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What medications does ashwagandha interact with?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 12, 2026

Ashwagandha, because it seems to make the immune system more active, could also interfere with drugs that suppress the immune system. Examples of these drugs include cyclosporine, mycophenolate, tacrolimus, prednisone, and corticosteroids. Ashwagandha might make people drowsy or sleepy.

What medications should not be taken with ashwagandha?

If you take any drugs or supplements regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using ashwagandha supplements. They could interact with sedatives, blood thinners, thyroid supplements, drugs that suppress the immune system, and drugs for anxiety, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Does ashwagandha interact with any medications?

Ashwagandha has no known serious interactions with any drugs. Ashwagandha has no known moderate interactions with any drugs.

What are the dangers of taking ashwagandha?

People can usually tolerate ashwagandha in small-to-medium doses. However, there have not been enough long-term studies to fully examine the possible side effects. Taking large amounts of ashwagandha can lead to digestive upset, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. This may be due to irritation of the intestinal mucosa.

Does ashwagandha affect the heart?

Ashwagandha-categorised as Rasayanas, and described to promote health and longevity and Arjuna primarily for heart ailments. coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypercholesterolemia, anginal pain and can be considered as a useful drug for coronary artery disease, hypertension and ischemic cardiomyopathy.

26 related questions found

Can ashwagandha cause high blood pressure?

Ashwagandha might lower blood pressure. Taking ashwagandha along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.

Can you take ashwagandha with anxiety medication?

Ashwagandha: This cornerstone herb of Ayurvedic medicine is thought to potentially decrease anxiety and stress and improve sleep. However, it may worsen the sedative effects of benzodiazepines.

Can you take ashwagandha and antidepressants?

Finally, you should consult your healthcare provider before taking ashwagandha if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking immunosuppressants, sedatives, antidepressants, or other medications ( 12 ). Ashwagandha is generally safe for most people.

Can I take ashwagandha and levothyroxine together?

Interactions between your drugs

No interactions were found between ashwaganda and levothyroxine. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Can ashwagandha cause anxiety?

Ashwagandha, for example, may increase thyroid hormone levels, which could cause fatigue, anxiety, shortness of breath and other problems.

Does ashwagandha affect serotonin?

In preclinical studies, ashwagandha can also influence GABAergic and serotonin activity,[8,43] which have antidepressant and anxiolytic effects.

Does ashwagandha increase estrogen?

SUMMARY. Ashwagandha may safely increase your levels of oestrogen, in turn lowering your FSH and LH back to a more comfortable level. This could help to relieve symptoms such as hot flashes and depression.

Can ashwagandha cause thyroid problems?

That said, ashwagandha may exacerbate hyperthyroidism symptoms by boosting T3 and T4 levels, potentially leading to a serious form of hyperthyroidism called thyrotoxicosis ( 15 , 16). Thyrotoxicosis occurs when your body has extremely high levels of circulating thyroid hormones but low levels of TSH ( 15 , 16).

Can I take ashwagandha while on Synthroid?

No interactions were found between ashwaganda and Synthroid.

What supplements should not be taken with thyroid medication?

“You should also avoid any drugs or supplements that contain iron, calcium, or magnesium for at least four hours after taking your thyroid medications,” says Dr. Jaiswal. That also includes multivitamins that contain these minerals.

Does ashwagandha interact with Xanax?

Taking ashwagandha along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness. Some of these sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), flurazepam (Dalmane), midazolam (Versed), and others.

Can you take ashwagandha with HRT?

If hot flushes and insomnia have been brought under greater control by HRT treatments, Ashwagandha, taken in the form of capsules or an infusion, reinforces this effect by helping to promote serenity and deepen sleep by reducing the amount of cortisol produced by the body.

Can you take ashwagandha while on Prozac?

No interactions were found between ashwaganda and Prozac.

Do I take ashwagandha in the morning or night?

Do I Take Ashwagandha in the Morning or at Night? Because this multifaceted herb has numerous benefits for mind and body, it can be taken morning or night — but, Ashwagandha's potent relaxation and sleep-enhancing benefits make it perfect for consuming before bed (enter FOCL Night).

Does ashwagandha help blood pressure?

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb, which not only lowers your blood pressure but also reduces inflammation and stress.

Does ashwagandha make you gain weight?

Can ashwagandha make you gain weight? Ashwagandha is unlikely to make you gain weight.

Is it OK to take ashwagandha everyday?

Yes, taking ashwagandha daily is safe, but people should never take it beyond the recommended doses or periods. Ashwagandha may have contaminates, such as dirt and heavy metals, so processing it to get its purest form is necessary.

Does ashwagandha increase size?

To Enhance Muscle Growth and Strength

In another study in men, 600 mg of ashwagandha per day for eight weeks led to a 1.5–1.7 times larger increase in muscle strength and 1.6–2.3 times higher increase in muscle size, compared to a placebo ( 11 ).

Does ashwagandha increase thyroid hormone?

Since ashwagandha may increase levels of thyroid hormones, it's not suggested for patients with hyperthyroidism who are already overproducing T3 and T4 (Sharma, 2018).

Is ashwagandha safe for autoimmune disease?

Why is ashwagandha not advisable for people with autoimmune disorders? In people with autoimmune disorders, the immune system is already overactive. Because ashwagandha can stimulate the immune system, it can rev up your immune system even more, and that can be harmful.