A randomized trial found that a morning supplement with ashwagandha and Rhodiola rosea improved perceived stress, sleep quality, and positive mood in healthy, physically active adults over two weeks.
Source: Human randomized trial, 103 healthy physically active adults. People were assigned at random to take it or not: the strongest single kind of study for showing cause and effect.
What was found
A morning supplement containing ashwagandha and Rhodiola rosea was associated with improvements in subjective stress, sleep quality, and positive affect after 14 days in healthy, physically active adults. The morning supplement group showed a decrease in weekly perceived stress, subjective sleep-related impairments, and objective wake after sleep onset. This group also showed improved subjective sleep quality and increased positive affect.
The combination of morning and evening supplements resulted in a decrease in positive affect, while the placebo group's positive affect continued to increase. Minimal effects were observed on other outcomes, which the researchers suggest may be due to the healthy nature of the participants and the short supplementation period.
How it was done
Researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 103 healthy, physically active adults. Participants were randomized into four groups: a morning supplement group (AM), an evening supplement group (PM), a combined morning and evening supplement group (AMPM), and a placebo group (PL).
The AM group received 600 mg of ashwagandha and 300 mg of Rhodiola rosea. The PM group received 2 g of Magnesium L-threonate, 200 mg of L-theanine, and 50 mg of apigenin. The study included one baseline week, two weeks of supplementation, and one washout week. Participants completed daily and weekly questionnaires on stress, mood, and subjective sleep, and objective sleep data was collected nightly using a wearable device.
What it does not show
This study involved a relatively small number of participants and a short supplementation period of two weeks. The participants were healthy, physically active adults, so the findings may not apply to individuals with higher baseline stress or significant sleep disturbances. The study did not investigate longer-term effects of the supplements.
What happens next
Future research should investigate longer interventions and populations with greater baseline stress and sleep disturbance.
The source
This is news, reported from the source above. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you change any medicine or supplement.