Hello, I am taking an adaptogenic herb called ashwagandha to help with my adrenals and anxiety. This is about my fourth day of taking it and I have noticed increased irritability and slightly increased anxiety. Has anyone experenced herbs making symptoms get worse before they get better? Or should I just stop not because this herb isn't for me. I'm taking NOW brand ashwagandha by the way 450mg 4.5% withanolides standardized extract. Thanks for the input!
Strange that you said that, I had the same experience awhile back with Now Ashwagandha 450mg. I just stopped taking it, and it's still on my shelf, around a half bottle.
I heard a lot of good things about it, and I started taking it for stress/mood...but shortly realized I almost felt worse than without it.
I never researched what the reason was, but it would be interesting to find out. Guess I figured I'd try it again some day in the future, and see if I felt the same results. I even started a thread about it...https://www.natmedtalk.com/f52/20710-...-benefits.html
__________________ "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~Immanual Kant~
Hmm so the effect never wore off? How long were you taking it? Also, what would you recommend in place of ashwaghanda? Have you tried Rhodiola or any other adaptogen with good results?
I think I took it for around two weeks, and yes, the effect wore off when I stopped taking it. I took Skullcap, the liquid tincture for awhile, and that was very effective for the stress factor. https://www.natmedtalk.com/wiki/Skullcap
It is odd that you would have such symptoms with ashwagandha. It is well know for 1000 years. And it is a natural beta blocker, so it naturally reduces heart rate.
As I experiment with nutrition, my ethusiasm runs high. I constantly need to remind myself to start slowly with dosages to potentially avoid symptoms of detox. For instance, iodine supplimentation and bromine detox.
Bromine detox can be seen here, around the ninth paragraph.
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As I experiment with nutrition, my ethusiasm runs high. I constantly need to remind myself to start slowly with dosages to potentially avoid symptoms of detox.
Me too. I have many times experimented on myself for no other reason than experimentation. So, great point S.Goat. I recently went far too fast on a metal chelation using IP6. I've used it before and should have known better. So I know about this enthusiasm thing. It made my underarms, groin, and any other place that tends to prespire, even between the toes. Gosh! How embarrassing. And there is nothing one can do but wait a day for it to complete its course.
I take Chlorella daily, with no problem. But when I first started taking it years ago, I took too much, and was sick as a dog. I felt like I had the flu for around 4 hours, it was the Chlorella. I left it alone for a week, then started taking a small amount, level teaspoon, not side effects at all. Now I just take a heaping spoonful daily.
Yes, trial and error. What works for one may not work for another. Everyone is different.
I would suggest you try ginseng. The more potent Korean for men. The more gentle Siberian (or American) for women.
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....It is our deeds, the accumulated acts of goodness and kindness, that define us and ultimately are the true measure of our worth. Service is the coin of the spirit.
It is a fine line to discover the sweet spot in nutrient and herb dosages. I would stop the supplement for a couple days to let your body rebalance then start again at half the dosage you started at.
I made a big mistake recently by using too much probiotics to repopulate my intestines with good bacteria. I made a big pot of soup and thought I would add a quart jar of fermented veggies that has been in the fridge for 6 months. The soup was warm so it wouldn't have killed the probiotics. Well, let's just say my entire family felt like their insides were going to burst and it took a day to recover. I don't feel like touching fermented ANYTHING for a while.
Side effects can be exacerbated by other changes too. Often with the intro of supplementation/herbal aids there are other changes such as dietary adjustments which can play with the head. Especially if you are going through a detox phase. When the liver is taxed with an increase in detox activity you can get irritable and angry. In TCM the liver is the organ connected with the emotion of rage and anger. Hence steroid abusers and roid rage.