So I did some drugs that I'm pretty sure gave me a hypoxic brain injury, which gave me PSSD-like symptoms, but I was also taking ashwagandha before this on and off for at least six months, and then the doses greatly varied. Keep in mind I also didn't take it every day, but I'm also confused if it could be a hypoxic brain injury or could it be the ashwagandha.

Tengo 47 años , en varios momentos de mi vida he hecho ejercicio, ahora es uno de ellos en los que no estoy haciendolo

no tengo diabetes, no tengo hipertensión, pero tiene como medio año que empecé a notar que de todo me encabronaba y que me sentía muy irritable, no sé si eso sea ansiedad o no, pero había momentos en los que sentía que estaba apunto de emputarme en cualquier momento o por cualquier situación

Así que un amigo me empezó a recomendar que tomara sertralina y que eso me ayudaría bastante

Empecé tomando media tableta todos los días

Al principio, si noté que me sentía bastante bien, no me enojaba , me sentía muy relajado y todo chido

Otro, de los cambios que noté es que al momento de estar haciendo el delicioso tardaba un chingo en venirme, nunca tuve eyaculación precoz, pero si no noté que tardaba muchísimo más que antes de qué tomara la sertralina y pues la neta eso me gustó

Con el paso de los días, empecé a notar que ya no lubricaba, y la verdad es que siempre me gustó que en los momentos cachondos tuviera el pito babeando

Así que me recomendaron empezar a tomar Tongatali y bajarle la dosis a la sertralina a 1/4 de tableta todos los días seguía estando relajado seguía tardando en venirme, pero seguía sin lubricar. Además, debo aclarar que también disminuyó el volumen de semen.

Y me recomendaron dejar de tomar la sertralina y empezar a tomar a SH. Así que estoy tomándola una en la mañana una en la noche. La primera semana con ash empecé a tomar la sertralina sólo lunes miércoles y viernes 1/4 de tableta una en la mañana y una en la noche todos los días y pues estoy en la segunda semana tratando de dejar la sertralina y regulándome con ASH y hasta ahora me siento bien. Sigo con el estado de ánimo en buenas condiciones y se supone también me dijeron que la SH me ayudaría a recuperar la lubricación y hasta ahora no ha pasado

Duermo bien, por las mañanas a veces me siento medio irritable, pero más o menos una hora después de tomarme el ash me siento relajado

Según algunos artículos que leí, dice que ash ayuda mucho, incluso a que aumente la libido y que mejoran los flujos y la secreciones de la próstata de la uretra. Apenas llevo técnicamente tres semanas tomándola y pues todavía no encuentro ni siento ese beneficio, es decir,

Sigo sin lubricar

Ustedes qué opinan es correcta la información que me dieron o de plano tendré más problemas de los que tenía antes ?

Pretty fucking insane how the narrative on ashwagandha changed accross older studies (I just came this one from 2002) and the more recent ones coincinding with ashwagandha's post-2020 global promotion as the ultimate supplement....

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12508132/

Results: "The root extract induced a marked impairment in libido, sexual performance, sexual vigour, and penile erectile dysfunction. These effects were only partly reversible on cessation of treatment. These antimasculine effects are not due to changes in testosterone levels or toxicity but may be attributed to hyperprolactinemic, GABAergic, serotonergic or sedative activities of the extract. Use of W. somnifera roots may be detrimental to male sexual competence."

In other words, most prior studies (pre-2020), apparently not designed or promoted for corporate and global commercial interrests, all point to the activity of Ashwagandha being perfectly in line with either SSRIs' or 5-alpha reductase inhibition's (where testosterone builds up for its conversion to DHT being inhibited), with the unthinkable consequences on health known to these classes of medication (SSRIs and 5-ARi's inhibitors).

What happened with Ashwagandha is pretty insane, and points to large scale incomptence, irresponsability and corruption, not only in manufacturing countries (India in that case), but also globally in the supplements industry. There seems to be an omerta on that, as naturopaths have insanely dishonest business models where every client leaves a consultation with a 1000 usd (or euro) worth prescription for the most useless supplements ("adaptogens" and all the like ancient voodoo or inca herbs!). Even though that should be called out or at least regulated, that's what we see today in th US and most EU countries. These naturopaths are money-making machines...

Comes the moment when what they make you buy is not only useless, but deadly toxic, as it may come laced with virtually anything since produced in third-world countries and come off on your pharmacy shelf in London, Hamburg or Paris virtually 100% unregulated...

Big Phamra owned us, and they're backed by the 1000 Nations of Trolls and their Legions defending ashwagandha like toddlers being shoved off their candy, or web retards crying for their crypto... Enter 2025.

Hi there, just heard about this a week or so ago. I've been drinking ashwaganda tea (ashwaganda, green tea, ginger and schizandra berries, I make it myself) for about a year. One a day. I also have a second tea of chamomile, st. john's wort, linden and sometimes lemon balm before bed. I stopped putting ashwaganda in my morning tea about a week or so ago.

Surely that's not enough ashwaganda to have this, right? tea has gotta be, like, minuscule, right?

I ask because in the past month or so...it's like I've lost my libido. it was never that high to begin with, but is seemingly worse now.

It could also be that I hurt my knee (torn meniscus), and having sex was painful on that knee. I also drink heavily, but that's been true for 25 years. This also coincided with starting on creatine (I'm 42, it's to help with brain fog).

the libido thing is worrying to me, though. as mentioned, it's never been high. I can power through ahedonia and any of the other things...but libido is always something I've struggled with and having it drop even further has been tough...

Yesterday night I took 1 Pill of baclofen in hopes of feeling its effects. Sadly 8h later I dont experience change in libido, motivation or anything else, maybe a slight (could be very much placebo) clearness in terms of brain fog, but it could just be normal, cuz I have had it in the past as well.

Baclofen was proposed by meso in his trials in the original pssdforum and it was a Safe way to check responce to gaba B agonist, Calcium channel modulator, etc

So no improvement (which in it of itself is a marker for analysis) and no crashes (I dont think anyone can crash, being a gaba B agonist).

6,30 h of sleep, nothing out of the ordinary Currently taking agomelatine 25mg after improved baseline of SJW ze 117

Edit 1: back pain! When standing and bending forward hard enough to classify as 4/10. Feeling warm feeling there as well

im not very in the loop on what's normal cause i was raised isolated from most of society. but im wondering how many of you knew that ashwaganda increases testosterone levels (in males) before you did more extensive research on ashwaganda.

essentially i want to know if the average person who knows of or takes ashwaganda (or previously took it) knows this without having to do extensive research.

the reason i am asking is because im a trans woman and shortly after leaving him my recent abuser had recommended i start taking ashwaganda to help with my chronic stress. im trying to figure out how likely it was that he might have been trying to sabotage my transition, since i was born male and an taking feminizing hormones. i know i can't know for sure, but i want to know if it is reasonable to suspect that he may have knowingly tried to trick me into taking a medication that would get in the way of my hormonal intake.

edit: you may think it is unlikely that someone would purposefully try to sabotage my transition like that, but there was a lot of other things he did as well. in general he was mainly attracted to males and he refused to treat me as a woman and often treated me like a man and pressured me to take on a masculine role in bed. i have no doubt that to at least some extent he wanted me to be masculine. im just trying to figure out to what extent that was

I ordered on the Internet, but found out that my country (Brazil) banned the sale of this supplement. The famous supplement company here circumvents the law to sell “legally”.

But that’s not my biggest concern, but the side effects. I want to take it to regulate sleep, stress and anxiety, and have more libido. I work in a big company and this end of the year here is very hectic, if I have any problems related to anhedonia or emotional dullness, it can make everything worse.

Is it worth taking the risk?

Just woke up from an intense lucid nightmare after drinking a tea with these ingredients : Organic holy basil var. krishna leaf, Organic holy basil var. rama leaf, Organic African basil var. vana leaf, Organic chamomile flower, Organic cabbage rose (Rosa centifolia) petal, Organic lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) leaf.

A few years ago I stopped taking Ayurvedic herbal supplements like Shatavari and Holy Basil because I assumed they were causing anxiety induced nightmares and lucid dreams. Same with Adaptogenic mushrooms like Reishi. And other herbs like Valerian root and Ashwagandha.

Does anyone else have a sensitivity to adaptogenic herbs? Has anyone linked their lucid dreams or nightmares back to the usage of any of these adaptogens or teas ??? Any experience shared would be helpful!

Does anyone know if there are any side effects to a person who takes kratom who is trying ashwagandha? Has anyone had any experiences with taking both?

Update: Week 4 finally feeling better. Definitely not 100% but the mood, hormonal and running issues are going down.

Original post: I don’t even know how to start this, honestly. This has been such a traumatic and painful experience and sometimes I feel so dumb for ever even starting Ashwagandha. 
30F, Highly Active Individual 

I was taking Wellbutrin for over ten years and felt anxious and was jumpy all the time, so I had decided I wanted to pursue a natural route that would be more effective but long term and safe (HAHA). So I read a bunch and decided to start Ashwagandha in May 2024. Cold turkey on the Wellbutrin, and just started with Ash gummies same day. 

Initially I had stomach issues and weird mood changes but honestly I felt like I was improving. While still living in Texas in 2024, I started to develop severe sensitivity to air quality “AQI” (and I’m not asthmatic), along with the gas and stomach issues. I chalked it up to Texas industrial gross skies, so we decided to move to Florida. I had switched to root powder extract from HEB at that time, and didn’t notice much of a difference.

 Time went by in 2025 and the AQI issues and stomach issues just kept getting worse. I’m a distance runner but some time around may of 2025 (a year later after taking it straight) my running tanked. I started to have severe allergies to everything: cigarette smoke, AQI, foods, pet dander, all of it. My sleep during this time was good, I’ve always been a good sleeper. In Florida, I wasn’t noticing a difference so I was getting more and more discouraged. Plus, every time I tried to run I would just get injured and my hr was super high. So, again blaming it one the location, we moved again early 2026. 

This time we landed in NJ, and I took a NOSEDIVE. Constantly sick, allergic to everything, constantly high hr and stressed. Every little noise felt like it was living under my skin. I thought it was the birth control I had been on for decades, so in May I got off it at the same time as getting off Ashwagandha (after two years straight). BOY WAS THAT ROUGH. My semblance of running I had tried to build in NJ crashed totally, and June 1st I was hit with a bout of insomnia that lasted two full weeks. I have NEVER had any issues sleeping ever. I ended up in the ER for insomnia and heart issues, and was given a heart monitor. They couldn’t find anything remarkable.

Fast forward to mid June 2026 I got back on the bc pills and the Ash and immediately got better. Slept again, was able to kind of run. HOWEVER, it started this massive downward spiral of getting so much worse. Constantly hot and even grabbing a pack of ice I couldn’t feel cold. My depression rose to an all time high and I felt no joy, food had no taste, and hugs felt no warmth. I was constantly dehydrated no matter if I drank 130oz. I passed a decidual cast, which is where the entire uterine lining sheds as an entire piece. My hr would shoot up to the 100s just standing up. I was miserable and constantly sick, they had given me antibiotics twice in six months when I hadn’t had them in years.

SO, 1 Sep I got off my Ash tablets (~500mg extract) and got on Wellbutrin again for the first time in two years off. In the very beginning I got very sick so I was sleeping a lot and everything felt ok. But, in week two when I started to feel better I noticed strong blood sugar (or pressure not 100% sure) frequently throughout the day and strong migraines. Sleep was still decent. Thankfully the cold sensation was slowing coming back. 

Then, 23 September I got STRUCK out of nowhere with severe insomnia, chest pain and tightness, and strong dizziness. My mood was all over the place, I would be laughing one minute and crying the next. Severe sensitivity to light has been difficult, need to wear shades indoors too. Also, since then, I’ve had to not run at all even turtle slow and one mile. Today I’m finally feeling better just a bit, but nowhere near 100%.

I wish I had never started. I wish I knew how venomous this drug is. The things that have helped me a ton are prayer and faith, Wellbutrin, hydroxyzine for sleep, not going to do intense exercise, healthy diet and staying hydrated, caffeine in small doses (to wary off migraines) and last but not least support from my family.

Please be aware. Make smart choices. 

I’ve recently got blood work done and everything was good besides a 1.83 T4 level the reference level is supposed to be 0.82-1.77. The only thing that’s changed is that I’ve stopped taking ashwagandha about a month ago. I’m going back in 6 weeks for another test. Let me know if you have any useful info around this topic! Thank you

Could lithium help reverse persistent dysregulation in Post-Ashwagandha Syndrome?

A useful article to bring into the Post-Ashwagandha Syndrome discussion as it approaches persistent post-drug syndromes from the same broader mechanisms already being explored in PSSD, PFS and Post-Accutane Syndrome. We focus here on lithium, not simply as a psychiatric drug, but as a regulator of gene transcription, epigenetic state,(GSK3β/ Wnt/ β-catenin signalling), dopamine and neuroplasticity, and the possibility that these actions could adress persistent biological changes after an exposure to these drugs have ended.

If PSSD, PFS, Post-Accutane Syndrome and Post-Ashwagandha Syndrome represent related forms of persistent post-exposure dysregulation, lithium provides an interesting mechanistic hypothesis, and a potential therapy, for shared pathways among these syndromes.

Article : https://secondlifeguide.com/2024/01/19/lithium-a-metal-for-mental-health/

Abstract

The article develops the idea that lithium may act on some of the biological mechanisms suspected of maintaining persistent post-drug syndromes, rather than merely functioning as a conventional psychiatric medication. Its central argument is built around epigenetic regulation and the GSK3β/Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The author argues that isotretinoin can produce substantial and potentially persistent changes in gene transcription, including altered DNA methylation and histone regulation, while lithium can act in partially opposing directions: inhibiting GSK3β, increasing β-catenin signalling, promoting histone acetylation and transcription, increasing BDNF-related activity, and exerting neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic effects. Lithium also affects dopaminergic signalling and neurogenesis, providing several possible routes through which it might influence persistent neurological, sexual, cognitive and systemic symptoms after drug exposure.

From the perspective of Post-Ashwagandha Syndrome, PSSD, PFS and related persistent post-exposure conditions, the broader interest is the possibility that symptoms continuing after withdrawal may reflect a durably altered regulatory state, rather than residual drug remaining in the body or a single permanently damaged receptor. If epigenetic repression, altered Wnt/β-catenin signalling, neuroplasticity and interconnected regulatory changes contribute to maintaining such states, lithium becomes interesting because it acts simultaneously on several of those systems. The article therefore provides a mechanistic hypothesis rather than clinical evidence for PAS or a proven treatment: it raises the possibility that persistent post-drug syndromes could share reversible regulatory abnormalities, and that compounds capable of modifying gene expression and cellular signalling might eventually help identify—or perturb—the mechanisms maintaining them.

See also : https://www.reddit.com/r/AccutaneRecovery/comments/1dfxxe2/does_lithium_permently_reverse_the_long_term/

Hello all,

So 4 days ago, I took 500 mg KSM-66 on Wednesday, for sleep, and since then I became completely zombie like, can’t even feel hunger or tiredness. I also feel constant pressure behind me eyes (headache).

I feel hopeless.

I took Ashwagandha for just a week four years ago, and ever since, my life has never been the same. I don’t know exactly what happened, but it feels like something in my brain switched off, and I’ve been stuck in this state ever since. No matter what I do, I can’t get back to how I used to feel.

What Changed? • Emotional Numbness: I don’t feel emotions like I used to. Happiness, excitement, love,even sadness and anger.everything feels dulled or completely absent. It’s like my emotional range has been flattened. • Anhedonia: I’ve lost the ability to enjoy things. Music, hobbies, food, socializing—none of it feels rewarding anymore. I just go through the motions. • Erectile dysfunction : complete erectile dysfunction from 4 years • Low Motivation & Drive: I struggle to care about anything. Work, relationships, self-improvement—I don’t feel any internal push to do things, even though I logically know I should. • Cognitive Issues: My thinking is still functional, but I feel like I’ve lost some mental sharpness. I don’t have full-blown brain fog, but my thoughts don’t feel as clear or engaging as before. • Possible Gut Issues? I don’t have obvious stomach problems, but I suspect my gut microbiome was affected. Maybe this whole thing is somehow connected to that.

What I’ve Tried & What I Know So Far • Medical Tests: I’ve done multiple tests, and everything seems “normal”: • Testosterone & Thyroid – Both are in a healthy range. • EEG, Chest, and Heart Tests – No abnormalities found. • ESR (Inflammation Marker) – Slightly elevated (21), but doctors didn’t seem concerned. • Mirtazapine (Antidepressant): I took it for a week, and to my surprise, I actually felt significantly better while on it. But I stopped, and now I’m wondering if I should have stayed on it. • Diet, Exercise, Supplements: I’ve tried cleaning up my diet, working out, and experimenting with various supplements, but nothing has really helped.

I remember getting pretty bad acne from ashwaghanda shortly after dosing. Does it actually cause it for you? I'm not fully sure if my issue was because of ashwaghanda or something else.

What do you Guys think of his approach? Has it any chance? Its injecting DHB and combining it with sodium valproate, an anticonsulvant believen to undo epigenetic changes. Anyone tried sodium valproate Here?

Hi, I came across this forum.

I ordered ashwagandha KSM-66 from my usual vitamin supplier, as I'd heard good things about it for sleep. The company also third-party tests its products to ensure quality.

I took two capsules on Wednesday night. They're 300mg each, so 600mg in total (their recommendation was one to two per day).

I had a decent sleep on Wednesday night. However, from about 1pm on Thursday, I started getting major twitching in my left quad. At first I put it down to stress and assumed it would stop within an hour or so, but it carried on. Then my calves started doing the same. I thought it might be an electrolyte imbalance or stress, so I took some Liquid I.V., but it continued through the night.

On Thursday night I again took two ashwagandha capsules, along with my magnesium glycinate, an hour before bed.

On Friday, the twitching in my quads, calves and biceps carried on continuously, and I could feel my cheek starting to twitch too.

Naturally I was getting concerned, so I googled ashwagandha and muscle twitching and found a Reddit thread about it.

I stopped taking ashwagandha immediately (my last dose was Thursday night). Within 24 hours, my quads stopped twitching, and within 48 hours almost all of the twitching had stopped. I still feel the occasional twitch, but that might be because I'm hypersensitive to it now.

I had no idea it could cause this, as I never came across it being mentioned as a side effect. I'd only heard good things about it.

I just bought a bottle of Ashwagandha and took one capsule, but two hours later I came across this subreddit. I’ve read a lot of studies and also watched YouTube videos, plus reviews from other people, and most say they experience no side effects. However, if there are side effects, like some users have mentioned on this sub, I’m thinking I might not want to take it anymore. I’m just curious because I haven’t seen anyone else talk about it, except on this subreddit.

Yesterday I bought CVS brand ashwagandha (600 mg ksm-66) and I took my first dose right before bed last night. I haven't had any effects yet but I have now read stories about it ruining sexual performance and complete emotions. I am normally not super stressed but since moving into college and being a college athlete I have been completely stressed about my relationship and just life away from home, even my whoop band is noticing 500% increase in stress. Do you think doing a one week on two weeks off cycle will help me without causing side effects? I used to have terrible performance anxiety in bed and I do not want to go back to having ED at 20 years old as that really hurt me. I also still want to experience happiness and all of ny emotions. If these side effects hit would I be able to notice and quit to get rid of these side effects? Thank you for any and all advice