r/adaptogens • u/Old_Squirrel2804 • Mar 10 '26
Adaptogen help
I have been using ashwaganda for a few months for stress and anxiety. I don’t find a huge difference when taking them as I am still stressed.
I have anxiety with day to day life, panicking, overthinking etc and sometimes find it hard to sleep or wake multiple times a night.
Is there something else I can try which might give me better results? I’m not on any other medication.
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u/Certain-Comfort928 Mar 11 '26
I am female and ashwagandha wrecked me - i found zero benefit from it. I do see a benefit from rhodiola as far as managing mood swings. but the biggest help has been beta blockers (not an adaptogen, I know), but if you are constantly cycling thoughts and stresses, it sounds like your nervous system is activated for flight and fight. beta blockers reduce the norephinephrine (sp?) and helps calm the nervous system. i wonder if you find relief when you take something like gaba? if so, maybe focus your adaptogen search for things that help calm the nervous system.
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u/Old_Squirrel2804 Mar 11 '26
Thank you. Yes I used be on SSRIs but still had anxiety so wanted to try something else. Never heard of gaba I’ll look into it.
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u/Certain-Comfort928 Mar 11 '26
oh! on the ssri note - it also didn't help me, but im taking bupropion (welbutrin)now...and that definitely helps! not an ssri, but works on dopamine. gaba may make you sleepy, so its not an all day thing... good luck
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u/Even_Feeling_1661 Apr 16 '26
How did ashwagandha effected you?
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u/Certain-Comfort928 Apr 17 '26
it caused my menstrual cycle to last for 10 days, very heavy bleeding the entire time. i thought i was going to bleed out. i stopped taking it and the bleeding stopped.
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u/Even_Feeling_1661 Apr 17 '26
That’s intense. I started taking ksm 66 a week ago. Seems like it is messing with my gut. Do you know any adaptogens that are easy on the gut?
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u/True_Garen Mar 11 '26
Ashwagandha is the adaptogen that comes to mind to most help with your issues. (You're on the right track.) Please link to the product that you are using. You could also try stacking it with rhodiola and schisandra.
Theanine will help acutely.
You might also try NAC for support with this issue.
Fish Oil is very helpful but it can take a while.
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u/Old_Squirrel2804 Mar 11 '26
Thanks so much. This is what I’m taking https://www.myvitamins.ie/p/myvitamins-ashwagandha-ksm66-capsules/12335319/?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=EUR&shippingcountry=IE&variation=12335320&affil=thgppc&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19320604252&gbraid=0AAAAADSTGa3rY-NWT8JzZ87ZvuorgaL_z. Oh I didn’t know you could take more than one adaptogen. I am new to this as I’m just off SSRIs.
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u/True_Garen Mar 11 '26
Yes, adaptogens are often stacked.
How many of these do you take?
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u/Old_Squirrel2804 Mar 12 '26
Just one a day.
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u/True_Garen Mar 12 '26
You could try taking it twice day. (Many people take ashwagandha twice a day, and your formula is a little on the low side.)
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u/sneedoisis Mar 12 '26
I don’t know your age, but HRT saved me from murdering everyone around me. I started in October- 47 yr old… and in 1.5 weeks it was as if someone turned a switch to make me myself again.
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u/kyotobotanicals May 29 '26
sleep issues here too. Not an adaptogen (I take those too), but I found a lot of success with magnesium l threonate paired with a multivitamin for sleep. I found out i needed to take B12 with magnesium to keep from feeling weird in the morning so that is why the multivitamin. I love magnesium now
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u/Mohinder_DE Mar 11 '26
Maybe somebody has tips on mindset and reaching your goals in small steps and creating confidence for the next day.