benefits, side effects etc.

ayurveda It is a healing system that originated in India thousands of years ago.

Ayurveda means “science of life” and focuses on restoring balance to the body.

The premise of Ayurveda is that health depends on a healthy balance between mind, body, spirit, and senses.

This balance is achieved through a personalized plan that includes massage, special diets, herbs and foods, exercise, detoxification, and rejuvenation therapies.

According to Ayurvedic theory, the elements combine in the body to form three vital forces called . dosha.

The doshas are Vata, Kapha, and Pitta.

It is believed that an individual’s unique combination of the three doshas predisposes a person to certain diseases and influences disease progression and treatment.

Read on to learn more about the benefits of Ayurveda and potential preventive measures to consider.

Ayurvedic uses

Ayurveda is considered a complementary health approach in the United States.

Research on its effectiveness is limited.

Ayurvedic treatment can treat anxiety, brain function, high cholesterol, osteoarthritislow testosterone.

Here’s what you need to know from the latest research.

May reduce anxiety

ashwagandha It is an Ayurvedic herb, adaptogen To help the body fight stress.

Several clinical trials have investigated its effects on anxiety.

A study of 52 adults with chronic stress looked at the effects of 300 milligrams (mg) of ashwagandha versus a placebo. Both he was given twice a day for 8 weeks.

People who took ashwagandha reported less stress and less appetite than those who took a placebo.

People who took ashwagandha also had lower production levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

A review of five studies concluded that participants in all sample groups showed greater improvements in anxiety or stress scales in those who took ashwagandha compared to a placebo.

Interestingly, one study showed that people taking ashwagandha had significantly lower anxiety scores than those undergoing psychotherapy.

Notably, the review stated that the studies were at high risk of bias. More definitive studies are certainly needed to corroborate these results.

May improve cognition

An analysis of 518 people enrolled in nine studies showed chronic (at least 12 weeks) use of Ayurvedic herbs. bacopa (bacopa monnieri) Helped improve some brain functions, especially attention.

The researchers noted that more data is needed to determine how effective Bacopa is compared to existing dementia treatments.

Another review of five studies showed that people who took ashwagandha had improved executive function, attention, and reaction time.

Importantly, however, most of the data comes from older adults with mild cognitive impairment and adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

These results may not apply to other populations.

May lower cholesterol

A review of 32 clinical trials found that three Ayurvedic herbs, garlic, googleblack cumin – moderately lowers cholesterol in people with high cholesterol levels.

Side effects were minimal. This may be an advantage over traditional cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins, which can cause significant adverse events.

The average duration of the trials was only 12 weeks, necessitating longer-term studies.

May be effective for knee osteoarthritis

In a study of 440 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), two Ayurvedic herbal preparations were compared with standard treatments of glucosamine and Celebrex (celecoxib) over 24 weeks.

The herbal preparation contained herbs such as amalaki and guggul and was as effective as glucosamine and celecoxib in reducing knee pain and improving knee function.

Of note, seven patients in the Ayurvedic treatment group had to be excluded from the study due to elevated liver enzymes.

A study of 150 patients with knee OA compared the effectiveness of Ayurvedic treatment with conventional treatment over 12 weeks.

Both treatments were multimodal and several different treatments were used.

Ayurvedic treatments consisted of massages, oils, sweat inducers, yoga, and herbs such as ashwagandha and guggul.

Traditional interventions have included physical therapy, leg exercises, and painkillers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen).

Those treated with Ayurveda showed significant improvements in OA symptoms, pain, sleep quality, and quality of life within 12 weeks.

The beneficial effects persisted up to 12 months after treatment.

May increase testosterone

Ayurvedic treatments have been shown to increase levels of the male hormone testosterone and its precursors. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

In a study of 50 overweight men who were between 40 and 70 years old at birth, taking ashwagandha extract for 8 weeks lowered testosterone and DHEA-S levels compared to a placebo. increased by at least 15%.

However, the group that took ashwagandha did not experience a significant increase in fatigue or sexual vitality compared to the group that took a placebo.

and 250 milligrams of purified shilajit When taken twice a day for 90 days, it was also shown to increase testosterone and DHEA levels in 96 healthy men assigned to be between 45 and 55 years of age at birth.

Additional uses

In addition to the potential health benefits listed above, some people use Ayurvedic medicine for the following conditions:

So far, there is limited data supporting Ayurveda for any of these uses.

Robust human clinical trials are needed before Ayurveda can be safely recommended for specific conditions.

What are the side effects of Ayurveda?

Your healthcare provider may recommend Ayurveda for anxiety, osteoarthritis, or other conditions.

However, even complementary medicine therapies can have side effects.

These side effects can be common or serious.

common side effects

Generally, Ayurveda is well accepted. Side effects mentioned in clinical trials include:

serious side effects

Some serious side effects of Ayurvedic herbs include:

prevention

There is not enough safety data to recommend Ayurveda The kids or between pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Ayurvedic products are contaminated with foreign substances heavy metal like lead, Mercuryand arsenic. A study of Ayurvedic products found that 21% of the products tested contained detectable levels of these metals.

Please note that Ayurvedic products are considered dietary supplements in the United States.

Dietary supplements are not required to meet the same Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety and effectiveness standards as prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

Look for brands or products that have been certified by third-party testing such as ConsumerLab.com, United States Pharmacopeia (USP), and NSF.

These organizations cannot guarantee the safety or effectiveness of their products, but they can confirm that they are likely to contain the ingredients listed on the label and are free of contaminants. can.

interaction

Many herbs are used in Ayurveda.

Below are just some of the interactions with common Ayurvedic herbs.

Always discuss Ayurvedic options with your health care provider to ensure that the treatments you plan to use will not interact with any other prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, or supplements you are taking.

summary

If you’re considering Ayurveda, talk to your health care provider first to weigh the pros and cons and discuss whether it’s appropriate and safe for you.

Ayurveda should not replace (or delay) standard medical care.

Please note that some Ayurvedic products may contain metals such as lead and mercury.

Ayurveda has not been proven safe for children or pregnant or breastfeeding people.

If you have any health questions or concerns, please call your health care provider.