Why We’re Writing This
Ashwagandha is one of the most talked-about herbs in the modern wellness world. As an adaptogen and tonic herb, it has found its way into smoothies, supplements, and sleep formulas around the globe. At SuperFeast, we celebrate Ashwagandha’s incredible power as a Jing and Shen-supportive tonic. But we also recognise that this herb is not universally appropriate for every single person, all the time.
This article exists because people are asking: Why did Ashwagandha make me feel weird? Why do some people swear by it and others can’t tolerate it? And more importantly: How do I make sense of my response or reaction?
We’re here to explore those questions - not to limit access, but to deepen understanding. To position Ashwagandha reaction as a rite of insight. To honour the individual while respecting the herb. And to remind our communities - practitioners, formulators, self-guided health seekers - that true herbalism is not a blanket protocol, but a living conversation.
The Tonic Framework: Why Ashwagandha Is (Usually) Great
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a rasayana in Ayurveda - a class of herbs revered for nourishing life force and extending longevity. In tonic herbal language, we identify Ashwagandha as a Jing and Shen tonic: replenishing deep essence and calming the spirit. Its use in traditional Ayurvedic medicine is broad, spanning supporting healthy emotional/mood balance, healthy sleeping patterns, healthy stress response, promoting energy levels, relieving weariness and fatigue, supporting cognitive function, and more, as well as use in Western herbal medicine for healthy sexual function.
When sourced from the root and extracted with therapeutic integrity, Ashwagandha is one of the most versatile adaptogenic allies available. It harmonises with long-term use. It’s generally safe. It’s gentle. It’s deeply impactful.
Across the general population, Ashwagandha tends to be a net positive. Most people - whether using it for a short phase of adrenal support or integrating it long-term into a tonic practice - experience noticeable benefits: deeper sleep, lowered stress response, and greater emotional steadiness.
But that doesn’t make it universal. Nor static. Like all tonic herbs, it possesses energetics, known as its Ashwagandha constitution — slightly warming, downward-drawing, building in nature. And those properties must meet the constitution, state, and intention of the person taking it.
So what happens if you’re not one of the many who benefit immediately? What if you’re the exception? Here’s where the real magic begins.
If you want to explore how Ashwagandha fits into the broader system of Jing cultivation, you can learn more about understanding Jing energy and depletion.
Constitution & Mismatch: When Ashwagandha Isn’t a Fit
Ashwagandha is best suited for Vata-dominant individuals with deficient Jing, low Shen stability, depletion, or cortisol irregularity. It excels when applied to dysregulated nervous systems, chronic sleep issues with hypervigilance, or chronic stress rooted in depletion rather than reactivity.
It may be mismatched for:
- Yang- or Pitta-dominant individuals (hot, sharp, or constitutionally driven): When not paired with cooling or yin herbs and/or taken in high doses, it may increase irritability or digestive heat.
- Hyperthyroid tendencies: Those with hyperthyroidism or borderline-high thyroid function may find Ashwagandha overstimulating or inappropriate, as it may increase T3 and T4 levels.
What does mismatch feel like? You may feel new or increased symptoms:
- Emotionally flat or disconnected
- Physically heavy or mentally foggy
- Mildly anxious or restless at night
- Digestive symptoms such as loose stools, nausea, cramping
- Feeling of excess heat in the body
Experiencing these signs after taking Ashwagandha can indicate an Ashwagandha mismatch.
This is Constitutional Feedback - your body offering subtle intelligence. Instead of forcing through it, pause and ask: what is this trying to show me about my deeper energetic patterns?
How to Use Feedback to Deepen Self-Knowledge:
- Reflect on your constitution: Are you naturally warm or cool, active or sluggish, sensitive or resilient?
- Keep a short journal: Record your state before and after introducing the herb.
- Engage your practitioner: Share your experience. A skilled naturopath, TCM doctor, or Ayurvedic practitioner can interpret these signals.
- Research mindfully: Explore how Ashwagandha affects different body systems, including its role in Ashwagandha and cortisol regulation, thyroid balance, neurotransmitters, and nervous system functions - not just symptom relief.
We need to remember: mismatch isn’t failure. It’s refinement. It’s your body offering an education in real time.
When There’s Imbalance: Contraindications & Clinical Nuance
Tonic herbs are designed to build and regulate - not to intervene when a clinical correction may be needed. Ashwagandha, like any true tonic, is best applied when the system has relative coherence. When there’s active pathology, the picture changes.
Yet many consumers aren’t given this distinction. Some are unknowingly hyperthyroid. Some are navigating deep trauma or dysregulated nervous systems. And still, Ashwagandha is positioned as universally calming.
We believe this is where the herbal industry must evolve.
It’s not that Ashwagandha causes harm - it’s that we haven’t created enough collective IQ to know when and why someone may not respond well.
So let’s correct that. Let's teach:
- Why Ashwagandha and SSRIs might clash: GABA receptor modulation meets pharmaceutical serotonin action - potential for emotional dullness or agitation.
- Why Ashwagandha for hyperthyroid patterns may be amplified: Ashwagandha can enhance T3/T4 levels. In someone already trending high, this can be destabilising.
- Why disassociation may arise: When the nervous system is in dorsal vagal dominance (shutdown), grounding herbs can deepen the disconnect.
If we raise awareness here, we preserve the place of tonic herbs in the future of medicine. We avoid fear-based reactions and bring maturity to the table.
This we like to do here at SuperFeast: we honour access, but raise discernment. Herbal medicine is a people’s medicine - but that doesn’t mean it’s simplistic.
Root, Not Leaf: Extraction, Identity, and Form Matters
As a final note - while we’re here - it’s worth touching on product quality. Sometimes, reactions aren’t constitutional or situational. Sometimes, the herb simply wasn’t what it claimed to be.
Ask:
- Was it root-only or blended with leaf? (important distinction: root vs leaf Ashwagandha)
- Was it dual-extracted, or just a powdered whole herb?
- Was the supply chain transparent? Was genetic testing done?
We’ve seen adulteration in the global herbal market. We’ve seen inferior extractions misused. And while this doesn’t explain every case, it’s an important piece of the conversation.
Your Reaction Is a Roadmap
When a herb “doesn’t work,” it’s easy to walk away frustrated or disillusioned. But within that Ashwagandha reaction is a path.
- Pause. Stop the herb without judgement.
- Track. Journal symptoms, timing, changes in sleep, mood, digestion.
- Translate. Look at your constitution and context. What patterns does this reveal?
- Consult. Bring this data to a practitioner who can hold the nuance.
- Evolve. Integrate your learning - be it from a practitioner or your own research. Choose the next step consciously - another herb, another timing, or simply space.
This is how herbal medicine becomes wisdom. Through self-study. Through participatory herbalism. Through shared insight. Through time.
Final Word: Complexity is a Gift, Not a Problem
We believe in herbal literacy. In giving people not just access, but depth. Ashwagandha is incredible. But it’s not a fit for every single person, all the time. That’s not a flaw. That’s the nature of nature.
When it doesn’t work for you, you’ve been handed a clue. That’s personal. That’s powerful.
Continuing the Conversation with Your Body
Herbal wisdom isn’t about taking something and hoping for results. It’s about listening. Responding. Evolving with insight.
If Ashwagandha feels like the right ally for you, we offer a root-only, dual-extracted Ashwagandha, crafted to honour both traditional knowledge and modern needs.
If your body is asking for deeper nourishment, you might also explore our Jing Formula - designed to rebuild the foundation of your vitality over time.
Wherever you are in your herbal journey, remember: your body's feedback is a form of wisdom. Trust it. Tend it. Keep the conversation alive.
