Ashwagandha vs Ayahuasca for mood
Short answer: For mood, more users report improvement with Ayahuasca — 100% of 5 reports, versus 53% of 446 for Ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha has 48 meta-analyses and 59 randomized trials on PubMed; Ayahuasca has 60 and 28.
Based on 2,447 reports about Ashwagandha and 16 about Ayahuasca. Not medical advice.
| Ashwagandha Supplement | Ayahuasca Substance | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 44%helped1,321 reports · high confidence | 63%helped8 reports · few reports |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mostly positive |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 48 / 59 | 60 / 28 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 88% (881) | — |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 53% (446) | 100% (5) |
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 77% (233) | — |
| Libido % reporting improvement | 62% (127) | — |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 53% (125) | — |
| Common side effects | anhedonia, drowsiness, fatigue, depression | None reported |
| Typical dose reported | 800-1600 mg / after dinner | — |
The current systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs revealed a beneficial effect in both stress and anxiety following Ashwagandha supplementation. However, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plant.
Phytother Res, 2022 ↗“I paired it with maca and ashwaganda and it legit felt like a steroid cycle.”
Nearly a third of the articles reported that no participants reported lasting adverse effects. Our analyses suggest that psychedelics reduce negative mood, and have potential efficacy in other mental disorders, such as substance-use disorders and PTSD.
Psychiatry Res, 2024 ↗“I just did my first one about a month ago. It was extremely challenging but helped me face some deep pain and came out the other side cleansed.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate