Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) isan evergreen shrub found in parts of India, Asia and Africa. The plant is often used to treat conditions related to physical and emotional stress, including insomnia, anxiety and arthritis.
Ashwagandha has the potential to interact with certain medications, including medications that lower blood sugar, affect the immune system, and regulate thyroid hormones.
If you’re interested in ashwagandha, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about potential interactions with any medications or supplements you’re taking.
Ashwagandha can help reduce blood sugar levels in your body. Therefore, taking ashwagandha with other medications that treat diabetes and lower blood sugar can lead to dangerously low blood sugar. Examples of blood sugar-lowering drugs include:
- Insulin
- Glumetza (metformin)
- Glucotrol (Glipizide)
- Ozempic or Vegovi (semaglutide)
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) occurs when blood sugar drops below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Normal fasting blood sugar (at least 8 hours without eating) is 70-99 mg/dl. Signs of hypoglycemia include feeling weak, fast heart rate, sweating, hunger, confusion, fainting, and seizures.
Low blood sugar is considered an emergency and can often be treated by drinking or eating foods that raise blood sugar. If you experience frequent episodes of hypoglycemia, talk to your doctor about ways to prevent low blood sugar.
Ashwagandha can help lower blood pressure. Taking ashwagandha with medications that lower blood pressure can cause your blood pressure to drop too low.
Hypotension (low blood pressure) occurs when your blood pressure drops below 90/60 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Normal blood pressure is between 90/60 and 120/80 mmHg.
Low blood pressure can reduce blood flow to important parts of the body, such as the heart or brain. Symptoms include confusion, fainting, dizziness and weakness.
Examples of drugs that lower blood pressure include:
- Norvasc (amlodipine)
- tenormin (atenolol)
- Lasik (furosemide)
- cozar (losartan)
Supplements that can lower blood pressure include arginine, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids.
If you are taking ashwagandha with any blood pressure medication, monitor your blood pressure closely. Tell your doctor if you experience any episode of low blood pressure.
Ashwagandha can cause drowsiness, sleepiness, and slow breathing. For this reason, it is best to avoid taking it with other drugs that can cause drowsiness or sleepiness or affect breathing.
Sedatives are drugs used to calm someone down, improve anxiety, or help someone sleep. Common examples of sedatives include:
- Benzodiazepines such as Valium (diazepam) and Klonopin (clonazepam)
- Opioid medications such as roxicodone or Xstampza ER (oxycodone)
- Sleep medications such as Ambien (zolpidem)
Supplements that can be sedative include melatonin, coffee, and L-tryptophan.
Taking ashwagandha with sedative medications may lead to a higher risk of drowsiness, difficulty breathing, and drowsiness.
Talk to your healthcare provider to determine the best way to take multiple medications that can cause sedation. They may recommend that you only take these medications at night. Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery when taking medications that can make you tired or drowsy.
Ashwagandha can affect the activity of the immune system. Several studies have found that the herb helps boost your immune system. This can cause problems in certain people, such as those with immune system disorders.
Immunosuppressants are drugs that block the immune system from working normally. They are useful in the treatment of certain medical conditions, such as certain cancers and organ transplants. Examples of immunosuppressants include:
- Medicines for organ transplants such as Prograf (tacrolimus)
- Corticosteroids such as Rayos (prednisone)
- Some chemotherapy
Taking ashwagandha with immunosuppressants can affect how well the medicine works. Tell your doctor if you are taking ashwagandha with an immunosuppressant. They will help you determine if it is safe to take them together.
Ashwagandha can be harmful to the liver (hepatotoxic). Several reports have linked ashwagandha to inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), liver failure, and the need for a liver transplant.
Taking ashwagandha with other hepatotoxic drugs may increase the risk of liver damage. Examples of hepatotoxic drugs include:
- indocin (indomethacin)
- Dilantin (phenytoin)
- Rifadin (rifampin)
Hepatotoxic supplements include garcinia, green tea extract, black cohosh, and coffee.
If you take ashwagandha with any other hepatotoxic drug or supplement, your doctor will need to monitor your liver health closely.
Ashwagandha can increase the amount of thyroid hormone your body naturally produces. Some research suggests that ashwagandha increases the production and release of the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) into the blood.
Taking ashwagandha with other thyroid hormone medications can lead to unnecessarily high levels of thyroid hormones in your body. Symptoms of high thyroid hormone levels include nervousness, trouble sleeping, diarrhea, fast and irregular heartbeat, and mood swings.
Thyroid hormone replacement drugs are prescribed to increase certain levels of thyroid hormones. Examples of drugs related to thyroid hormones include:
- Armor Thyroid
- Synthroid, Tyrosint, or Unitroid (levothyroxine)
- Cytomel (liothyronine)
Ashwagandha increases the chance of side effects from thyroid hormone medications, which include weight gain or loss, hair loss, joint pain, sweating, and nervousness.
If you take ashwagandha with thyroid hormone medication, watch for symptoms associated with high hormone levels. Your healthcare provider will monitor your levels if you start taking ashwagandha.
If you are taking an ashwagandha supplement, tell your doctor. They will help you determine if the supplement is safe with other medications and supplements you may be taking. They may also examine how ashvagandha may affect your medical condition.
See your doctor if you experience signs or symptoms of low blood sugar, low blood pressure, drowsiness, liver damage, or high thyroid hormone levels while taking ashwagandha. If left untreated, these problems can lead to serious complications.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an evergreen shrub grown in parts of India, Asia, and Africa. The plant is often used to treat conditions related to physical and emotional stress, including insomnia, anxiety and arthritis.
Ashwagandha may interact with medications that lower blood pressure and blood sugar, sedatives, immunosuppressants, hepatotoxic medications, and thyroid hormone medications.
If you are interested in taking ashwagandha, discuss any medications or supplements you may be taking with your doctor. They can help you determine if it is safe to take them with ashwagandha.