The Best Natural Anti-Aging Supplement ~ Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha ~ The Best Natural Anti-Aging Supplement

September is Healthy Aging Month. Are your patients concerned about aging too fast or interested in anti-aging treatment options? If so, put the brakes on aging with a natural herbal supplement that has been used safely for centuries. Continue reading to learn more!

What is Aging? What is Healthy Aging?

Aging is the process of getting older, and there are different types of aging. One type is chronological aging, which is a measure of time since birth. A patient’s age is their chronological age. There is a second type of aging called biological aging.¹

While chronological aging cannot be adjusted – all 43-year-old patients are the same age – some 43-year-old patients look like they are in their 20s, while others look much older! This phenomenon can be caused by differences in biological aging. It is impossible to determine someone’s biological age or health status based on looks, though, and there is yet to be a scientific consensus regarding how to determine biological age. It is challenging to even find a consistent definition of normal or healthy aging since there are so many factors involved.¹

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “healthy aging is more than just the absence of disease; it is the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age.”²

Cellular Health & Healthy Biological Aging

Cells are continuously exposed to stressors, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), toxic environmental substances, and UV radiation. Gradually, damage caused by the stressors accumulates during the lifetime of each cell. While cells have protective repair mechanisms to counteract stressor-induced damage, the mechanisms can eventually become exhausted and unable to repair cells efficiently. The accumulated damage to cells causes biological aging.¹

There are several causes of biological aging, which include:

• Telomere attrition (shortening)
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Cellular senescence
• Metabolic dysfunction
• Deregulated nutrient sensing
• Stem cell exhaustion
• Changes in the maintenance of proteostasis (balanced protein turnover)
• Inflammation
• Epigenetic and genomic alterations (DNA damage)^1,3

While chronological aging cannot be altered, it is possible to improve the rate of biological aging when the underlying causes of biological aging are addressed. Engaging in healthy interventions to slow biological aging will promote healthy aging and a good quality of life each year for patients.

Can Patients Slow Down or Reverse Aging with an Anti-Aging Cream or Serum?

While most “anti-aging” products focus on improving skin health, aging can also include declines in sleep quality, general well-being, telomere length, mental alertness, and muscle strength & mass.^4,5

Previously, aging was considered an unavoidable process determined by genetics. Now, scientists suspect the speed of biological aging is modifiable.¹ Therefore, yes, one intervention to consider is a topical cream or serum with research-backed ingredients that support youthful and optimal cellular health.⁶ But, this intervention is only “skin-deep.”

Research suggests Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) may offer systemic anti-aging benefits.

The Anti-Aging Benefits of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Supplementation

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been sought out for centuries. Ancient texts and Ayurvedic treatment protocols confirm Ashwagandha enriches vitality and rejuvenation.⁴

Modern research shows Ashwagandha root extract supports healthy aging via:

• Robust antioxidant activity
• Boosting sleep quality
• Promoting mental alertness
• Fostering overall well-being and stress resilience
• Enhancing cardiorespiratory endurance
• Improving muscle strength
• Hastening muscle recovery
• Bodyweight management
• Increasing sexual function in both men and women⁴
• Enhancing telomerase activity by ~ 45% in human cell lines
• Inhibiting DNA damage
• Regulating the insulin signaling pathways
• Modulating neural activity⁷
• Exerting anti-cancer effects⁸
• Maintaining bone health^9,10
• Reducing inflammation
• Supporting healthy joints¹¹
• Regulating mitochondrial function
• Promoting optimal metabolism¹²
• Optimizing endogenous hormone production¹³

Ashwagandha is so supportive of healthy aging that one animal study demonstrated a 20% increase in lifespan with supplemental Ashwagandha.⁴ Another animal study showed withanolide induced a 29.7% extension in the mean lifespan.⁷ A recent clinical study with elderly participants showed Ashwagandha was supportive of sleep, mental alertness on rising, and general well-being in the study population.⁴

There is also evidence the direct application of Ashwagandha root extract to the skin supports skin health. Data from a clinical study suggests topically applied Ashwagandha root extract supports healthy skin by boosting skin hydration, improving skin elasticity, reducing trans-epidermal water loss, and minimizing wrinkles.^14,15

Promote Healthy Aging with Optimal Hormone Levels

To help your patients age gracefully, consider ordering a Customized Flexi-Matrix Test Panel that combines the Adrenal Stress Index Panel and either a Male Hormone Panel or a Post Menopause Hormone Panel to assess hormone balance, inflammation, mitochondrial function, fasting & post-prandial insulin levels, adrenal health, and more.

To place a test order, click here. As a reminder, DiagnosTechs will drop ship test kits directly to your patients. You may select this option at the top of the order form.

Please visit our Provider Tools page for more information about choosing the right test, A Holistic Approach to Managing Inflammation, and Adrenal Restoration.

References:

1. Behr LC, Simm A, Kluttig A, Grosskopf Großkopf A. 60 years of healthy aging: On definitions, biomarkers, scores and challenges. Ageing Res Rev. 2023;88:101934. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2023.101934
2. Michel JP, Sadana R. “Healthy Aging” Concepts and Measures. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2017;18(6):460-464. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2017.03.008
3. Li Y, Tian X, Luo J, et al. Molecular mechanisms of aging and anti-aging strategies. Cell Commun Signal. 2024;22(1):285. doi:10.1186/s12964-024-01663-1
4. Kelgane SB, Salve J, Sampara P, Debnath K. Efficacy and Tolerability of Ashwagandha Root Extract in the Elderly for Improvement of General Well-being and Sleep: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study. Cureus. 2020;12(2):e7083. doi:10.7759/cureus.7083
5. Marzetti E. Musculoskeletal Aging and Sarcopenia in the Elderly. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(5):2808. doi:10.3390/ijms23052808
6. Bungau S, Vesa CM, Abid A, et al. Withaferin A-A Promising Phytochemical Compound with Multiple Results in Dermatological Diseases. Molecules. 2021;26(9):2407. doi:10.3390/molecules26092407
7. Sharma R, Martins N. Telomeres, DNA Damage and Ageing: Potential Leads from Ayurvedic Rasayana (Anti-Ageing) Drugs. J Clin Med. 2020;9(8):2544. doi:10.3390/jcm9082544
8. Yu Y, Katiyar SP, Sundar D, et al. Withaferin-A kills cancer cells with and without telomerase: chemical, computational and experimental evidences. Cell Death Dis. 2017;8(4):e2755. doi:10.1038/cddis.2017.33
9. Singh P, Gupta A, Qayoom I, et al. Orthobiologics with phytobioactive cues: A paradigm in bone regeneration. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020;130:110754. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110754
10. Mirakzehi MT, Kermanshahi H, Golian A, Raji AR. The effects of dietary 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and hydroalcoholic extract of Withania somnifera root on bone mineralisation, strength and histological characteristics in broiler chickens. Br Poult Sci. 2013;54(6):789-800. doi:10.1080/00071668.2013.850469
11. Saha P, Ajgaonkar S, Maniar D, et al. Current insights into transcriptional role(s) for the nutraceutical Withania somnifera in inflammation and aging. Front Nutr. 2024;11:1370951. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1370951
12. Mikulska P, Malinowska M, Ignacyk M, et al. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)-Current Research on the Health-Promoting Activities: A Narrative Review. Pharmaceutics. 2023;15(4):1057. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics15041057
13. Wiciński M, Fajkiel-Madajczyk A, Kurant Z, et al. Can Ashwagandha Benefit the Endocrine System?-A Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(22):16513. doi:10.3390/ijms242216513
14. Bungau S, Vesa CM, Abid A, et al. Withaferin A-A Promising Phytochemical Compound with Multiple Results in Dermatological Diseases. Molecules. 2021;26(9):2407. doi:10.3390/molecules26092407
15. Narra K, Naik SK, Ghatge AS. A Study of Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Lotion on Facial Skin in Photoaged Healthy Adults. Cureus. 2023;15(3):e36168. doi:10.7759/cureus.36168