle mass? I'm always curious about people who seem pretty strong without any exercising so genetics play a big role of course and this might be able to change chemically..

 

[Jabberwocky]

Do you have more details or a source about this, which subreceptors and agonism or antagonism?

watched this which confirmed some stuff I read in case studies (forgot that link)

ashwagandha downregulates 5-HT1a

I experienced pretty much everything this guy warns about (on my first dose, which was 600mg, probably too much)

Do these supplements only work when exercising heavily or will taking daily creatinine + ashwagandha do a bit fine-tuning on the metabolism and cauise a (slow) transition to more muscle mass? I'm always curious about people who seem pretty strong without any exercising so genetics play a big role of course and this might be able to change chemically..

I'm far from an expert, but I do believe exercise (not necessarily heavy exercise though) is required for it's muscular growth benefits. These supplements really just help your body repair muscle damage more efficiently.

 

[indigoaura]

Interesting thread.

After prolonged encouragement from my doctor, I just tried Ashwagandha this past Tuesday. I noticed an immediate positive impact. For me, I noticed a reduction in negative thoughts and reduction in anxiety similar to a .5 mg Xanax but without the sedated effect.

I have been reading about it ever since to try to better understand the mechanism of action for Ashwagandha, but it seems complicated at best. It does seem that individual thyroid function will have a significant impact on how you respond, as those with an overactive thyroid may respond very negatively.

Despite my positive effects, I am a bit concerned with how it will play out in the long term, specifically in relation to MDMA usage. Is it safe to take MDMA while using Ashwagandha? Should I refrain from using Ashwagandha prior to MDMA use? If so, for how long? Serotonin interaction seems potentially problematic.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Interesting thread.

After prolonged encouragement from my doctor, I just tried Ashwagandha this past Tuesday. I noticed an immediate positive impact. For me, I noticed a reduction in negative thoughts and reduction in anxiety similar to a .5 mg Xanax but without the sedated effect.

I have been reading about it ever since to try to better understand the mechanism of action for Ashwagandha, but it seems complicated at best. It does seem that individual thyroid function will have a significant impact on how you respond, as those with an overactive thyroid may respond very negatively.

Despite my positive effects, I am a bit concerned with how it will play out in the long term, specifically in relation to MDMA usage. Is it safe to take MDMA while using Ashwagandha? Should I refrain from using Ashwagandha prior to MDMA use? If so, for how long? Serotonin interaction seems potentially problematic.

what dose did you take?

I also noticed a very real GABAergic effect, but at the dose I took the side effects outweighed the benefits.

also ashwaghanda is definitely best cycled, not taken every day

one week on two weeks off something like that

it has some very significant biochemical changes in the body

it seems to have several potent actions on the body from GABA to cortisol to hormones, etc