Ashwagandha for Endurance: What the VO2 Max and Stamina Trials Show

Beyond stress, ashwagandha has a small but consistent set of trials on aerobic capacity and strength. Here is what they found, the doses used, who was studied and the cautions that come with the herb.

From Stress Herb to Performance Herb

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is best known for lowering cortisol and perceived stress in randomised trials. Since 2010 a second line of research has tested whether it improves physical performance, on the logic that lower stress, better sleep and possibly higher testosterone in stressed men should translate into more capacity for training.

The VO2 Max Evidence

A 2020 meta-analysis pooled five trials, around 160 participants, and found that ashwagandha significantly improved VO2 max, the standard measure of aerobic endurance, compared with placebo. Doses were 300–1,000 mg of root extract a day for eight to twelve weeks, in healthy adults and athletes. The effect was moderate, the trials were small, and most used one standardised extract.

Strength and Recovery

Two eight-week trials in men doing resistance training reported larger gains in bench press and leg strength, greater muscle size and lower exercise-induced muscle damage with 600 mg a day of root extract versus placebo. One also reported higher testosterone in the ashwagandha group. These are promising but small studies funded in part by extract manufacturers.

Dose, Form and Cautions

Benefits appeared at 300–600 mg a day of standardised root extract taken for at least eight weeks; a few milligrams in a gummy would not be expected to reproduce them. Ashwagandha can interact with thyroid medication, sedatives and immunosuppressants, has rare reports of liver injury, and should be avoided in pregnancy. A morning dose rarely causes drowsiness.

Where Soda Boost Fits

Soda Boost includes ashwagandha root extract for stress balance and stamina. Our review page quotes the 300–600 mg trial doses and states that the gummy's amount is not printed, so readers can judge the gap themselves. Read the full breakdown on the Soda Boost official website, including ingredients, customer reviews and current pricing.

Key Takeaways

• Meta-analysis: ashwagandha improved VO2 max at 300–1,000 mg/day over 8–12 weeks.
• Resistance-training trials showed strength and recovery gains at 600 mg/day.
• Small, partly industry-funded studies; promising, not settled.
• Thyroid, sedative, immune and liver cautions apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before ashwagandha affects stamina?

Trials ran eight to twelve weeks.

Can I take ashwagandha daily long term?

Trials ran up to three months; take periodic breaks and check with a doctor if on medication.

Is the ashwagandha dose in Soda Boost a trial dose?

The amount is not printed and, in a gummy, is small; we say so.

Sources

• Pérez-Gómez et al. 2020, ashwagandha and VO2 max meta-analysis (PubMed)
• Wankhede et al. 2015, ashwagandha and resistance training (PMC)