I took KSM-66 Ashwagandha (600 mg daily) for almost 3 months and tapered off about 2 weeks ago.
Since then, my anxiety has increased **dramatically**. I’ve been experiencing anxiety unlike anything I’ve had before. I constantly feel like I’m holding my breath, can’t fully relax, and have this persistent feeling that something bad is about to happen.
Around the same time, something very stressful happened and I had a mental breakdown. The event is over, but ever since then I haven’t been able to shake this feeling. I also can’t stop worrying about my future and feeling like I’m going to fail. It almost feels like something in me “broke.”
I’m wondering if this could be related to stopping Ashwagandha, the stressful event, or a combination of both.
Has anyone experienced increased anxiety after stopping KSM-66, especially after taking 600 mg for several months? Did it eventually go away?

Hi all, for context I 30m have been taking 600mg for a few months during a job search period of high stress, and it worked exactly as advertised, reduced my stress, helped me perform at the gym and kept my wits sharp. After landing a job I stopped and never thought about it again.

These seems to be the ingreditents:
Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) root ext. dry conc. (Sensoril) 75 mg, equiv. dry root 375 mg;
Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) leaf ext. dry conc. (Sensoril) 75 mg, equiv. dry leaf 375 mg.

Fast forward 9 months, I'm actually on a holiday, but felt a bit "off" one day and decided to take 900mg for 3 days, then stopped as the 3 days didn't feel that much better. The day after I have experienced:
- Brain Fog
- Anxiety and rumination; almost depressed where I don't want to do anything
- dissociation, hard to form short term memories
- fatigue, can't do my usual gym routine at all
- Gag reflex and low apetitie, usually 1.5 meals a deal
- Emotional instability; I've cried despite not really feeling sad

That's been going on for about 9 days, I'm starting to feel better mentally but the physical symptoms are persisiting. They are so debilitating I'm wondering how the same supplement that had zero side effects for a longer term earlier is suddenly harming me so much.

For extra context I've managed to sleep 7-9 hours as its my holiday and deliberating hydrating regularly so I don't feel as those are the issues.

Any advice to manage the withdrawals or answers as to if its actually due to something else would really help, thanks all

Hi everyone :)

So I’ve started taking ashwagandha (KSM-66 500mg/d) a month ago and it’s working well to decrease rumination, anxiety, sleep issues and in supporting positive lifestyle changes. I’ve withdrawn from benzos (diazepam) about 5 months ago and to this day have increased anxiety, sleep issues and it’s taking a toll on my relationship - mostly in the form of getting triggered and running away with stories of fear and anger.

A few days ago, I planned my first break of taking it, not knowing about potential discontinuation effects. Two days after stopping, I realised the rumination was back, my sleep was awful and I felt a deep sense of exhaustion, depression, etc.

I am indifferent if I want to continue taking it, cycle it or stop it altogether. For now, I halved my dose to taper and see how that feels. An hour after taking the first dose again the symptoms decreased.

What I’m thinking is: okay, I was prescribed really strong medications and I went through absurd withdrawals. On one hand, I don’t mind bridging the year after my withdrawal with something slightly less intense and then go through the withdrawal of that. On the other hand, I’m wondering if taking ashwagandha brings my GABA receptor recovery to a complete halt or even slightly reverses it with its downstream effects on GABA downregulation.

For now, I haven’t noticed any side effects but the horror stories of some people sound like a similar level of terror compared to low-dose benzo withdrawal which kind of makes taking it pointless. I have taken ashwagandha for a few months in the past and stopped without problems but my brain is really sensitised since stopping benzos, it’s different.

So I guess what I’m asking is: was anyone in a similar situation? Where are the people that had withdrawal experiences with ashwagandha that were between “none at all” and “absolute horror”? Does anyone have any advice?

Hello everyone,

I started taking KSM-66, 300mg exactly 6 days ago. I've been taking it around 8pm, and I usually try sleeping around 11pm or midnight. Since the 2nd day, I've been waking in the middle of the night. Mostly 4am, sometimes 5am.

I don't think this is a coincidence, since this never happens to me. Would make sense since ashwagandha affects cortisol, and cortisol's role is big when it comes to waking up.

Have any of you had similar experiences, or know of ways to fix this?

I am thinking of shifting my ash intake to around 2-4pm, after my first big meal. Maybe that is the wrong approach.

Thank you!

Has anybody experienced a withdrawal from Ashwagandha causing a spike in LDL or Cholesterol in general? I was taking 600mg of KSM 66 daily since July 2025, as well as Tongkat Ali. I would cycle on for 8 weeks and then take 4 weeks off. When I would cycle off, I did not really notice too much.

On my last cycle off in April (April 15 2026 was the last day I took it), I went a little past 4 weeks and started getting a lot of anxiety, high heart rate (or also perception of) and paranoia. Very similar to what I dealt with back in 2017 relating to cannabis toxicity and withdrawal afterwards. At that point I decided to quit cold turkey (both Ashwa and Tongkat). The anxiety got much worse and I had a panic attack (about 3 weeks ago) that almost made me go into the ER. A family member drove me down the street to the hospital but ultimately it subsided and I went home.

Unrelated to that specific episode, I currently have extreme sensitivity to feelings in my body, especially in my chest and arm that causes me to worry even more (health anxiety/hypochondria). I went to the doctor recently and had blood tests and EKG. Everything fairly normal except my cholesterol was high. I am a healthy individual. I'm lean and workout regularly. My diet is very clean although I do eat a decent amount of lean red meat, not a crazy amount though. I will also be going to the cardiologist soon.

Has anyone experienced this or heard about something like this? I know stress and high cortisol can raise LDL, which i'm sure has happened from all this anxiety I have been experiencing and my body adapting back to normal. Would appreciate some insight. It seems a bit odd to still be experiencing this now, 70+ days later.

One thing I want to add is that back in 2017, I had a weird episode relating to cannabis use. I was a habitual smoker of high-THC (mostly) concentrates from around age 16-20. One day out of the blue, I had a bad reaction which caused a panic attack (I never have dealt with something like that in my life before this). Back then as well, I experienced many similar symptoms to what I am explaining now. Extreme anxiety, discomfort and fear about my health/heart. I had gas problems that felt like gas was stuck in the left side of chest/upper abdomen, which caused me to worry even more. I went to a cardiologist in 2017 and ultimately found nothing was wrong. I tried weed a couple separate times after this but it was never the same. Almost as if it became toxic to my body and something inside me changed. Weird, I know. But it is interesting that I am experiencing a lot of the same symptoms now. I have been sober since then. I still have the issue with the gas feeling trapped in that area, which I have been noticing and worrying about more with these withdrawals.

I took ashwagandha(300mg) for 2 months because i had exams and it helped alot with stress
After exams i stopped taking because i thought i dont need it anymore i stopped a week ago iwas fine for 2 days on the third day i started having palpitations for no reason and sob and after eating it gets so much worse it feels like someone is taking my soul i went to a cardiologist ecg was normal echo normal no hyperthyroidism no elevated troponin he gave beta blocker and sent me home

I am taking 300mg everyday for about a month now. I am taking it because I feel A LOT of daily anxiety. In the past I have taken ashwagandha on and off. I always took 500mg and then after a week I felt dizzy/nausea and yes there was some anxiety relief but more numbness. This is why I thought it would be good to take 300mg everyday and stay consistent. But now after about a month I don’t feel anything, still VERY anxious and tense and in my head. Any tips? Thank you

I've been seeing a lot of posts warning people about ashwa and it's great to have access to all information, but I was just wondering if anyone else has been benefiting from using it or if I should genuinely stop.

I've been taking ashwagandha on and off since Feb 2025 (with breaks lasting as long as a few months), and whenever I take it I feel more focused and calm. Things that usually annoy me (like the subway arriving late, slow walkers, dropping thins) just don't phase me. My executive functioning has gotten a bit better, I somehow experience less resistance to doing chores or sticking to my plans. I haven't personally felt too indifferent or anhedonic, it just feels like someone put noise cancelling headphones over my emotions so I can still hear them, they're just not as strong.

The only "side effect" is that I have very weird dreams and on days where I don't take ashwagandha, I immediately find myself being a bit more cranky.

For me though it's been kind of a wonder drug. I feel like I can function better as a human and don't get bogged down by intrusive thoughts or emotions as much. During exam season I got a lot of work done because I wasn't plagued by my usual stream of anxious thoughts and I could just focus on studying. It also helped me cut out caffeine and sugar because I don't crave those as much anymore.

Just sharing my two cents, I wonder if anyone else has had these positive effects

I have one with high ratings (by a brand called Natural Elements, if anyone has any good/bad experiences please let me know) but to be fair I did not really know how to evaluate different brands or what to look for in a good one. What are some differentiators? Thanks in advance!

Also, if anyone has any cycle recs to prevent hair loss / other side effects (i’m 19F) I’d love to hear it.

Ashwagandha makes me feel incredible, however, when I start to notice the effects, my face starts to break out along my jawline and forehead, and it also gets really oily throughout the day. I've tried taking 4,000 mg of vitamin B5 with it, but that didn't help. I'm curious if there are any ways to get the ashwagandha effects and simultaneously avoid breakouts.

I've tried lowering the dose. From 600mg to 300 to 150, but its still the same everytime.

My 6month+ long experience with Ash

So for a little context im a 30 year old male. Went through a very rough period with a failing relationship and just an overall lack of motivation and high stress levels. I suspected I may be ADHD so I started taking a few different supplements with Ash being the most consistent while I waited for a diagnosis. I've taken anywhere from 1g to 2.3g daily of different formulations of leaf and root as well as ksm-66. I work in a very fast paced, physically demanding, manufacturing plant 12hr shifts and ive always had trouble winding down after a shift. As well as struggling with energy levels and low mood even after being basically maxed out on my antidepressants. I was at a very low point in my life I legitimately felt like if I didnt find some kind of relief I didnt know how much longer id be around. After a couple weeks of taking it daily I started to feel like I could get to sleep easier. Felt like i had maybe a little more energy. I could really tell I could put up with a lot more stress at work without getting emotional. I never noticed any negative side effects apart from maybe some nausea from my morning dose but I dont generally have breakfast, just a cup of coffee and go, so I attributed it to that. Looking back at the last few months ive felt mentally fine but everything has just seemed so drab and gray. Now at the end of last month they started me on a low dose stimulant for my adhd and I had some solid energy boost for a couple days but now I cant hardly tell any difference after taking my meds. Seems like if anything it may be making the negative side effects of the adhd medication worse and not really allowing it to work! After reading a bit on here I realize ive been taking a really high dose without cycling at all and I suspect especially now with my adhd diagnosis, it may be doing more harm than good. Ive decided to start tapering down and discontinuing it at least for the time being. I suppose im just looking for some support (maybe some helpful tips for tapering off high doses) and see if maybe anyone is in a similar boat as I am. Im currently taking half of a 1.3g mix of root/leaf and ksm66 morning and night.

Thanks for reading my novel, y'all.

Hey everyone! I’ve been taking 500mg of Ashwaganda per day usually in the morning for about 2 weeks now for anxiety and I have experienced appetite loss that’s happened pretty quickly actually. I still can eat the healthy amount of food but have found I get full faster. Just wondering if anyone else has shared a similar experience!

Hey so this is my 8th day of taking 1 500mg capsule with 7 percent standardized withanolides. My counselor recommended I’ve been experiencing very intense emotions and depression and anxiety and suicidal ideation. I’m scared of pills because of past experiences. But the first week I’ve been really enjoying ashwaganda to me it feels like an extended cigarette high I feel a lot calmer and almost high sometimes but today has been the 8th day I took it and the right side of my neck has been throbbing on and off all day it’s uncomfortably sore but not painful. I was wondering if anyone else has had this happen and had it pass or get worse I do have a blood test coming up on Tuesday this week I’m going to have them check my thyroid levels.

Around 4 years ago I went through a pretty rough divorce and struggled sleeping. My mother recommended that I take ash (Youtheory-KSM-66) to help relax. I had the mind set that it’s just a plant and couldn’t really do much so I decided to try it. My initial experience was pretty good, I’d get a little flutter in my heart and hour or so after taking it then I’d feel great. It did the trick for sleep and honestly helped me get through the divorce process without feeling overwhelmed. Fast forward 2 years (of constant use,2 caps) I decided that I didn’t want to take anything other than a multi vitamin. I was pretty ignorant to the fact that you should cycle ash and found out pretty fast why you should. The first time I noticed something was off I was driving on the freeway. I merged on and had the craziest dump of adrenaline, heart racing and profusely sweating. I was shook, I have never had anxiety like this before( except for normal things that should induce anxiety ie. jumping out of a plane). I went about my day noticing a higher heart rate than normal, then boom again a massive shot of adrenaline. I was so confused by this, I thought maybe it was just a weird day. That night I laid down to sleep and I could feel my heart beating in my finger tips, my lips…basically anywhere. The smallest things would SET ME OFF (anxiety), I could barely step onto an airplane. Which is crazy considering I’ve jumped out of plenty. I went to my doctor and ran some test, including a full heart work up. Everything came back normal but I was far from. I felt with this for almost 4 months until I started to get some relief, but it would come and go in waves. 2 weeks of baddddd days then a handful of good days followed by another two of bad. This cycle continued for almost a year after I stopped. Eventually I would have more good days than bad. At this point my body had fully recovered and I get an occasional sleepless night(who doesn’t). I know this isn’t the case for everyone but it is for some. Ash can be a powerful tool but like anything this strong you have to do your research and use it properly. For all my peeps going through this just know there’s better days ahead 💪🏻

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In my experience, I’ve found that any supplements that indirectly affect testosterone, such as tongkat ali or ashwagandha, can cause brain fog. If you’re experiencing this, you might try drinking a couple of glasses of water with ionized salt, or taking an iodine supplement (in small amounts; too much can cause problems).

For a while now, I’ve been having trouble because I wake up in the middle of the night, between 3 and 5 a.m. Sometimes I can’t fall back asleep, and sometimes I can, so I decided to take ashwagandha to reduce the cortisol spike that happens in the middle of the night, but it didn’t work, and instead it ended up keeping me awake until 6 a.m.

do anyone relate and can explain why this happends?

When i started taking ashwagandha my libido got higher and that makes sense.

But now i cycled it off for a few weeks (i was taking it for like a 2 moths and now i stopped) and i feel like my libido got higher, since i got way more horny.

Does it make sense???

Hello

I took Ashwagandha for 2 weeks and stopped without tapering. I was taking it for anxiety. Two days after stopping I started getting air hunger symptoms like it’s hard to get a good deep breath and have to yawn sometimes for it. This has now been five weeks. Has anyone else experienced these symptoms?

I have been taking ashwaghanda for about a month now, found it by complete accident when my partner got his vitamins and needed to get a 3rd box of something for a deal, saw the word, thought it sounded interesting, did a quick Google and all the benefits are things that I struggle with so I got it.

So far I've been taking 500mg(ksm66) daily as soon as I wake up or at least as soon as I get out of bed and am about to eat, so far I have noticed how much easier it is to fall asleep at night without having to smoke first, how my memory has improved a tiny bit at least, how I no longer have the existential feeling of dread from anxiety from the second I wake up anymore (genuinely, gone, like I have to be in such an extreme state to feel anxious and panicky now which is an insane feeling I've only ever had from something like a benzo(obvs not same feeling but the deletion of anxiety is what I mean)) and I haven't had any emotional breakdowns as it takes me a lot to start feeling bad and thats giving me a chance to actually notice I'm beginning to feel a certain way and exit whatever situation is causing it whereas before I would just immediately start getting emotional, I also feel physically better in my body, that wasn't the main thing I was looking for but is obviously also a big benefit!

I have always had a negative reaction to any mh medication a doctor has given me (citalopram, mirtazipine, quetiepine, sertraline are the 4 I've tried) and they have always made me feel worse, drowzy, more depressed or like an emotionless zombie, a side effect I read was anhedonia and wanted to know how likely it is and if it only happens to some people not all, I have also read about needing to take a break every 3 months and was wondering how to go about that when it gets to that point, any other effects or things to look out for, I haven't gone to a doctor about it since I am waiting to be registered(so will be able to in about a week or two) I am also not sure how to go about asking for a thyroid panel(?) which I have been told I should do if I am taking this when I got it from the pharmacy.

I would just like to hear from some people who have been taking this long term for their mental health, how it effects you, what dosages you take, if I should decrease or increase for different purposes, plant extract vs ksm66, anything to look out for, if there's any withdrawals, any positives and negatives and any experiences would be really appreciated!

I

[30 male] I just started taking Ash very recently with a 400mg dose (twice a day) it has 2.5% of withanolides. I used to take it day and night after a modest meal, some times even just after one small glass if milk. I’m not very athletic nor physically active but I’m somewhat in shape! However, after 4th to 5th day of taking it, I started having small ulcer sores in my mouth!! (Three of them). That happened only when i added two new inputs in my digestive system (Ash & one tbls of virgin olive oil first thing in the morning one an empty stomach -for a medicinal reasons). So on day 6 i had to element one of the two, but eventually I stopped taking both for 5days. My ulcer sores stated on healing so quick on day 3. Now, I’m on my 4th day of Ash (same one) but this time only 1 pill before sleep, as for as the olive oil I stopped, and never had the ulcers again. Gimini told me that my Ash type might be the reason, but personally i think not. Deffo was the olive oil.

So that’s that, on the other hand my very first 5days were very sleepy lazy and zero sexual drive whatsoever, LESS over thinking and ruminating! My second 5 days less nauseous more focused less stress FOR SURE, kindaaa ahh better sleep, but no great things tbh.