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What is IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66?
IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66 is a capsule supplement based on a dry ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera), standardised to 5% withanolides. The bottle holds 60 capsules for a net weight of 36 g, which is two months of use at one capsule a day.
Ashwagandha is a plant from traditional Indian medicine, grown mainly in India and in Rajasthan. Its Sanskrit name literally means “smell of horse”, in reference to that of its fresh root. It is this root, and not the leaves, that is used here — the distinction matters, as the two parts of the plant have neither the same composition nor the same regulatory framework.
The mention KSM-66 denotes a standardised root extract produced by a specialist Indian supplier. “Standardised to 5% withanolides” means that the concentration of withanolides — the plant's characteristic compounds — is guaranteed to be consistent from one batch to the next. That is genuine quality information: a raw root powder offers no guarantee of the kind. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our ashwagandha section.
What does one Ashwagandha KSM-66 capsule contain?
| Composition | Per capsule (daily serving) | % NRV |
|---|---|---|
| Dry ashwagandha root extract KSM-66 | Amount not published by the manufacturer | Not established |
| of which withanolides | 5% of the extract (standardisation) | Not established |
| Bulking agent | Maltodextrin | |
| Shell | Gelatine capsule | |
| Anti-caking agent | Magnesium salts of fatty acids | |
| Pack size | 60 capsules, net weight 36 g, that is two months of use | |
One figure is missing, and it is the most important one: the manufacturer publishes the standardisation at 5% withanolides, but not the amount of extract per capsule. We will not invent it and we will not deduce it from the net weight, which includes the maltodextrin, the shell and the anti-caking agent. Without that value it is impossible to compare this product precisely with another extract on the market. The label on the bottle you receive is the only reliable source on this point, and that is where to look.
What can be said, on the other hand, is what the standardisation is worth. An extract standardised to 5% withanolides is a serious extract: it is the reference level for this plant, and it guarantees a consistency that raw root powders — often cheaper — never provide. You know that each capsule resembles the last, which is the basic condition for a two-month course.
On the regulatory side, we have to be blunt: no health claim is authorised in Europe for ashwagandha. Not for stress, not for tiredness, not for sleep, not for mental balance, not for performance. The term “adaptogen” itself has no European regulatory standing. A great deal is written about this plant; none of it can appear on a French product page, and we will not be writing any of it.
If your concern is tiredness, be aware that there are ingredients for which claims genuinely are authorised: magnesium and vitamin B6 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are validated wordings, and you will find them in our magnesium and vitamin B sections.
Ingredients list
KSM-66 (dry ashwagandha root extract, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal), maltodextrin, capsule (GELATINE), anti-caking agent (magnesium salts of fatty acids).
May contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, SULPHITES, FISH and SOYA.
How do you take Ashwagandha KSM-66?
Serving: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: with a meal, morning or evening depending on your routine. Frequency: one serving a day, never more. Duration: 4 to 6 weeks minimum, 2 to 3 months for a full course.
Taking it with a meal is the only technical instruction on this page, and it is justified. A concentrated plant extract goes down better with food than on an empty stomach, and the presence of fat in the meal favours the absorption of the plant's lipophilic compounds. An extract swallowed on an empty stomach is not dangerous, it is simply less well used and sometimes less well tolerated.
Morning or evening: the manufacturer leaves the choice open. In practice, pick the moment you are sure of keeping to every day for two months. A product taken irregularly allows no conclusion at all, and that is where most courses fail — not on the dosage.
The manufacturer puts the minimum at 4 to 6 weeks and the full course at between 2 and 3 months. A 60-capsule bottle covers exactly two months: that is consistent, and it means one bottle equals one course. Do not run courses back to back indefinitely without speaking to a healthcare professional — we explain why just below.
The product does not combine with anything in particular, and that is for the best: introduce it on its own, without changing anything else at the same time. If you are already taking a ZMA or melatonin, wait a fortnight before adding anything, otherwise you will never know what is producing what.
Who is ashwagandha for, and who is it not for?
It is aimed at a healthy adult who wants to try a properly standardised plant extract, in one simple daily serving. It is the most convenient format in the category: one capsule, one meal, two months.
The contraindications here are specific and they should be read before buying. The manufacturer advises against the product for pregnant and breastfeeding women without medical advice, requires a compulsory medical consultation in case of hyperthyroidism, and asks that you avoid combining it with sedatives without medical supervision. The product should be kept out of reach of children.
One further element is worth knowing, and it comes from a French authority rather than from the manufacturer. In 2024, ANSES published an opinion on food supplements containing ashwagandha and called for vigilance, notably because of cases of liver damage reported to the nutrivigilance scheme. The agency recommends avoiding the consumption of these supplements in pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, and people with a liver or thyroid condition. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health; it is a reason to respect the dose, not to run courses back to back without advice, and to seek medical advice at the slightest unusual sign.
The capsule is made of gelatine: this product suits neither vegetarians nor vegans. It may also contain traces of gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, sulphites, fish and soya.
What you should not expect from it: it is neither a sleeping pill, nor an anxiolytic, nor a treatment. Anxiety that takes hold, lastingly disturbed sleep or unexplained tiredness are matters for a doctor, who will make a diagnosis where a capsule will do nothing. Nor is it a sports performance product.
Ashwagandha or magnesium, which should you choose?
The two cross paths in the same baskets, and one of them is regulated where the other is not.
Magnesium is a mineral with a defined nutrient reference value and several authorised claims, including its contribution to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Dietary magnesium intakes are frequently insufficient in France, which gives supplementation a clear basis. It is also the cheaper of the two, and the one whose contraindications are the lightest.
Ashwagandha belongs to another category: a concentrated plant extract, with no authorised claim, with real contraindications and a vigilance opinion from a health agency. It makes sense if it is this particular plant that interests you, with full awareness of the facts, and if none of the situations listed above applies to you.
Our advice over the counter is consistent: start with magnesium, on its own, for a month. If the need persists, ashwagandha can come afterwards. Introducing both on the same day will teach you nothing, and stacking a ZMA, a multivitamin complex and a plant extract is expensive for zero information.
Frequently asked questions
What does “standardised to 5% withanolides” mean?
That the concentration of withanolides, the root's characteristic compounds, is guaranteed to be consistent from one batch to the next. It is the reference level for this plant and a genuine mark of regularity, which raw root powders do not offer. It says nothing, however, about the amount of extract per capsule.
How much extract is there per capsule?
The manufacturer does not publish it, and we are not going to guess. The net weight of 36 g for 60 capsules includes the maltodextrin, the shell and the anti-caking agent, and therefore allows no calculation. The label on the bottle you receive is the only reference.
Should it be taken in the morning or in the evening?
The manufacturer leaves the choice open, the only firm instruction being to take it with a meal. Settle on the moment you will keep to every day for two months: regularity counts for far more than the exact hour with this kind of course.
What does ANSES say about ashwagandha?
In an opinion published in 2024, the agency called for vigilance over supplements containing this plant, notably because of reported cases of liver damage. It advises against their consumption by pregnant and breastfeeding women, by children and adolescents, and by people with a liver or thyroid condition.
Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?
No. The shell is made of gelatine, of animal origin. It is a common limitation across this range and there is no plant-based version of this particular product.
How long does one bottle last?
Two months exactly: 60 capsules, one a day. That matches the full course suggested by the manufacturer, who puts the minimum at four to six weeks. One bottle therefore equals one course, which keeps the arithmetic simple.
Can it be combined with a sleeping pill or a sedative?
Not without medical supervision: the manufacturer explicitly asks that you avoid combining it with sedatives. If you are on treatment of that kind, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist before the purchase, not after opening the bottle.
Where can you buy IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66?
The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship all over France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product in front of which we take the time to explain what the regulations forbid us from promising: customers often arrive with expectations formed elsewhere, and it is better to reset them before the purchase than after. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.
What is Nutriting's nuAshwagandha KSM-66?
Nutriting nuAshwagandha is an organic ashwagandha root extract in vegetable capsules. One capsule provides 300 mg of KSM-66® extract, standardised to 5% withanolides, i.e. 15 mg per capsule. The 60-capsule bottle covers one to two months depending on the dose you settle on.
Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera, is a plant from the Ayurvedic tradition, grown mainly in India. It is its withanolides, a family of molecules specific to the plant, that supplement manufacturers are interested in — and it is their content, never the gross weight of the extract, that lets you compare two products.
Two features set this product apart in a very crowded category: it uses the root only, and extraction is done with water, without any chemical solvent. Many extracts on the market blend root and leaves, which is not equivalent. The rest of the French range can be browsed in our Nutriting section, and the other products in the category in our ashwagandha section.
What does one nuAshwagandha capsule contain?
| Composition | Per capsule | Per 2 capsules |
|---|---|---|
| KSM-66® ashwagandha root extract | 300 mg | 600 mg |
| of which withanolides | 15 mg (5% standardisation) | 30 mg |
| Bulking agent | Organic acacia fibre | |
| Shell | Vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) | |
| Pack size | 60 capsules, i.e. one to two months of use | |
The figure to remember is not 300 mg but 15 mg: that is the amount of withanolides, and it is the only line that can be compared from one product to another. An extract standardised to 1.5% — common on the market — would have to weigh 1,000 mg to provide as much. So when you compare two ashwagandhas, set the milligrams of withanolides side by side, never the weight of the extract.
Second point, and it determines the dose to go for: the published work on this patented extract most often uses 600 mg a day. That corresponds to two capsules, not one. If you want to place yourself under the conditions of those protocols, two capsules are what you need to take, and the bottle then covers one month. The manufacturer leaves the choice between one and two, which is honest, but you may as well know what each option represents.
On the regulatory side, we should be clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for ashwagandha. Not on stress, not on sleep, not on fatigue, not on performance. The dossiers submitted came to nothing. So we describe a plant, a standardised extract and directions for use, without announcing any result — which is very different from what you will read on most sites in this category.
The process deserves to be spelled out because it is genuinely distinctive. Extraction is entirely water-based: water, and nothing else. Many plant extracts go through organic solvents, traces of which can remain. The root, moreover, comes from organic farming, hand-harvested in Rajasthan, naturally dried, then extracted and packed in France. The bulking agent is an organic acacia fibre, and the capsule is vegetable: the formula is therefore suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.
List of ingredients
Organic KSM-66® ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera L.) standardised to 5% withanolides, vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), bulking agent: organic acacia fibre.
No declared allergens. GMO-free, gluten-free, free from artificial additives. Traces are possible depending on manufacturing conditions.
How should you take nuAshwagandha?
Dose: 1 capsule in the first week, then 1 to 2 depending on your tolerance. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: with a meal; morning or evening depending on the use you have in mind. Frequency: one to two servings a day. Duration: one to two months minimum, repeatable.
Start with one capsule for a week before moving to two. The manufacturer recommends it, and it is good advice: it lets you gauge your digestive tolerance, as ashwagandha causes passing discomfort in some people during the first few days. Taking it with a meal, incidentally, settles most of those inconveniences.
The time of day depends on what you are looking for. The morning, if you are after support across the day; the evening, if your concern is rather the end of the day. There is no absolute rule, and many users split one capsule in the morning and one in the evening when they are on two a day.
Duration matters more than timing. One to two months minimum: that is the period the manufacturer settles on, and it is consistent with this type of plant. Judging after a week makes no sense, and yet it is the most common mistake in this category. The 60-capsule bottle covers exactly one month at two capsules, or two months at just one.
Nothing replaces, alongside this, regular sleep and moderate physical activity — the manufacturer points it out himself, and that is more honest than most of the talk in this category. This plant combines without overlap with a maca or a spirulina, which rest on other foundations.
Who is nuAshwagandha for, and who is it not for?
It is aimed at an adult who wants to try this plant with a standardised, organic and traceable extract, rather than a root powder whose active content nobody knows. It is a clean product, and the transparency about origin and process is real.
The contraindications are serious and you need to read them before buying, not after. The product is not recommended for people suffering from hyperthyroidism or with a family history of thyroid disease. It is not recommended if you are on antidepressant or thyroid medication without the advice of a healthcare professional. It is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women without medical advice, and is for adults only.
The French national food safety agency has, moreover, published an opinion calling for vigilance over ashwagandha, flagging in particular cases of liver damage and thyroid interactions. It recommends caution for pregnant and breastfeeding women, minors, and people with a liver or thyroid condition. That is not a reason not to sell the product, it is a reason to sell it while saying so.
What you should not expect from it. No claim exists in Europe for this plant, neither on stress nor on sleep. It does not build muscle, does not make you lose weight and does not improve performance. Above all, it replaces no treatment: anxiety that persists, established insomnia or lasting exhaustion are matters for a doctor, and a food supplement will not answer them.
Ashwagandha or magnesium?
This is the most useful comparison in the category, and it goes in favour of the second more often than people think.
Magnesium has a decisive advantage: it has authorised claims. Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to normal psychological function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are the official wordings, and no plant in this category has any. It costs less, it is taken without major contraindications, and shortfalls in intake are common in everyday diets. Our magnesium section is therefore the place to start.
Ashwagandha follows a different logic: it is a plant of traditional use, with a patented and standardised extract, taken in full awareness of that. Its appeal lies in the quality of the raw material — here, root only, water extraction, organic, 5% withanolides — not in efficacy demonstrated in the regulatory sense.
In which case is neither the answer? If your problem is falling asleep, melatonin is the only molecule in this catalogue with a claim on the time it takes to fall asleep, which puts it in a class of its own. And if you are already taking a ZMA in the evening, check its composition before stacking: these products often overlap, and our GABA section offers yet another route.
Frequently asked questions
How many withanolides per capsule?
15 mg, for 300 mg of extract standardised to 5%. It is the only line that can be compared from one product to another: an extract standardised to 1.5% would have to weigh 1,000 mg to provide as much. Never compare the gross weight of the extract, compare the withanolides.
One or two capsules a day?
The published work on this patented extract most often uses 600 mg a day, which corresponds to two capsules. Even so, start with one for a week, as the manufacturer recommends, to gauge your tolerance before increasing.
Morning or evening?
Both are possible and the manufacturer leaves the choice open. The morning for support across the day, the evening for the end of the day. On two capsules, many users take one in the morning and one in the evening. In every case, take it with a meal.
Are there any contraindications?
Yes, and they are serious. The product is not recommended in cases of hyperthyroidism or a family history of thyroid disease, on antidepressant or thyroid medication, and for pregnant or breastfeeding women without medical advice. The national food safety agency also calls for vigilance where the liver is concerned.
What does water extraction bring?
It avoids any chemical solvent, traces of which can remain in some plant extracts. It is a more costly choice of process, combined here with an organic root hand-harvested in Rajasthan and naturally dried, with extraction and packing taking place in France.
Root only, or root and leaves?
This extract is obtained from the root alone. Many products on the market blend root and leaves, which gives a different composition profile for a sometimes identical stated standardisation. It is a point of comparison that few product pages mention.
Are the capsules suitable for vegans?
Yes. The shell is a vegetable capsule made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and the bulking agent is an organic acacia fibre. The manufacturer declares the absence of GMOs, gluten and artificial additives, as well as no allergens in the composition.
Where can you buy Nutriting's nuAshwagandha?
The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is a product we are glad to sell for the quality of its raw material, but never without asking one question: do you have a thyroid problem, in your family or yourself? With this plant, the answer changes everything. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.
What is TrainedByJP Ashwagandha KSM-66?
TrainedByJP Ashwagandha KSM-66 is a supplement in vegetable capsules providing 600 mg of ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera) per capsule, standardised to 5% withanolides, i.e. 30 mg of withanolides per serving. The formula pairs this extract with whole-plant powder, the amount of which is not published.
Ashwagandha is a plant from the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, long used in the form of dried root. KSM-66® is a raw-material brand, not a variety: it denotes an extract obtained through a water-based process, with no chemical solvent, standardised for its withanolide content. What the patent guarantees is the consistency of the assay from one batch to the next — no small thing for a plant extract, where the content of a raw root varies threefold depending on where it comes from. The rest of the range is in our TrainedByJP section.
The number of capsules per bottle is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us. The packaging you receive carries it.
What does one Ashwagandha KSM-66 capsule contain?
| Composition | Per capsule | Standardisation |
|---|---|---|
| Ashwagandha root extract KSM-66® (Withania somnifera) | 600 mg | 5% withanolides |
| of which withanolides | 30 mg | — |
| Ashwagandha powder, whole plant | amount not disclosed | — |
| Shell | Vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) | |
| Anti-caking agent | Magnesium stearate | |
No nutrient reference value exists for withanolides.
600 mg of extract standardised to 5% is the benchmark dose for this category, and it is the one that recurs across most of the published protocols on the KSM-66® raw material. Plenty of competing products stop at 300 mg, or state 600 mg of root powder — which is an entirely different thing. The distinction matters: 600 mg of dried root powder delivers a few milligrams of withanolides, whereas 600 mg of extract standardised to 5% delivers 30. When you compare two bottles, compare the standardisation, never the weight on the label.
The presence of whole-plant powder alongside the extract deserves a comment. It adds non-standardised plant material whose contribution in withanolides is unknown, since the amount is not published. This is neither a flaw nor an advantage: it is simply a part of the capsule about which we can assert nothing.
A regulatory clarification is essential here: no health claim is authorised in Europe for ashwagandha. Not for stress, not for sleep, not for cortisol, not for recovery, not for strength. The previous description on this page announced a “reduction in cortisol” and an “improvement in resistance to stress”: those wordings were not compliant and have been removed. It also stated that the extraction process “removes withaferin A”, something we cannot verify and will therefore not repeat.
Ingredients list
Ashwagandha root extract KSM-66® (Withania somnifera), ashwagandha powder (whole plant), vegetable capsule shell (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). May contain traces of MILK, EGG, GLUTEN, SOYA and NUTS through cross-contamination at the factory. The manufacturer states no gluten-free certification.
How do you take Ashwagandha KSM-66?
Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water, 250 ml. Timing: with a meal — in the evening if you are after relaxation, in the morning if you want everyday background use, after training if recovery is what interests you. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of at least three months, followed by a two-week break.
Always take it at the same time of day. That is the most useful piece of advice on this type of extract: the expected effects, if there are any, are gradual and build over several weeks. The manufacturer itself indicates that the first changes generally appear between six and twelve weeks. Irregular use makes any assessment impossible.
A meal improves tolerance. Ashwagandha on an empty stomach causes digestive discomfort in some users — nothing serious, but enough to put them off. One capsule with dinner settles the matter, and coincides with the slot people most often choose.
It combines without difficulty with magnesium in the evening or with a ZMA. That said, if you start several “evening” products at the same time, you will never know which one is doing anything: introduce them one at a time, a fortnight apart.
Do observe the two-week break after three months. With a standardised plant extract, a periodic interruption remains the most sensible approach, and it lets you check whether stopping changes anything — which is the only honest way to assess a product that carries no authorised claim.
Who is this ashwagandha for, and who is it not for?
It is aimed at an adult who wants to try a standardised, transparent extract, with a raw material whose assay is consistent. The capsule is vegetable, which makes it compatible with a vegetarian or vegan diet.
The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as for children and adolescents. It also asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional if you are on any treatment acting on the central nervous system, the thyroid or the immune system. That last mention is not a turn of phrase: ashwagandha is regularly associated with variations in thyroid parameters, and if you are being monitored for a thyroid condition, the question is one for your doctor before you buy.
One more point has to be added, one the manufacturer does not mention and that a French buyer should know: ANSES has published an opinion on food supplements containing ashwagandha and reported cases of liver damage and thyroid disorders, recommending that several groups avoid these products, among them pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with liver or thyroid disease. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health; it is a reason not to keep going indefinitely and to seek advice at the slightest unusual sign.
What not to expect from it: it is not an anxiolytic, it is not a sleeping pill, and it is not a treatment. No food supplement is. Nor is it a product whose effect you feel as you take it, contrary to what many people hope: if something does change, it shows over several weeks, not within the hour. Fatigue or anxiety that persists calls for a medical consultation, not a bottle of capsules.
Ashwagandha or melatonin if the problem is sleep?
The question comes up constantly, and the answer is in no way ambiguous.
Melatonin holds a health claim authorised in Europe: it contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, at 1 mg taken just before bedtime. It is the only ingredient in this family to have passed the EFSA assessment. So it is the better choice if your problem is specifically falling asleep, if you are shifting your hours, or if you want a product whose expected effect is documented and immediate.
Ashwagandha does not play on that ground and cannot legally lay claim to it. Its use follows the logic of a course lasting several months, not a one-off serving before bed. It is the choice of someone going through a demanding period who accepts the idea of trying a standardised plant extract, without guarantees and over time.
If you would rather have a single amino acid taken in the evening, our GABA section offers another approach, also without an authorised claim. And if your sleep has been deteriorating since you started training late, look at your pre-workout before buying anything at all: in many cases the cause is there and the solution is free.
Frequently asked questions
How much withanolide is there per capsule?
30 mg, i.e. 5% of the 600 mg of extract. That is the figure to compare from one product to the next, not the extract weight shown on the label. A product stating 600 mg of root powder with no standardisation provides only a few milligrams of withanolides.
When should it be taken?
With a meal, at a fixed time. The manufacturer describes three possible slots depending on your goal: the evening for relaxation, the morning for everyday background use, after training for recovery. What matters more than the slot is regularity over several weeks.
How long before you can judge?
The manufacturer indicates six to twelve weeks for the first changes, and recommends a course of at least three months. In other words, a trial of a fortnight or so supports no conclusion at all. That is also what makes this product a poor fit for anyone looking for an immediate effect.
Should you take a break between courses?
Yes, the manufacturer recommends two weeks off after three months of continuous use. That is a sensible practice with a standardised plant extract, and it is also the best way to judge honestly what the product is doing for you: if stopping changes nothing, the question is worth asking.
Is the capsule suitable for vegans?
Yes. The shell is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of plant origin, and both active ingredients come from the same plant. The point to watch is the declared manufacturing traces — milk, egg, gluten, soya and nuts — which come from the factory and not from the formula.
Can it be taken alongside thyroid medication?
Not without medical advice. The manufacturer explicitly asks you to seek advice if you are on any treatment acting on the thyroid, and ANSES has reported cases of thyroid disorders associated with these supplements. If you are taking medication of that kind, the question is one for your doctor before you buy, not after.
Is the product gluten-free?
The manufacturer does not state that it is and claims no certification to that effect. On the contrary, it flags possible traces of gluten through cross-contamination at the factory. For a serious intolerance or coeliac disease, this product is therefore not indicated.
Where can you buy TrainedByJP Ashwagandha KSM-66?
The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell by saying first of all how long it takes before you can think anything of it: three months, not three days. Those who buy it knowing that are rarely disappointed; the others give up after a fortnight. Other plant extracts can be compared in our ashwagandha section.
Qu'est-ce que l'Evogen KSM-66 Ashwagandha ?
C'est la gélule d'ashwagandha d'Evogen, la marque de Hany Rambod. Une gélule végétale apporte 600 mg d'extrait de racine d'ashwagandha KSM-66® (Withania somnifera). Le flacon en contient 60, soit deux mois à raison d'une par jour.
Ce qui distingue cette référence tient en deux points d'étiquette. Le premier est le KSM-66® : une matière première sous licence, nommée sur le flacon, obtenue à partir de la racine seule — et non d'un mélange racine et feuilles, comme c'est souvent le cas sur ce rayon. Le second est la simplicité de la liste : hypromellose pour la gélule, farine de riz, silice et stéarate de magnésium, et rien d'autre.
La gélule est végétale, ce qui rend le produit compatible avec une alimentation végétarienne.
Pourquoi la matière première compte sur cette plante
L'ashwagandha est l'un des rayons où l'écart entre deux produits est le plus grand, parce que l'étiquette n'est pas toujours explicite sur deux points.
Le premier est la partie de plante utilisée. Racine, feuille, ou mélange des deux : la composition n'est pas la même, et seuls certains extraits précisent lequel. Le KSM-66® est un extrait de racine, et c'est écrit.
Le second est le degré de concentration de l'extrait, qui détermine ce que pèsent réellement 600 mg. Un ingrédient sous licence apporte ici une information vérifiable, là où un « extrait d'ashwagandha » générique n'en donne aucune.
Notre rayon ashwagandha regroupe les autres références disponibles, avec leurs matières premières respectives.
À qui s'adresse-t-elle, et à qui non
L'étiquette signale par ailleurs une fabrication dans un atelier qui traite également lait, poisson, crustacés, fruits à coque, blé, arachide, soja et sésame.
Ces mentions ne sont pas des formules de style : sur une plante, le passage par votre médecin est la bonne démarche si vous suivez un traitement.
Questions fréquentes
Quel dosage par gélule ?
600 mg d'extrait de racine d'ashwagandha KSM-66®, dans une gélule végétale. Une gélule par jour selon l'indication du fabricant, et 60 gélules par flacon.
Qu'est-ce que le KSM-66® ?
Une matière première sous licence, nommée sur l'étiquette, issue de la racine d'ashwagandha uniquement. L'intérêt de voir un ingrédient breveté écrit noir sur blanc est de savoir quelle partie de la plante a été utilisée et selon quel procédé — une information que les extraits génériques ne donnent pas.
Racine ou feuille : quelle différence ?
Ce ne sont pas les mêmes compositions, et beaucoup d'étiquettes restent vagues sur ce point. Le KSM-66® est un extrait de racine seule, ce qui est précisé par le fournisseur de la matière première.
La gélule est-elle végétale ?
Oui, l'enveloppe est en hypromellose. Les autres ingrédients sont la farine de riz, la silice et le stéarate de magnésium.
Où acheter l'Evogen KSM-66 ?
Vous pouvez le commander sur cette page, et nous expédions partout en France et en Europe. Cette référence est tenue en stock à l'entrepôt et n'est pas présentée en rayon à Vendargues : si vous souhaitez la voir en boutique, dites-le-nous à l'avance et nous la faisons venir.
La gamme complète de la marque est sur notre page Evogen.
Un extrait titré de racine et de feuille
L'ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), ou ginseng indien, est l'une des plantes les plus utilisées de la pharmacopée ayurvédique. Ses composés caractéristiques sont les withanolides, des lactones stéroïdiennes.
NOW Foods utilise un extrait de racine et de feuille titré à 2,4 % minimum de withanolides totaux, dosé à 450 mg par gélule végétale. Deux formats sont proposés : 90 gélules pour trois mois, 180 gélules pour six mois.
La formule reste courte : l'extrait, une gélule végétale, de l'acide stéarique et de la farine de riz.
Composition par gélule végétale
Autres ingrédients : hypromellose (gélule d'origine végétale), acide stéarique (source végétale), farine de riz.
Végétalien. Sans levure, blé, gluten, soja, lait, œuf, poisson, crustacés, fruits à coque ni sésame ajoutés.
Questions fréquentes
Que signifie « titré à 2,4 % de withanolides » ?
Que chaque gélule contient au minimum 2,4 % de son poids d'extrait en withanolides, soit environ 10,8 mg pour 450 mg d'extrait. C'est le repère standard sur les extraits d'ashwagandha.
Racine seule ou racine et feuille ?
Racine et feuille ici. Certains extraits n'utilisent que la racine ; la feuille apporte un profil de withanolides légèrement différent.
Quelle différence avec le KSM-66 ?
Le KSM-66 est un extrait breveté de racine seule, titré à 5 % de withanolides. Celui-ci est un extrait racine et feuille titré à 2,4 %. Les deux ne se comparent pas directement.
Quel format choisir ?
90 gélules pour trois mois, 180 gélules pour six mois à raison d'une gélule par jour.
L'ashwagandha en extrait KSM-66®
L'ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) est une plante de la tradition ayurvédique. KSM-66® en est l'un des extraits les plus documentés : il est obtenu à partir de la racine seule, sans extraction à l'alcool ni ajout de feuille.
NOW Foods le dose à 600 mg par gélule végétale, dans une formule à cinq ingrédients. Le flacon de 90 gélules couvre trois mois à raison d'une gélule par jour.
Composition par gélule végétale
Apport de référence non établi pour cette plante.
Autres ingrédients : hypromellose (gélule d'origine végétale), cellulose microcristalline, palmitate d'ascorbyle, dioxyde de silicium.
Végétalien. Sans levure, blé, gluten, soja, lait, œuf, poisson, crustacés, fruits à coque ni sésame ajoutés.
Questions fréquentes
Qu'est-ce que KSM-66® ?
Un extrait d'ashwagandha standardisé, produit à partir de la racine uniquement, par un procédé d'extraction à l'eau sans solvant alcoolique. C'est une marque d'ingrédient, pas une espèce différente.
Racine ou feuille ?
Racine exclusivement. Certains extraits d'ashwagandha incorporent de la feuille, ce qui modifie le profil de composés ; ce n'est pas le cas ici.
Les gélules conviennent-elles aux végétaliens ?
Oui. L'enveloppe est en hypromellose, d'origine végétale, et la formule ne contient aucun ingrédient d'origine animale.
Qu'est-ce que l'Ashwagandha KSM-66 de Skill Nutrition ?
C'est un extrait de racine d'ashwagandha en gélules, standardisé selon le procédé KSM-66. L'ashwagandha, de son nom botanique Withania somnifera, est une racine employée de longue date dans la tradition ayurvédique, où on la surnomme ginseng indien.
KSM-66 n'est pas un dosage mais un extrait breveté, marque déposée d'Ixoreal Biomed Inc. Sa particularité : il est obtenu uniquement à partir de la racine, à l'exclusion des feuilles, et titré à un taux constant de withanolides. C'est pour cette raison qu'il sert de référence quand on compare deux ashwagandhas. Le reste de la gamme se parcourt dans notre rayon Skill Nutrition.
Ce qu'il y a dans l'Ashwagandha KSM-66
Chaque gélule apporte 200 mg d'extrait de racine KSM-66. La portion complète de trois gélules porte l'apport à 600 mg d'extrait et à 30 mg de withanolides, l'extrait étant titré à 5 %.
Ce taux de titrage est le chiffre à regarder. Beaucoup d'étiquettes annoncent une quantité de poudre de racine sans préciser la concentration, ce qui empêche de savoir ce que l'on achète réellement. Ici les deux chiffres sont publiés côte à côte : la quantité d'extrait et la quantité de withanolides qu'elle contient.
La liste des ingrédients compte trois lignes : l'extrait de racine d'ashwagandha KSM-66, l'inuline, et l'enveloppe de la gélule en hydroxypropylméthylcellulose. L'enveloppe est d'origine végétale, et le fabricant indique une conformité aux exigences halal et casher. Côté panneau, la gélule pèse 1 kcal, sans sucre.
À qui s'adresse l'Ashwagandha KSM-66 ?
À ceux qui traversent des périodes chargées, au travail comme à l'entraînement, et qui cherchent une racine plutôt qu'une formule composite. C'est la demande la plus fréquente au comptoir sur ce rayon.
À ceux aussi qui veulent savoir exactement ce qu'ils achètent. Entre une poudre de racine brute et un extrait titré, le rapport peut varier d'un facteur dix. Un extrait titré à un taux publié permet de comparer deux produits sur la même base, ce que la mention « poudre de racine » ne permet jamais.
Enfin à ceux qui s'installent dans la durée. Deux formats existent, le plus grand couvrant deux fois la période du premier, ce qui change le prix de revient pour qui suit la plante sur plusieurs mois. La gélule végétale s'avale avec un verre d'eau, sans préparation.
Questions fréquentes
Qu'est-ce que l'ashwagandha ?
C'est une plante, Withania somnifera, dont on utilise la racine. Elle est employée de longue date dans la tradition ayurvédique, et c'est aujourd'hui l'une des racines les plus vendues du rayon des plantes.
Qu'est-ce qu'une plante adaptogène ?
C'est le nom que l'on donne aux plantes traditionnellement employées pour accompagner les périodes de charge, physique ou mentale. L'ashwagandha, la rhodiole et l'éleuthérocoque sont les trois noms que l'on croise le plus souvent sous cette étiquette.
Qu'est-ce que l'extrait KSM-66 ?
C'est un extrait de racine d'ashwagandha breveté, titré à 5 % de withanolides, les molécules qui servent de repère pour comparer deux extraits. KSM-66 est une marque déposée d'Ixoreal Biomed Inc.
Pourquoi appelle-t-on l'ashwagandha le ginseng indien ?
Parce que son usage traditionnel rappelle celui du ginseng et qu'elle vient de la pharmacopée ayurvédique. Botaniquement, les deux n'ont aucun lien : l'ashwagandha appartient à la famille des solanacées, celle de la tomate et de l'aubergine.
Cet ashwagandha contient-il des feuilles ?
Non. Le fabricant précise que l'extrait est obtenu uniquement à partir de la racine, à l'exclusion des feuilles. C'est l'une des caractéristiques du procédé KSM-66.
Combien d'extrait apporte une gélule ?
200 mg d'extrait de racine. La portion complète de trois gélules porte l'apport à 600 mg d'extrait et à 30 mg de withanolides.
Où acheter de l'ashwagandha KSM-66 ?
Dans notre rayon Skill Nutrition, en ligne, et dans notre magasin de Vendargues près de Montpellier.
Où acheter l'Ashwagandha KSM-66 de Skill Nutrition ?
Les deux formats, 90 et 180 gélules, se commandent depuis cette page, et nous expédions partout en France et en Europe. Notre magasin se trouve à Vendargues, à une dizaine de minutes de Montpellier, et les flacons y sont en rayon.
Le reste de la marque se parcourt dans la collection Skill Nutrition.
Qu'est-ce que le NooGandha de Naughty Boy ?
Le NooGandha est une gélule d'ashwagandha construite sur une matière première brevetée, le NooGandha® : un extrait liposomal de racine et de feuille de Withania somnifera, à 225 mg par gélule. Le flacon compte 60 gélules.
Deux détails le placent à part dans le rayon : la forme liposomale, rare sur cette plante, et l'usage de la feuille en plus de la racine, là où la quasi-totalité des extraits du marché s'en tiennent à la racine seule. Le reste de la gamme est dans le rayon Naughty Boy.
Ce qu'il y a dans le NooGandha
Une seule ligne d'actif, et elle est chiffrée : 225 mg d'extrait liposomal de racine et de feuille d'ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), sous la marque NooGandha®. Pas de mélange propriétaire, pas de liste à rallonge destinée à meubler l'étiquette.
La forme liposomale consiste à enrober l'extrait dans des phospholipides. C'est un procédé de formulation bien établi sur d'autres actifs, nettement moins courant sur l'ashwagandha : la plupart des gélules du rayon se contentent d'un extrait de racine titré en withanolides, sans travail particulier sur la forme.
L'autre singularité tient à la partie de la plante employée. Les extraits de référence, KSM-66® en tête, sont obtenus à partir de la racine. Le NooGandha® associe racine et feuille, ce qui en fait un profil différent de ce que l'on trouve ailleurs au rayon. Le reste de la gélule se résume à de la farine de riz, à l'enveloppe végétale en hypromellose et à deux antiagglomérants.
À qui s'adresse le NooGandha ?
Aux pratiquants qui veulent de l'ashwagandha et rien d'autre, sans payer pour cinq actifs dont trois ne les intéressent pas. C'est un produit de fond, que l'on installe sur plusieurs semaines et que l'on juge sur la durée.
Il parle aussi à ceux qui ont déjà essayé un extrait de racine classique et qui veulent voir ce que donne une autre forme. Le flacon de 60 gélules et le dosage unique rendent la chose simple à tester sans engager grand-chose. L'enveloppe est végétale, en hypromellose.
Questions fréquentes
Quels sont les bienfaits de l'ashwagandha ?
L'ashwagandha est une racine de la pharmacopée ayurvédique, utilisée depuis des siècles en Inde. C'est aujourd'hui l'une des plantes les plus étudiées du rayon bien-être, ce qui explique qu'on la retrouve dans la quasi-totalité des formules de cette catégorie.
C'est quoi une plante adaptogène ?
On qualifie d'adaptogène une plante dont l'usage traditionnel vise à aider l'organisme à composer avec les périodes exigeantes. L'ashwagandha en est le représentant le plus connu, et c'est elle, et elle seule, qui compose le NooGandha.
Quels sont les bienfaits du ginseng indien ?
Ginseng indien est l'un des noms courants de l'ashwagandha, dont le nom botanique est Withania somnifera. Il s'agit donc de la même plante, et des mêmes usages traditionnels, que ceux décrits plus haut.
Qu'est-ce qui différencie le NooGandha® d'un extrait d'ashwagandha classique ?
Deux choses. D'abord la forme liposomale : l'extrait est enrobé dans des phospholipides, un procédé courant sur d'autres actifs mais rare sur cette plante. Ensuite la matière première : la plupart des extraits n'utilisent que la racine, le NooGandha® emploie la racine et la feuille.
L'ashwagandha est-il utile en musculation ?
C'est l'un des compléments les plus demandés par les pratiquants, aux côtés de la créatine et des protéines. Il s'inscrit dans la catégorie des produits de fond, que l'on installe sur plusieurs semaines et que l'on juge sur la durée plutôt que séance par séance.
Est-ce que l'ashwagandha fait grossir ?
Non. Une gélule de NooGandha n'apporte que 225 mg d'extrait végétal, de la farine de riz et l'enveloppe de la gélule : l'apport calorique est négligeable. Ce que vous mangez et ce que vous dépensez restent les seuls leviers sur le poids.
Où trouver de l'ashwagandha ?
Chez KISS NUTRITION, en ligne avec expédition en France et en Europe, ou au magasin de Vendargues, à dix minutes de Montpellier. Le NooGandha et le reste de la marque sont dans le rayon Naughty Boy.
Où acheter le NooGandha de Naughty Boy ?
Chez KISS NUTRITION. Expédition en France et dans toute l'Europe, et retrait au magasin de Vendargues, à dix minutes de Montpellier, pour ceux qui préfèrent passer en boutique.
Le NooGandha et l'ensemble du catalogue de la marque sont réunis dans le rayon Naughty Boy.
What is ashwagandha, and what are withanolides?
Ashwagandha is the common name for Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, a shrub in the Solanaceae family—the same family as tomatoes and deadly nightshade—cultivated primarily in India. It is the root that is used in almost all supplements; some entry-level extracts include the leaves, which is not equivalent and should be stated on the label.
The compounds everyone talks about are withanolides, a family of steroidal lactones unique to the genus Withania: withaferin A, withanolide A, withanone, withanosides IV and V, and several dozens of others. Their distribution depends on the plant part and the extraction process—the leaf is richer in withaferin A, the root in withanosides. A high titration alone is therefore not a guarantee of quality: it is still necessary to know which ones.
Is ashwagandha banned in France?
No. To date, ashwagandha is not banned in France and its sale as a food supplement is legal. The question deserves a detailed answer, as four distinct facts are being mixed up.
1. It is not on the 2014 "plants" list. The order of June 24, 2014, sets the list of plants authorized in food supplements: Withania somnifera is not on it. This is not a ban. French law recognizes mutual recognition: an ingredient legally marketed in another European Union member state can be marketed in France. Italy and Belgium admit it on their positive lists, and ANSES notes that it appears in the consolidated list of January 2019 "without specific restrictions or health recommendations."
2. The root is listed in List B of the French Pharmacopoeia, as recalled by ANSES: that of medicinal plants whose potential adverse effects are deemed to outweigh the expected therapeutic benefit. This list falls under the pharmaceutical framework, not food supplements. Two regulations coexist for the same plant, which contributes to the confusion.
3. Denmark, however, has closed the door. Based on a risk assessment published in 2020 by the Technical University of Denmark, the Danish authority decided from 2023 that Withania somnifera should not be used in food—reasons cited: thyroid hormones, sperm quality in animals, traditional abortifacient use. This assessment is disputed by part of the scientific community, which criticizes it for re-examining old work rather than providing new data. A Danish decision is not a French decision: yet it is this decision, relayed from one person to another, that gave rise to the idea of a ban in France.
4. ANSES issued an opinion in 2024, without requesting a ban. Seized by the DGCCRF, the Agency published opinion no. 2021-SA-0077 on April 19, 2024, regarding the risks associated with Withania somnifera preparations. It lists eight nutrivigilance reports between 2009 and September 2023, six of which are usable: most often digestive and cutaneous disorders, one case of acute hepatitis with probable causality, one case of kidney failure with hematuria. It notes effects on thyroid and sex hormones in animal models, and indicates that withanone carries chemical groups likely to form DNA adducts—a toxicological hypothesis, not an established fact in humans. At the same time, Sweden reported four cases, eighteen other European countries none. ANSES advises against consumption for certain populations, primarily pregnant and breastfeeding women, but does not request market withdrawal.
The situation is therefore unstable, and it must be said as such: plants are not subject to any European harmonization, each Member State decides. A Union-wide review has been mentioned since 2025, but no procedure has yet been completed. The status can change, in one direction or the other.
KSM-66, Sensoril or root powder: what differentiates them?
Plain root powder is dried and ground root, without extraction: low and variable withanolide content, dosages in grams. It is the form closest to traditional use, and the least concentrated. KSM-66 is a patented extract obtained only from the root, without alcoholic solvent, standardized to a minimum of 5% withanolides: it is the most documented and by far the most widespread extract, and the references in this department are derived from it.
Sensoril is a competing patented extract, derived from the root and leaf, standardized to a minimum of 10% withanolides. The double titration does not mean "twice as strong": the molecular profile differs and the usual doses are lower, around 125 to 250 mg compared to 300 to 600 mg for KSM-66. Comparing two ashwagandhas based solely on the percentage displayed makes no sense.
There remains organic, which is relevant here for an agronomic reason: the root is a storage organ, in permanent contact with the soil. Certification regulates synthetic inputs, but does not guarantee the absence of heavy metals, which depends on the soil and batch controls—as for maca or shilajit.
What dosage, at what time and for how long?
Three lines matter on a label: extract quantity in mg, percentage of withanolides, plant part. The actual intake is calculated—600 mg of 5% titrated extract yields 30 mg of withanolides. A mention of "ashwagandha 1,000 mg" without further details tells you nothing: it could be one gram of crude powder.
Studies on standardized root extract most often use 300 to 600 mg per day; ANSES cites, for information, 3 to 6 g for dried root and 300 to 500 mg for a standardized extract. No regulatory maximum daily dose is set in France. In the absence of an official threshold, stick to the dose on the label and do not combine several products containing it.
The timing of intake is not subject to any established rule; taking it with a meal limits digestive discomfort, the most commonly reported side effect. Regarding duration, let's be precise about what we don't know: most trials cover 8 to 12 weeks, a few six months, and data beyond one year is sparse. This is the only solid argument in favor of cures with breaks—not a demonstrated habituation, but the lack of long-term data.
What contraindications should be known?
This is the most important section of this page. The following situations justify giving up, or seeking medical advice before purchasing.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: ANSES explicitly advises against consumption, due to documented traditional abortifacient use and the absence of safety data.
- Thyroid disorders, hypothyroidism as well as hyperthyroidism, and any treatment with thyroid hormones: effects on these hormones have been observed and the balance of substitute treatment is narrow. Medical advice is imperative.
- Autoimmune diseases, immunosuppressants and transplants: data are lacking, caution prevails.
- Liver damage, history of hepatitis or liver-risk treatment: a case of acute hepatitis with probable causality is among the French reports. Rare, but not a minor detail.
- Kidney failure or kidney history: a case of kidney failure has been reported.
- Combination with sedatives—benzodiazepines, hypnotics, sedative antihistamines, alcohol—and central nervous system treatments: potentiation is plausible. Likewise if you are already taking melatonin, GABA or glycine: do not overlap.
- Children and adolescents: no data, no reason to give it.
- Before surgery: report any intake to the anesthetist.
At usual doses, reported effects include nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, drowsiness, and skin reactions, which generally stop upon discontinuation. Any unusual reaction justifies stopping and consulting; it can be reported to ANSES nutrivigilance.
What can be said about its effects?
Nothing, in the regulatory sense. No health claims are authorized in Europe for ashwagandha. Unlike vitamin D or magnesium, whose claims have an official wording validated by EFSA, the plant has none. A seller who writes that it reduces stress, improves sleep or increases testosterone goes beyond the legal framework.
What can be said: published research has focused on perceived stress, sleep quality, certain hormonal parameters and physical performance. This work most often involves small numbers of participants and short durations, and a significant part is funded by extract manufacturers. None has led to regulatory recognition. We sell a plant and its extract, with its titration; not a result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ashwagandha?
It is the root of Withania somnifera, a shrub cultivated mainly in India, sold as powder or, more often, as a standardized extract. It is also found under the name Indian ginseng or ashwagandha KSM-66 depending on the extract used—the former is a commercial nickname, the plant has no botanical connection to ginseng. Its characteristic molecules are withanolides, the percentage of which must be indicated on the label. From a regulatory standpoint, it is a food supplement, not a medicine, and no health claims are authorized in Europe for this plant.
What is an adaptogenic plant?
The term comes from Soviet research in the 1940s and conventionally refers to a plant supposedly helping the body adapt to physical or psychological constraints. Important point: "adaptogen" has no regulatory definition in Europe and does not correspond to any authorized claim. It is a catalog word, not an official category: it groups ashwagandha, rhodiola, eleuthero, lion's mane or maca without this classification implying anything about their effects. When you read it on a box, treat it as a commercial argument and go read the ingredients.
What are the benefits of ashwagandha?
The honest answer is that no benefits can be advertised: no health claims are authorized in Europe for ashwagandha, neither for stress, nor for sleep, nor for testosterone. A seller who writes this is operating outside the legal framework. What can be said without error is what research has focused on: perceived stress, sleep quality, certain hormonal parameters, physical performance. This work often involves small numbers of participants, durations of 8 to 12 weeks, and a significant portion is funded by extract manufacturers; none has led to regulatory recognition. We sell a root and its titration, not a result.
Is ashwagandha dangerous?
It is not harmless, and that is the most useful answer we can give. The 2024 ANSES opinion lists eight nutrivigilance reports between 2009 and September 2023, including one case of acute hepatitis with probable causality and one case of kidney failure; the most common effects remain digestive and cutaneous. The risk is concentrated on identified situations, detailed above: pregnancy and breastfeeding, thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases, liver or kidney damage, association with sedatives, children and adolescents. Outside of these cases, stick to the dose on the label, do not combine several products containing it, and stop at the slightest unusual reaction.
Why is ashwagandha said to be banned in France?
Because four real facts are confused here. The ban is Danish, not French. The absence of the plant from the French list of 2014 is not a ban, as mutual recognition with other Member States applies. The inclusion of the root in List B of the French Pharmacopoeia falls under the pharmaceutical framework, not that of food supplements. And the 2024 ANSES opinion warns without requesting market withdrawal. To date, ashwagandha is therefore legally sold in France as a food supplement—a status that may evolve, as plants are not subject to any European harmonization.
Which is the best ashwagandha?
The one whose label tells you what you're buying. Three lines are enough to decide, regardless of the brand: the plant part (root only, or root and leaf), the name of the extract if it's patented, and the quantity in milligrams accompanied by the percentage of withanolides. A product that announces "1,000 mg of ashwagandha" with nothing else could be a gram of raw powder with a low dosage. KSM-66, an extract from the root alone, titrated to a minimum of 5%, is the most documented and widespread; it is the one we reference. Be careful, however, not to compare two products solely on the percentage: a 10% titration obtained from root and leaf does not describe the same molecules.
KSM-66 or Sensoril?
Two different extracts, not two quality levels: follow the specific dosage for each rather than the displayed percentage.
Should you choose organic ashwagandha, in powder or extract form?
These are three distinct questions. Root powder and extract are not in the same category: powder is dried and ground root, with low and irregular dosages of withanolides, measured in grams; standardized extract advertises a verifiable titration for a few hundred milligrams. If the label does not specify which of the two you are buying, move on. As for organic, it regulates synthetic inputs, which makes sense for a storage organ in permanent contact with the soil, but it does not guarantee the absence of heavy metals: this depends on the terrain and batch analyses.
How to use ashwagandha?
In the form of standardized extract, the range used in trials is 300 to 600 mg per day for a KSM-66 titrated at 5%, in one or two doses; extracts with higher titration are dosed lower, follow the label. In simple root powder, we are talking about grams, with a much lower and variable content. Take it with a meal: this is what limits digestive discomfort, the most commonly reported side effect. Two rules that are more important than the time of day—never combine two products containing ashwagandha, and do not stack supplements acting on the nervous system.
When to take ashwagandha?
No solid data definitively distinguishes between morning and evening. The only useful recommendation concerns tolerance: taking it with a meal limits digestive discomfort, the most commonly reported side effect. The truly important point is elsewhere—do not stack products acting on the nervous system, including melatonin, GABA, or glycine, and do not combine two formulas containing ashwagandha. However, nothing prevents it from being combined with common micronutrients from our multivitamins, ZMA, and saffron sections.
How long does ashwagandha take to work?
The question assumes an effect that we are not allowed to announce, as no health claims are authorized in Europe for this plant. What we can provide is the order of magnitude of published protocols: most trials last 8 to 12 weeks, some six months, and data beyond one year is scarce. This is a tested duration, not a promise of results—and this limited long-term data is also the only solid argument in favor of cures with breaks.
Does ashwagandha make you gain weight?
The product itself provides almost no calories: a few hundred milligrams of extract weigh nothing in an energy balance. No claims, positive or negative, are authorized in Europe for this plant, and there is no evidence to suggest it causes weight gain or loss. However, an unexplained change in weight during intake should be reported to a doctor rather than attributed to the capsule—especially since effects on thyroid hormones have been observed in animal models, and the thyroid is precisely one of the vigilance points on this page.
Is ashwagandha suitable for women?
Regulations do not distinguish between sexes, and no health claims are authorized in Europe for this plant, no more for women than for men: anything you read elsewhere about specifically feminine effects is a commercial argument. Two concrete points, however. ANSES explicitly advises against consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding, due to documented traditional abortifacient use and the absence of safety data. And effects on thyroid and sex hormones have been observed in animal models: under thyroid or hormonal treatment, medical advice is imperative before purchase.
Is it useful for bodybuilding?
It is not part of a practitioner's foundation, which is based on training, diet, and basic sports nutrition products. It is grouped with tribulus, fenugreek or lion's mane among so-called adaptogenic plants, a category without regulatory definition; our sports nutrition guide explains each family.
Is ashwagandha available in pharmacies?
Yes, as in specialized stores, organic stores and online: it is a dietary supplement, not a medication, and its distribution channel is free. The point of sale says nothing about the quality of the product, and the three lines to check remain the same everywhere: the part of the plant used, the name of the patented extract if applicable, the quantity in milligrams accompanied by the percentage of withanolides. The specific advantage of the pharmacy is elsewhere: if you are following a treatment, the pharmacist can check for interactions before you buy.
Where to buy ashwagandha?
On this page, with shipping throughout France and Europe, or in our store in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier: collection within 2 hours and orders placed before 2 pm shipped the same day. For this specific category, coming in person has a real advantage: we'll review the box together and check the three important lines before you pay. And if you are following a treatment, we will refer you to your doctor or pharmacist rather than selling you something.
What brands can be found in this department?
Our criteria: standardized, patented, and identifiable root extract, with titration indicated on the label. Nutriting offers KSM-66 from organic farming, titrated to 5% withanolides. IO.Genix offers the same extract in a daily format. TrainedByJP integrates it into its range for practitioners. Other extracts can be found in our curcumin and spirulina sections. What we do not reference: powders without titration, mixtures where ashwagandha appears behind ten other plants, and boxes with prohibited claims.
Advice at a store near Montpellier?
Our store in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, allows you to examine a box and read what matters: part of the plant, name of the patented extract, milligrams, and percentage of withanolides. We also ship everywhere in France and Europe. We will tell you what a product contains and what regulations allow us to say about it; determining if ashwagandha is suitable for you is a matter for your doctor.
What the published protocols actually measured, the doses used, and what European regulations prohibit saying about them: everything is covered in our article on KSM-66 extract.
Sources: ANSES, opinion no. 2021-SA-0077 of April 19, 2024 on preparations of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal in food supplements, and nutrivigilance; EFSA for the claims regime. The status described here is that in force at the date of writing.
To go further: what ANSES says about KSM-66 ashwagandha.
Qu'est-ce que le No Stress de Naughty Boy ?
Le No Stress est une formule en gélules qui réunit quatre extraits végétaux et un acide aminé, construite autour de l'ashwagandha KSM-66® et de la théanine. Le flacon compte 60 gélules.
C'est l'une des rares formules du rayon à faire figurer du safran et un extrait titré en emodin aux côtés de l'ashwagandha : la plupart des concurrents s'arrêtent à la plante seule. Le reste de la gamme est dans le rayon Naughty Boy.
Ce qu'il y a dans le No Stress
Cinq lignes, toutes chiffrées, sans mélange propriétaire derrière lequel se cacher. Pour une gélule : 300 mg d'ashwagandha KSM-66®, 250 mg d'extrait de Polygonum cuspidatum titré à 80 % d'emodin, 150 mg de théanine, 20 mg d'extrait de fruit de poivre noir et 15 mg de safran (Crocus sativus).
Le KSM-66® est la matière première de référence pour l'ashwagandha : un extrait de racine breveté et titré, celui que l'on retrouve dans la quasi-totalité des travaux publiés sur la plante. La théanine est un acide aminé présent naturellement dans le thé vert. Le safran, lui, est l'épice la plus chère du monde au kilo, ce qui explique qu'on le croise rarement à ce niveau dans une formule de ce prix.
Le poivre noir ferme la marche à 20 mg. Sa pipérine est là pour accompagner l'assimilation des autres extraits, un classique de la formulation à base de plantes.
À qui s'adresse le No Stress ?
Aux pratiquants qui mènent de front un travail prenant et un programme d'entraînement sérieux, et pour qui les périodes chargées finissent par peser sur la qualité des séances comme sur celle du sommeil. C'est un produit de fond, à installer sur plusieurs semaines, pas un coup de fouet ponctuel.
Il parle aussi à ceux qui prennent déjà de l'ashwagandha isolée et qui veulent une formule plus complète sans multiplier les flacons : le safran, la théanine et l'extrait d'emodin sont ici dans la même gélule. L'enveloppe est végétale, en hypromellose.
Questions fréquentes
Quel est le meilleur complément alimentaire pour le stress ?
Celui dont la composition tient debout à la lecture. Regardez si la plante est présente sous forme d'extrait identifié et titré, et à quelle quantité. Le No Stress annonce ses cinq lignes chiffrées, dont 300 mg d'ashwagandha KSM-66® et 150 mg de théanine par gélule.
Quelles sont les plantes anti-stress ?
L'ashwagandha est de loin la plus demandée au rayon, suivie par le safran. Le No Stress associe les deux, avec en plus un extrait de Polygonum cuspidatum titré à 80 % d'emodin, un ingrédient que l'on croise rarement dans cette catégorie.
Quelle plante pour le stress et l'anxiété ?
L'ashwagandha, racine employée depuis des siècles dans la médecine ayurvédique, reste la référence du rayon. Le safran, utilisé lui aussi de longue date, l'accompagne souvent. Le No Stress réunit les deux dans la même gélule et y ajoute la théanine, un acide aminé que l'on trouve naturellement dans le thé vert.
C'est quoi une plante adaptogène ?
On appelle adaptogène une plante dont l'usage traditionnel vise à aider l'organisme à composer avec les périodes exigeantes. L'ashwagandha en est le représentant le plus connu, et c'est autour d'elle que la formule du No Stress est construite.
Quels sont les bienfaits de l'ashwagandha ?
C'est une racine de la pharmacopée ayurvédique, employée depuis très longtemps en Inde, où on l'appelle aussi ginseng indien. Elle est aujourd'hui l'une des plantes les plus étudiées du rayon bien-être, ce qui explique sa place dans la plupart des formules de cette catégorie.
Qu'est-ce que le KSM-66® ?
C'est un extrait d'ashwagandha breveté, obtenu à partir de la racine seule et titré en withanolides. C'est la matière première la plus utilisée de la catégorie, et celle que l'on retrouve dans la quasi-totalité des travaux publiés sur la plante. Le No Stress en contient 300 mg par gélule.
Où acheter un complément anti-stress ?
Chez KISS NUTRITION, en ligne avec expédition en France et en Europe, ou au magasin de Vendargues, à dix minutes de Montpellier. Le No Stress et le reste de la marque sont dans le rayon Naughty Boy.
Où acheter le No Stress de Naughty Boy ?
Chez KISS NUTRITION. Expédition en France et partout en Europe, et retrait au magasin de Vendargues, à dix minutes de Montpellier, si vous préférez voir le produit avant de repartir avec.
Le No Stress et l'ensemble de la marque sont réunis dans le rayon Naughty Boy.
Qu'est-ce que le KSM-66 ?
KSM-66 est un extrait d'ashwagandha en gélules, dosé à 1 200 mg par portion. Un seul ingrédient actif, une seule ligne d'étiquette : c'est tout le principe de la Core Series, la ligne des produits simples de la marque fondée par Rich Piana.
L'extrait employé est le KSM-66, l'un des deux extraits brevetés les plus répandus de ce rayon. Ce n'est pas une poudre de racine quelconque mise en gélule : c'est un extrait identifié, nommé sur l'étiquette, dont on sait d'où il vient et de quelle partie de la plante il est tiré. Le reste de la gamme se parcourt dans le rayon 5% Nutrition.
Ce qu'il y a dans le KSM-66
Deux précisions d'étiquette font la différence sur ce rayon. La première : l'extrait est issu de la racine seule. Le fabricant l'écrit explicitement et précise qu'il n'utilise pas de feuille. C'est un point de distinction réel, une partie des extraits du marché mêlant les deux sans le dire, la feuille étant nettement moins chère à produire.
La seconde : la quantité est franche, 1 200 mg par portion de deux gélules, soit 600 mg par gélule. Aucun mélange propriétaire, aucune quantité masquée derrière un nom de formule. Le flacon contient 90 gélules.
Le KSM-66 est par ailleurs produit à partir de matière première biologique, ce qui reste minoritaire sur ce rayon. Pour le reste, l'étiquette ne cherche pas à en rajouter : un actif, une quantité, une partie de plante.
À qui s'adresse le KSM-66 ?
Aux pratiquants en période de charge, quand l'entraînement s'intensifie et que le sommeil se réduit. Aux gens dont les journées sont pleines et qui cherchent une plante de fond plutôt qu'un stimulant. Et à tous ceux qui veulent savoir exactement quel extrait ils achètent.
C'est aussi un produit de bonne entrée en matière : un seul ingrédient, une seule quantité, rien à démêler. L'enveloppe est en gélatine, ce qui exclut un usage végétarien.
Questions fréquentes
Quels sont les bienfaits de l'ashwagandha ?
L'ashwagandha, ou Withania somnifera, est la racine la plus utilisée de la pharmacopée ayurvédique indienne, où on l'appelle aussi ginseng indien. C'est la plante que l'on retrouve aujourd'hui dans les formules de récupération. Ce que l'étiquette de ce produit garantit, c'est la nature exacte de l'extrait et sa quantité : 1 200 mg par portion.
C'est quoi une plante adaptogène ?
Le terme désigne les plantes traditionnellement employées pour accompagner les périodes d'exigence physique ou mentale. L'ashwagandha en est le représentant le plus connu, aux côtés de la rhodiole et de l'éleuthérocoque. C'est une catégorie d'usage, issue des traditions ayurvédique et sibérienne, pas une classe chimique.
Qu'est-ce que le KSM-66 ?
Le KSM-66 est un extrait breveté d'ashwagandha, l'un des deux extraits standardisés les plus utilisés du rayon avec le Sensoril. Sa particularité est double : il est obtenu à partir de la racine seule, sans feuille, et il est produit à partir de matière première biologique. C'est cet extrait précis que l'on trouve dans ce produit.
Quelle différence entre la racine et la feuille ?
La racine est la partie traditionnellement utilisée en Inde ; la feuille est plus facile à produire et se retrouve dans beaucoup d'extraits bon marché, souvent mélangée à la racine sans que l'étiquette le précise. Le fabricant écrit ici explicitement que le KSM-66 n'utilise que la racine. C'est un point de distinction réel sur ce rayon.
Quelle marque d'ashwagandha choisir ?
Le critère qui tranche n'est pas la marque mais l'extrait : un extrait nommé et breveté, une partie de plante déclarée et une quantité chiffrée. Ce produit coche les trois cases avec 1 200 mg de KSM-66 issu de la racine. Le reste de la gamme est dans le rayon 5% Nutrition.
L'ashwagandha est-il interdit en France ?
Non. L'ashwagandha se vend librement en France dans les rayons de compléments alimentaires, et ce produit est en magasin comme sur le site. La question revient souvent dans les recherches, mais elle ne correspond pas à la réalité du marché français.
Combien d'ashwagandha y a-t-il dans ce produit ?
1 200 mg d'extrait KSM-66 par portion de deux gélules, soit 600 mg par gélule, et 90 gélules par flacon. Pas de mélange propriétaire, pas de quantité masquée : c'est la ligne unique de l'étiquette, et elle est chiffrée.
Où acheter le KSM-66 ?
Le KSM-66 part de chez nous vers toute la France et l'Europe, suivi de colis compris. Si vous préférez voir le produit avant d'acheter, la boutique KISS NUTRITION est à Vendargues, à dix minutes de Montpellier : le flacon est en rayon et l'étiquette se lit sur place.
Les autres références d'ashwagandha et l'ensemble de la marque sont dans le rayon 5% Nutrition.
Retrait au magasin sous 2 h
À Vendargues, près de Montpellier. Vous êtes prévenu dès que la commande est prête.
Commandé avant 14 h, expédié le jour même
Du lundi au samedi. Le délai d'acheminement appartient ensuite au transporteur.
Livraison offerte dès 69 €
En France métropolitaine, et dès 100 € en Europe. Modes et délais.
Une question avant de commander ?
Écrivez-nous ou passez au magasin : on connaît les produits qu'on vend.
What is ashwagandha, and what are withanolides?
Ashwagandha is the common name for Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, a shrub in the Solanaceae family—the same family as tomatoes and deadly nightshade—cultivated primarily in India. It is the root that is used in almost all supplements; some entry-level extracts include the leaves, which is not equivalent and should be stated on the label.
The compounds everyone talks about are withanolides, a family of steroidal lactones unique to the genus Withania: withaferin A, withanolide A, withanone, withanosides IV and V, and several dozens of others. Their distribution depends on the plant part and the extraction process—the leaf is richer in withaferin A, the root in withanosides. A high titration alone is therefore not a guarantee of quality: it is still necessary to know which ones.
Is ashwagandha banned in France?
No. To date, ashwagandha is not banned in France and its sale as a food supplement is legal. The question deserves a detailed answer, as four distinct facts are being mixed up.
1. It is not on the 2014 "plants" list. The order of June 24, 2014, sets the list of plants authorized in food supplements: Withania somnifera is not on it. This is not a ban. French law recognizes mutual recognition: an ingredient legally marketed in another European Union member state can be marketed in France. Italy and Belgium admit it on their positive lists, and ANSES notes that it appears in the consolidated list of January 2019 "without specific restrictions or health recommendations."
2. The root is listed in List B of the French Pharmacopoeia, as recalled by ANSES: that of medicinal plants whose potential adverse effects are deemed to outweigh the expected therapeutic benefit. This list falls under the pharmaceutical framework, not food supplements. Two regulations coexist for the same plant, which contributes to the confusion.
3. Denmark, however, has closed the door. Based on a risk assessment published in 2020 by the Technical University of Denmark, the Danish authority decided from 2023 that Withania somnifera should not be used in food—reasons cited: thyroid hormones, sperm quality in animals, traditional abortifacient use. This assessment is disputed by part of the scientific community, which criticizes it for re-examining old work rather than providing new data. A Danish decision is not a French decision: yet it is this decision, relayed from one person to another, that gave rise to the idea of a ban in France.
4. ANSES issued an opinion in 2024, without requesting a ban. Seized by the DGCCRF, the Agency published opinion no. 2021-SA-0077 on April 19, 2024, regarding the risks associated with Withania somnifera preparations. It lists eight nutrivigilance reports between 2009 and September 2023, six of which are usable: most often digestive and cutaneous disorders, one case of acute hepatitis with probable causality, one case of kidney failure with hematuria. It notes effects on thyroid and sex hormones in animal models, and indicates that withanone carries chemical groups likely to form DNA adducts—a toxicological hypothesis, not an established fact in humans. At the same time, Sweden reported four cases, eighteen other European countries none. ANSES advises against consumption for certain populations, primarily pregnant and breastfeeding women, but does not request market withdrawal.
The situation is therefore unstable, and it must be said as such: plants are not subject to any European harmonization, each Member State decides. A Union-wide review has been mentioned since 2025, but no procedure has yet been completed. The status can change, in one direction or the other.
KSM-66, Sensoril or root powder: what differentiates them?
Plain root powder is dried and ground root, without extraction: low and variable withanolide content, dosages in grams. It is the form closest to traditional use, and the least concentrated. KSM-66 is a patented extract obtained only from the root, without alcoholic solvent, standardized to a minimum of 5% withanolides: it is the most documented and by far the most widespread extract, and the references in this department are derived from it.
Sensoril is a competing patented extract, derived from the root and leaf, standardized to a minimum of 10% withanolides. The double titration does not mean "twice as strong": the molecular profile differs and the usual doses are lower, around 125 to 250 mg compared to 300 to 600 mg for KSM-66. Comparing two ashwagandhas based solely on the percentage displayed makes no sense.
There remains organic, which is relevant here for an agronomic reason: the root is a storage organ, in permanent contact with the soil. Certification regulates synthetic inputs, but does not guarantee the absence of heavy metals, which depends on the soil and batch controls—as for maca or shilajit.
What dosage, at what time and for how long?
Three lines matter on a label: extract quantity in mg, percentage of withanolides, plant part. The actual intake is calculated—600 mg of 5% titrated extract yields 30 mg of withanolides. A mention of "ashwagandha 1,000 mg" without further details tells you nothing: it could be one gram of crude powder.
Studies on standardized root extract most often use 300 to 600 mg per day; ANSES cites, for information, 3 to 6 g for dried root and 300 to 500 mg for a standardized extract. No regulatory maximum daily dose is set in France. In the absence of an official threshold, stick to the dose on the label and do not combine several products containing it.
The timing of intake is not subject to any established rule; taking it with a meal limits digestive discomfort, the most commonly reported side effect. Regarding duration, let's be precise about what we don't know: most trials cover 8 to 12 weeks, a few six months, and data beyond one year is sparse. This is the only solid argument in favor of cures with breaks—not a demonstrated habituation, but the lack of long-term data.
What contraindications should be known?
This is the most important section of this page. The following situations justify giving up, or seeking medical advice before purchasing.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: ANSES explicitly advises against consumption, due to documented traditional abortifacient use and the absence of safety data.
- Thyroid disorders, hypothyroidism as well as hyperthyroidism, and any treatment with thyroid hormones: effects on these hormones have been observed and the balance of substitute treatment is narrow. Medical advice is imperative.
- Autoimmune diseases, immunosuppressants and transplants: data are lacking, caution prevails.
- Liver damage, history of hepatitis or liver-risk treatment: a case of acute hepatitis with probable causality is among the French reports. Rare, but not a minor detail.
- Kidney failure or kidney history: a case of kidney failure has been reported.
- Combination with sedatives—benzodiazepines, hypnotics, sedative antihistamines, alcohol—and central nervous system treatments: potentiation is plausible. Likewise if you are already taking melatonin, GABA or glycine: do not overlap.
- Children and adolescents: no data, no reason to give it.
- Before surgery: report any intake to the anesthetist.
At usual doses, reported effects include nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, drowsiness, and skin reactions, which generally stop upon discontinuation. Any unusual reaction justifies stopping and consulting; it can be reported to ANSES nutrivigilance.
What can be said about its effects?
Nothing, in the regulatory sense. No health claims are authorized in Europe for ashwagandha. Unlike vitamin D or magnesium, whose claims have an official wording validated by EFSA, the plant has none. A seller who writes that it reduces stress, improves sleep or increases testosterone goes beyond the legal framework.
What can be said: published research has focused on perceived stress, sleep quality, certain hormonal parameters and physical performance. This work most often involves small numbers of participants and short durations, and a significant part is funded by extract manufacturers. None has led to regulatory recognition. We sell a plant and its extract, with its titration; not a result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ashwagandha?
It is the root of Withania somnifera, a shrub cultivated mainly in India, sold as powder or, more often, as a standardized extract. It is also found under the name Indian ginseng or ashwagandha KSM-66 depending on the extract used—the former is a commercial nickname, the plant has no botanical connection to ginseng. Its characteristic molecules are withanolides, the percentage of which must be indicated on the label. From a regulatory standpoint, it is a food supplement, not a medicine, and no health claims are authorized in Europe for this plant.
What is an adaptogenic plant?
The term comes from Soviet research in the 1940s and conventionally refers to a plant supposedly helping the body adapt to physical or psychological constraints. Important point: "adaptogen" has no regulatory definition in Europe and does not correspond to any authorized claim. It is a catalog word, not an official category: it groups ashwagandha, rhodiola, eleuthero, lion's mane or maca without this classification implying anything about their effects. When you read it on a box, treat it as a commercial argument and go read the ingredients.
What are the benefits of ashwagandha?
The honest answer is that no benefits can be advertised: no health claims are authorized in Europe for ashwagandha, neither for stress, nor for sleep, nor for testosterone. A seller who writes this is operating outside the legal framework. What can be said without error is what research has focused on: perceived stress, sleep quality, certain hormonal parameters, physical performance. This work often involves small numbers of participants, durations of 8 to 12 weeks, and a significant portion is funded by extract manufacturers; none has led to regulatory recognition. We sell a root and its titration, not a result.
Is ashwagandha dangerous?
It is not harmless, and that is the most useful answer we can give. The 2024 ANSES opinion lists eight nutrivigilance reports between 2009 and September 2023, including one case of acute hepatitis with probable causality and one case of kidney failure; the most common effects remain digestive and cutaneous. The risk is concentrated on identified situations, detailed above: pregnancy and breastfeeding, thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases, liver or kidney damage, association with sedatives, children and adolescents. Outside of these cases, stick to the dose on the label, do not combine several products containing it, and stop at the slightest unusual reaction.
Why is ashwagandha said to be banned in France?
Because four real facts are confused here. The ban is Danish, not French. The absence of the plant from the French list of 2014 is not a ban, as mutual recognition with other Member States applies. The inclusion of the root in List B of the French Pharmacopoeia falls under the pharmaceutical framework, not that of food supplements. And the 2024 ANSES opinion warns without requesting market withdrawal. To date, ashwagandha is therefore legally sold in France as a food supplement—a status that may evolve, as plants are not subject to any European harmonization.
Which is the best ashwagandha?
The one whose label tells you what you're buying. Three lines are enough to decide, regardless of the brand: the plant part (root only, or root and leaf), the name of the extract if it's patented, and the quantity in milligrams accompanied by the percentage of withanolides. A product that announces "1,000 mg of ashwagandha" with nothing else could be a gram of raw powder with a low dosage. KSM-66, an extract from the root alone, titrated to a minimum of 5%, is the most documented and widespread; it is the one we reference. Be careful, however, not to compare two products solely on the percentage: a 10% titration obtained from root and leaf does not describe the same molecules.
KSM-66 or Sensoril?
Two different extracts, not two quality levels: follow the specific dosage for each rather than the displayed percentage.
Should you choose organic ashwagandha, in powder or extract form?
These are three distinct questions. Root powder and extract are not in the same category: powder is dried and ground root, with low and irregular dosages of withanolides, measured in grams; standardized extract advertises a verifiable titration for a few hundred milligrams. If the label does not specify which of the two you are buying, move on. As for organic, it regulates synthetic inputs, which makes sense for a storage organ in permanent contact with the soil, but it does not guarantee the absence of heavy metals: this depends on the terrain and batch analyses.
How to use ashwagandha?
In the form of standardized extract, the range used in trials is 300 to 600 mg per day for a KSM-66 titrated at 5%, in one or two doses; extracts with higher titration are dosed lower, follow the label. In simple root powder, we are talking about grams, with a much lower and variable content. Take it with a meal: this is what limits digestive discomfort, the most commonly reported side effect. Two rules that are more important than the time of day—never combine two products containing ashwagandha, and do not stack supplements acting on the nervous system.
When to take ashwagandha?
No solid data definitively distinguishes between morning and evening. The only useful recommendation concerns tolerance: taking it with a meal limits digestive discomfort, the most commonly reported side effect. The truly important point is elsewhere—do not stack products acting on the nervous system, including melatonin, GABA, or glycine, and do not combine two formulas containing ashwagandha. However, nothing prevents it from being combined with common micronutrients from our multivitamins, ZMA, and saffron sections.
How long does ashwagandha take to work?
The question assumes an effect that we are not allowed to announce, as no health claims are authorized in Europe for this plant. What we can provide is the order of magnitude of published protocols: most trials last 8 to 12 weeks, some six months, and data beyond one year is scarce. This is a tested duration, not a promise of results—and this limited long-term data is also the only solid argument in favor of cures with breaks.
Does ashwagandha make you gain weight?
The product itself provides almost no calories: a few hundred milligrams of extract weigh nothing in an energy balance. No claims, positive or negative, are authorized in Europe for this plant, and there is no evidence to suggest it causes weight gain or loss. However, an unexplained change in weight during intake should be reported to a doctor rather than attributed to the capsule—especially since effects on thyroid hormones have been observed in animal models, and the thyroid is precisely one of the vigilance points on this page.
Is ashwagandha suitable for women?
Regulations do not distinguish between sexes, and no health claims are authorized in Europe for this plant, no more for women than for men: anything you read elsewhere about specifically feminine effects is a commercial argument. Two concrete points, however. ANSES explicitly advises against consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding, due to documented traditional abortifacient use and the absence of safety data. And effects on thyroid and sex hormones have been observed in animal models: under thyroid or hormonal treatment, medical advice is imperative before purchase.
Is it useful for bodybuilding?
It is not part of a practitioner's foundation, which is based on training, diet, and basic sports nutrition products. It is grouped with tribulus, fenugreek or lion's mane among so-called adaptogenic plants, a category without regulatory definition; our sports nutrition guide explains each family.
Is ashwagandha available in pharmacies?
Yes, as in specialized stores, organic stores and online: it is a dietary supplement, not a medication, and its distribution channel is free. The point of sale says nothing about the quality of the product, and the three lines to check remain the same everywhere: the part of the plant used, the name of the patented extract if applicable, the quantity in milligrams accompanied by the percentage of withanolides. The specific advantage of the pharmacy is elsewhere: if you are following a treatment, the pharmacist can check for interactions before you buy.
Where to buy ashwagandha?
On this page, with shipping throughout France and Europe, or in our store in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier: collection within 2 hours and orders placed before 2 pm shipped the same day. For this specific category, coming in person has a real advantage: we'll review the box together and check the three important lines before you pay. And if you are following a treatment, we will refer you to your doctor or pharmacist rather than selling you something.
What brands can be found in this department?
Our criteria: standardized, patented, and identifiable root extract, with titration indicated on the label. Nutriting offers KSM-66 from organic farming, titrated to 5% withanolides. IO.Genix offers the same extract in a daily format. TrainedByJP integrates it into its range for practitioners. Other extracts can be found in our curcumin and spirulina sections. What we do not reference: powders without titration, mixtures where ashwagandha appears behind ten other plants, and boxes with prohibited claims.
Advice at a store near Montpellier?
Our store in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, allows you to examine a box and read what matters: part of the plant, name of the patented extract, milligrams, and percentage of withanolides. We also ship everywhere in France and Europe. We will tell you what a product contains and what regulations allow us to say about it; determining if ashwagandha is suitable for you is a matter for your doctor.
What the published protocols actually measured, the doses used, and what European regulations prohibit saying about them: everything is covered in our article on KSM-66 extract.
Sources: ANSES, opinion no. 2021-SA-0077 of April 19, 2024 on preparations of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal in food supplements, and nutrivigilance; EFSA for the claims regime. The status described here is that in force at the date of writing.
To go further: what ANSES says about KSM-66 ashwagandha.
Sources
- ANSES — Les compléments alimentaires
- Règlement UE n° 432/2012 — allégations de santé autorisées
- Règlement CE n° 1924/2006 — allégations nutritionnelles et de santé
À intégrer dans une alimentation variée et équilibrée et un mode de vie sain.
Questions fréquentes — Ashwagandha
L'ashwagandha, c'est quoi ?
C'est la racine de Withania somnifera, un arbrisseau cultivé principalement en Inde, vendue en poudre ou, le plus souvent, sous forme d'extrait standardisé. On la trouve aussi sous le nom de ginseng indien ou de ashwagandha KSM-66 selon l'extrait employé — le premier est un surnom commercial, la plante n'a aucun lien botanique avec le ginseng. Ses molécules caractéristiques sont les withanolides, dont le pourcentage doit figurer sur l'étiquette. Sur le plan réglementaire, c'est un complément alimentaire, pas un médicament, et aucune allégation de santé n'est autorisée en Europe pour cette plante.
C'est quoi une plante adaptogène ?
Le terme vient de la recherche soviétique des années 1940 et désigne, par convention, une plante supposée aider l'organisme à s'adapter aux contraintes physiques ou psychiques. Point important : « adaptogène » n'a aucune définition réglementaire en Europe et ne correspond à aucune allégation autorisée. C'est un terme de catalogue : il regroupe l'ashwagandha, la rhodiole, l'éleuthérocoque, le lion's mane ou le maca. Quand vous le lisez sur une boîte, c'est la composition qui renseigne.
Que peut-on dire des effets de l'ashwagandha ?
Aucune allégation de santé n'est autorisée en Europe pour l'ashwagandha, ni sur le stress, ni sur le sommeil, ni sur la testostérone. Ce que l'on peut dire, c'est sur quoi la recherche a porté : stress perçu, qualité du sommeil, certains paramètres hormonaux, performance physique. Ces travaux reposent souvent sur des effectifs réduits, des durées de 8 à 12 semaines, et une part notable est financée par les fabricants d'extraits ; aucun n'a débouché sur une reconnaissance réglementaire. Nous présentons donc l'extrait, son titrage et sa partie de plante.
Quelles précautions l'ANSES signale-t-elle ?
L'avis ANSES de 2024 recense huit signalements de nutrivigilance entre 2009 et septembre 2023, dont un cas d'hépatite aiguë d'imputabilité jugée vraisemblable et un cas d'insuffisance rénale ; les effets les plus courants restent digestifs et cutanés. Les situations identifiées sont détaillées plus haut : grossesse et allaitement, troubles thyroïdiens, maladies auto-immunes, atteinte hépatique ou rénale, association aux sédatifs, enfants et adolescents. En dehors de ces cas, tenez-vous à la dose de l'étiquette, ne cumulez pas plusieurs produits en contenant, et arrêtez à la moindre réaction inhabituelle.
Pourquoi dit-on que l'ashwagandha est interdite en France ?
Parce que quatre faits réels y sont confondus. L'interdiction est danoise, pas française. L'absence de la plante sur la liste française de 2014 n'est pas une interdiction, la reconnaissance mutuelle avec les autres États membres s'appliquant. L'inscription de la racine à la liste B de la Pharmacopée française relève du cadre pharmaceutique, pas de celui des compléments alimentaires. Et l'avis ANSES de 2024 met en garde sans demander de retrait du marché. À ce jour, l'ashwagandha se vend donc légalement en France comme complément alimentaire — un statut qui peut évoluer, les plantes ne faisant l'objet d'aucune harmonisation européenne.
Comment choisir son ashwagandha ?
Trois lignes suffisent, quelle que soit la marque : la partie de plante (racine seule, ou racine et feuille), le nom de l'extrait s'il est breveté, et la quantité en milligrammes assortie du pourcentage de withanolides. Le KSM-66, extrait de racine seule titré à 5 % minimum, est le plus documenté et le plus répandu ; c'est celui que nous référençons. À noter : un titrage à 10 % obtenu sur racine et feuille ne décrit pas les mêmes molécules, d'où l'importance de lire les deux informations ensemble.
KSM-66 ou Sensoril ?
Deux extraits différents, pas deux niveaux de gamme : suivez la posologie propre à chacun plutôt que le pourcentage affiché.
Faut-il choisir une ashwagandha bio, en poudre ou en extrait ?
Ce sont trois questions distinctes. Poudre de racine et extrait ne jouent pas dans la même catégorie : la poudre est la racine séchée et broyée, faiblement et irrégulièrement dosée en withanolides, avec des grammages en grammes ; l'extrait standardisé annonce un titrage vérifiable pour quelques centaines de milligrammes. C'est la première information à chercher sur l'étiquette. Quant au bio, il encadre les intrants de synthèse, ce qui a du sens pour un organe de réserve en contact permanent avec le sol, et l'absence de métaux lourds dépend du terrain et des analyses de lot.
Comment utiliser l'ashwagandha ?
Sous forme d'extrait standardisé, la fourchette employée dans les essais est de 300 à 600 mg par jour pour un KSM-66 titré à 5 %, en une ou deux prises ; les extraits titrés plus haut se dosent plus bas, suivez l'étiquette. En poudre de racine simple, on parle de grammes, avec une teneur bien plus faible et variable. Prenez-la au cours d'un repas : c'est ce qui limite l'inconfort digestif, effet indésirable le plus souvent rapporté. Deux règles qui comptent davantage que l'horaire — ne cumulez jamais deux produits contenant de l'ashwagandha, et n'empilez pas les compléments agissant sur le système nerveux.
Quand prendre l'ashwagandha ?
Aucune donnée solide ne tranche entre le matin et le soir. La seule recommandation utile porte sur la tolérance : la prise au cours d'un repas limite l'inconfort digestif. Le point réellement important est ailleurs — n'empilez pas les produits agissant sur le système nerveux, mélatonine, GABA ou glycine compris, et ne cumulez pas deux formules contenant de l'ashwagandha. Rien ne l'oppose en revanche aux micronutriments courants de nos rayons multivitamines, ZMA et safran.
Sur quelles durées les essais ont-ils porté ?
La plupart des essais publiés durent 8 à 12 semaines, quelques-uns six mois, et les données au-delà d'un an sont minces. Aucune allégation de santé n'étant autorisée en Europe pour cette plante, ces durées correspondent à ce qui a été testé, et c'est ce recul qui justifie les cures avec pauses.
Est-ce que l'ashwagandha fait grossir ?
Le produit lui-même n'apporte pratiquement aucune calorie : quelques centaines de milligrammes d'extrait ne pèsent rien dans un bilan énergétique. Aucune allégation, dans un sens ou dans l'autre, n'est autorisée en Europe pour cette plante. Une variation de poids inexpliquée pendant une prise mérite d'être signalée à un médecin — d'autant que des effets sur les hormones thyroïdiennes ont été observés dans des modèles animaux, et que la thyroïde est l'un des points de vigilance de cette page.
L'ashwagandha convient-elle aux femmes ?
La réglementation ne distingue pas les sexes, et aucune allégation de santé n'est autorisée en Europe pour cette plante. Deux points concrets, en revanche. L'ANSES déconseille explicitement la consommation pendant la grossesse et l'allaitement, en raison d'un usage traditionnel abortif documenté et de l'absence de données de sécurité. Et des effets sur les hormones thyroïdiennes et sexuelles ont été observés dans des modèles animaux : sous traitement thyroïdien ou hormonal, l'avis médical est impératif avant l'achat.
Comment la situer dans une routine de pratiquant ?
Elle se range avec le tribulus, le fenugrec ou le lion's mane parmi les plantes dites adaptogènes, catégorie sans définition réglementaire, aux côtés du socle que forment l'entraînement, l'alimentation et les produits de base de la nutrition sportive ; notre guide de nutrition sportive situe chaque famille.
Que vérifier avant d'acheter ?
Trois lignes, toujours les mêmes : la partie de plante employée, le nom de l'extrait breveté le cas échéant, et la quantité en milligrammes assortie du pourcentage de withanolides. Et un point de sécurité : si vous suivez un traitement, en particulier thyroïdien, sédatif ou immunosuppresseur, faites vérifier les interactions par votre médecin avant l'achat.
Que trouve-t-on d'ashwagandha chez nous ?
Des extraits de racine standardisés, brevetés et identifiables, avec le titrage en withanolides porté sur l'étiquette — KSM-66 en gélules, dont une version issue de l'agriculture biologique. Expédition partout en France et en Europe, ou retrait dans notre boutique de Vendargues, à une dizaine de minutes de Montpellier : retrait sous 2 heures et commande passée avant 14 h expédiée le jour même. Sur place, on retourne la boîte ensemble et on vérifie les trois lignes qui comptent.
