What Medications Interact with Ashwagandha – All You Need to Know, FAQs, & More

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If you’re someone who is concerned about how Ashwagandha reacts to medications, then you’re in the right place. In this article, we will provide you with all the necessary information you need before you can consume Ashwagandha.

Most chemicals in medicines can react harshly when they come in contact with other chemicals. In the case of the vast majority of people that use prescribed medications, this is an even more alarming concern.

Therefore, keeping in mind the profound popularity and consumption of Ashwagandha in all its forms. Today, we will discuss how the adaptogen responds when combined with other medications.

What Medications Interact with Ashwagandha – Why Is It Important?

You should give careful consideration to the side effects of the medications we consume. In today’s article, we’ll discuss one such natural adaptogenic medication, Ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha is quite famous for its ability to supplicate the body against both internal and external stressors. However, it is also reported to interact with other medications and these interactions hold severe health-related consequences.

Therefore, while wanting to remain at the top of your health is an acceptable wish. You should also ensure that this pursuit of health does not end up devouring your well-being.

Note: If you want to know How Does Ashwagandha Tastes click HERE.

 

How does Ashwagandha React to Medications?

Most people are uninformed and blatantly reject the existence of medicinal interactions. However, the consequences of such ignorance can endanger your health as some medicinal interactions can cause life-threatening problems.

The list of conditions and the medications that exist for them is extensively vast. Hence, our aim is to provide you with an easily understandable list. It is composed of commonly documented interactions of Ashwagandha with other medications. 

This should also give you an idea of the supposed side effects the adaptogen can have on your body.

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Ashwagandha and Immunosuppressants

Firstly, immunosuppressants are prescription-based medications. These medications, as the name suggests, decrease the activity of the immune system. Moreover, they also interact with Ashwagandha as well.

• Ashwagandha has a tendency to increase the overall activity of your immune system. If you’re already on medications that decrease the activity of our immune system, their effect will be rendered useless.
• The consumption of Ashwagandha along with immunosuppressants might decrease or nullify the effects of the medicine. Since they both work towards providing opposite effects.

Hence, practitioners discourage the use of Ashwagandha in combination with immunosuppressants.

Ashwagandha and Sedatives (CNS Depressants and Benzodiazepines)

When it comes to central nervous system depressants, these are designed to induce sleep and slow down the breathing process. If you’re on such depressants, then rest assured that the consumption of such sedatives alone generally does not result in complications.

However, it can lead to certain problems when they are taken along with Ashwagandha.

• The interaction may give you breathing problems or an excessive burst of sleepiness. 
• This interaction occurs due to the mildly, yet effective sedative properties of Ashwagandha. 
• The interaction between these two medications can lead to shortness of an overall lack of breath.

If you’re using a CNS or benzodiazepine depressant, then we would highly advise you against the use of Ashwagandha!

Note: If you want to know a complete guide about Ashwagandha click HERE.

Ashwagandha and Thyroid Hormone Medication

Thyroid hormone is naturally produced by our bodies and in some instances, your thyroid hormone production can fall below the baseline level. In such cases, your doctor can prescribe pills that will increase your thyroid hormone production. 

This is done in order to alleviate the hormone production back to its baseline level.

• Ashwagandha also provides you with an increase in the production of thyroid hormone. 
• When taken in combination with thyroid hormone pills, your hormone production can increase and become excessive.
• The excessive production of thyroid hormone can further increase both its effects and side effects on your body. 
• Some of these effects include palpitations, enlargement of the thyroid, and thinning of the skin.

These are not all of the side effects you can suffer from but just a few. They are listed so you can comprehend the severity of these side effects and draw your own conclusions. 

Ashwagandha and Antidiabetic Medication

If you’re suffering from diabetes, then you’ve probably used antidiabetic drugs at some point. These drugs work towards lowering your blood-sugar levels and low levels of blood sugar are usually no cause for concern alone. 

However, where this can cause problems for you is when the drug is used in combination with Ashwagandha.

• Ashwagandha herb has been observed and reported to lower blood sugar levels in some cases. 
• The consumption of both is likely to cause your blood sugar level to reach an extremely insignificant level. 
• The combined use of these two medications may give you hypoglycemia.

The symptoms and side effects of hypoglycemia are vast: 

• Some of the mild side effects include fatigue, irregular heartbeat, anxiety, pale skin, and excessive sweating. 
• The severe symptoms of an extremely low blood-sugar level involve confusion, seizures, loss of consciousness, and blurred vision.

Therefore, we would strongly advise against the use of Ashwagandha if you’re already using anti-diabetic medication.

Note: If you want to know more information about Ashwagandha click HERE.

Ashwagandha and Blood Pressure Medication (Antihypertensive Drugs)

We have extensively consumed Ashwagandha and can vouch for its ability to normalize blood pressure. However, if you’re already on blood-pressure medication then you should probably hold off on using Ashwagandha.

As you already know, these medications are used to lower your blood pressure and are completely safe when consumed on their own but;

• They can hold severe consequences when used with Ashwagandha and this is due to Ashwagandha’s tendency to lower your blood pressure. 
• When these medications are used with Ashwagandha, it can result in blood-pressure levels falling too low.

It is important that you closely monitor your blood pressure when consuming Ashwagandha along with antihypertensive drugs. However, we would personally recommend that you avoid using Ashwagandha altogether in combination with such drugs.

Conclusion

There is no doubt about the health benefits of Ashwagandha and It is understandable that we wish to attain all the benefits we possibly can. 

However, this is one of those cases where too much of something good can be bad.

Ashwagandha should not be detrimental to any of us that are free from other medical conditions, especially those conditions that require the use of prescribed medication.

As for those of you that have to consume prescribed medication, you will have to adhere to extreme caution and care in the use of Ashwagandha.

If you want to learn how you can take care of your body and mind click HERE.