Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40843911›Full record

ReviewMuscles (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Biopsychological Effects of Ashwagandha (

João Francisco Ferreira, Ricardo Maia Ferreira, Filipe Maia, Luís Gonçalves Fernandes, César Leão, Nuno Pimenta

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Muscles (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Nutraceutical Applications ofFoods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

João Francisco FerreiraPolytechnic Institute of Maia, N2i, Social Sciences, Education and Sports School, Avenida Carlos de Oliveira Campos, Castêlo da Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal.
Ricardo Maia FerreiraPolytechnic Institute of Maia, N2i, Social Sciences, Education and Sports School, Avenida Carlos de Oliveira Campos, Castêlo da Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0003-1596-9685
Filipe MaiaResearch Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, University of Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-4026-3804
Luís Gonçalves FernandesPolytechnic Institute of Maia, N2i, Social Sciences, Education and Sports School, Avenida Carlos de Oliveira Campos, Castêlo da Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal.
César LeãoPolytechnic Institute of Maia, N2i, Social Sciences, Education and Sports School, Avenida Carlos de Oliveira Campos, Castêlo da Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0001-7154-8266
Nuno PimentaPolytechnic Institute of Maia, N2i, Social Sciences, Education and Sports School, Avenida Carlos de Oliveira Campos, Castêlo da Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Ergogenic supplements are becoming increasingly popular in the diet of trained individuals, due to their potential benefits. Ashwagandha (

objectiveThis overview of systematic reviews aimed to evaluate the effects of Ashwagandha supplementation on sports performance and health-related outcomes.

methodsA systematic literature search was carried out on the following electronic databases: PUBMed, Scopus, Academic Search Complete, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using the search terms "ashwagandha" and "systematic review" in the title or abstract of the publication in July 2024. The eligibility of the articles was assessed using the PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes, and Study Design) approach, and risk of bias was assessed using the AMSTAR-2 checklist.

resultsOf the 2388 systematic reviews found, 11 met the inclusion criteria, which included 151 original studies representing 9005 individuals. Findings suggest that Ashwagandha supplementation may improve various aspects of sports performance, such as endurance and muscular strength, as well as health-related outcomes, including anxiety reduction, improved sleep quality, and enhanced sexual function. The most commonly used doses of Ashwagandha supplementation are between 500 mg and 1000 mg a day.

conclusionWhile current evidence indicates promising effects of Ashwagandha on physical and psychological parameters, further high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed. Therefore, its use in athletes or healthy individuals should be considered with caution and based on individual needs.

Indexed as

ashwagandhahealthphysical exercisesports performancesupplementation

Identifiers

PMID40843911
PMCPMC12372057

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.