PlainPill

Ashwagandha vs Gotu Kola for anxiety

Short answer: For anxiety, more users report improvement with Gotu Kola — 94% of 34 reports, versus 88% of 881 for Ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha has 48 meta-analyses and 59 randomized trials on PubMed; Gotu Kola has 2 and 4.

Based on 2,447 reports about Ashwagandha and 228 about Gotu Kola. Not medical advice.

Ashwagandha
Supplement
Gotu Kola
Supplement
Users say it helped44%helped1,321 reports · high confidence70%helped68 reports · medium confidence
Verdict
Mixed
Mostly positive
ResearchAResearch: StrongBResearch: Moderate
Meta-analyses / RCTs48 / 592 / 4
Mainly used for
Anxiety
% reporting improvement
88% (881)94% (34)
Mood
% reporting improvement
53% (446)86% (7)
Sleep
% reporting improvement
77% (233)79% (24)
Energy
% reporting improvement
53% (125)88% (8)
Libido
% reporting improvement
62% (127)—
Common side effectsanhedonia, drowsiness, fatigue, depressionfatigue, vivid dreams, drowsiness, part of
Typical dose reported800-1600 mg / after dinner950 mg / daily
Ashwagandha
Latest review conclusion

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 ↗
What a user said
“I paired it with maca and ashwaganda and it legit felt like a steroid cycle.”
Full Ashwagandha profile →
Gotu Kola
Latest review conclusion

This article presents a modern perspective on the herbs available in the ancient Indian medicine system as well as their possible mechanisms of action for AD treatment. The main objective of this research is to provide a systematic review of herbal drugs that are easily accessible and effective for the treatment of AD.

Curr Neuropharmacol, 2023 ↗
What a user said
“It makes me feel very relaxed, and if I take a strong dose I fall asleep within minutes, despite the fact that I normally get insomnia. It also fights anxiety effectively.”
Full Gotu Kola profile →

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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