Best Ashwagandha Supplement

Maybe you find yourself struggling with anxiety (like over 40 million adults in the U.S.), or your focus and memory aren’t what they used to be.36 Or you may be fighting tooth and nail for every rep in the gym and not seeing the results you'd expect. It turns out that a single botanical ingredient with roots in Ayurvedic medicine — ashwagandha, from the Withania somnifera plant — may be able to help with all of these issues and more.23 31

Based on popular claims, ashwagandha seems to do everything, from helping you relax or sleep better to improving your experience in bed and even boosting your energy. But which of these claims are valid, and which ones are primarily marketing hype? In this guide, we’ll break down the pros, cons, details, and current research to point you to the ashwagandha supplements that are formulated to meet your needs.

If you’re in a hurry, check out the summary of recommendations below; otherwise, read on to learn more about our top picks.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions involving staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.

Our team has invested nearly 2,000 cumulative hours researching and testing supplements that claim to influence your mental state, from nootropic compounds with dozens of ingredients to specialized products like ashwagandha. We’ve also recently dedicated our resources to developing our own supplements — several of which contain ashwagandha and have a presence in this guide — using ingredients and doses based on this extensive research, giving us insight into how the supplement market works behind the scenes.

For this review alone, we read more than 70 scientific studies examining the safety and efficacy of ashwagandha extracts for a multitude of concerns, such as stress, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, low testosterone, and more. We also got hands-on with ashwagandha supplements — including those mentioned in this guide — by ordering and testing them out for ourselves to pass on the most important details of the customer experience to you.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this guide was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy. We’ll monitor the latest science and shifting product options for ashwagandha supplements to ensure this guide stays up-to-date.

When evaluating the wide range of ashwagandha supplements on the market, we analyzed them based on four key customer-focused criteria. These include a product’s:

• Safety
• Effectiveness
• Cost
• Convenience

Generally, the above factors are some of the most important details people consider when deciding whether or not to purchase a supplement.

In the following sections, we break down how our top ashwagandha supplement picks of 2025 fared in these categories, including which came out on top in each. It’s worth noting, however, that all of our picks performed well across the board. When a supplement has an “advantage,” it doesn’t mean that the others aren’t similarly impressive; the highlighted product simply has an edge of some sort.

Safety

Advantage: Nootropics Depot Shoden

When it comes to the safety of supplements like ashwagandha, it’s important to note that the FDA doesn’t approve or regulate supplements like they do prescription medications. The only time the FDA is actively involved is when it makes sure the Supplement Facts label has proper nutrition information. Otherwise, the FDA only gets hands-on with dietary supplements if there are adverse effects being reported.32

Because of this, it’s up to supplement manufacturers to make sure that their products are safe and effective for consumers. Typically, this includes independent third-party testing (or at least in-house testing), being made in facilities that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), avoiding most common allergens, and obtaining safety certifications, such as those from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), for example. The following chart details how our top picks compare:

While all of our top picks undergo third-party testing and are manufactured in GMP-compliant facilities, only Nootropics Depot checks all the boxes. The company has additional ISO certification for its in-house testing lab, which also conducts testing on its products in addition to ISO-certified independent third-party labs. On top of that, Nootropics Depot provides its certificate of analysis (CoA) right on the product page (in the past, you had to email customer service). The only other companies in this guide that are forthright about this type of information are Transparent Labs and Innerbody Labs, both of which also provide third-party testing results on their product pages.

Additionally, like most of our other picks, Nootropics Depot Shoden is vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO. The only non-vegan options among our choices are Innerbody Labs Testosterone Support and Sleep Support, but both are still vegetarian-friendly.

Effectiveness

Advantage: It depends on your goals

Choosing the most effective ashwagandha supplement is difficult since the most effective choice for one health goal may not be the best option for a different goal. Often, people tend to tie an ashwagandha supplement’s effectiveness to the amount of withanolides in a given serving. (Withanolides are the active components of ashwagandha — they’re how the plant is able to offer the potential benefits it’s known for.)47 However, withanolide concentration may not be the whole story.

Ashwagandha has demonstrated various health and wellness benefits in research, such as better sleep, stress reduction, anxiety relief, cognitive functioning, and so on. If you were looking for an ashwagandha supplement that could help you focus on your tasks when at school or work, you probably wouldn’t want the one that would make you most likely to fall asleep. This is one reason why choosing “the most effective ashwagandha supplement for everyone” isn’t really possible.

If you’re looking into ashwagandha for sleep or stress relief, then you’re likely better off with a supplement containing a higher withanolide content. This usually means a product containing Shoden extract (it’s standardized to a withanolide concentration of 35%). On top of Shoden generally packing a stronger withanolide punch — and having increased bioavailability — it’s also shown quite a bit of promise as a way to promote relaxation and better sleep in research.3 25

On the other hand, KSM-66, an extract with a 5% withanolide concentration, has demonstrated more positive outcomes in studies on testosterone support and boosting cognitive function.6 55 Even though it has a lower amount of withanolides in the average dose than Shoden, research shows that KSM-66 products can support these goals without knocking you out.

When it comes to our picks in this guide, the products with ashwagandha and other promising ingredients working together are more likely to be effective. But more ingredients tend to mean a higher cost, so we’ve also chosen the best alternatives for those on a budget. Our two budget picks — Nootropics Depot Shoden and Transparent Labs KSM-66 — are both single-ingredient options with well-dosed ashwagandha.

Pivoting back to the supplements with multi-ingredient formulas — Sleep Support, Focus Support, and Testosterone Support from Innerbody Labs — they all contain well-dosed ashwagandha (either Shoden or KSM-66) and clinically relevant doses of other potentially beneficial ingredients. For example:

• The same 300mg dose of Lactium (branded casein hydrolysate) in Sleep Support “significantly” improved sleep quantity and quality for adults in a 2019 study.54
• In a 2021 study, 500mg of Cognizin citicoline, the same dose in Focus Support, improved the memory of healthy older adults.94
• In a study from 2011, a daily 200mg dose of tongkat ali improved the Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) scores and normalized testosterone levels in subjects with late-onset hypogonadism.49 Testosterone Support contains 400mg, or double that dose.

For more information on the effectiveness of our picks, we go into further detail under each product’s dedicated section later in this guide.

Cost

Advantage: Transparent Labs KSM-66 Ashwagandha Extract

Breaking down the cost of an ashwagandha supplement can be a little more complicated than it is for other supplements. With ashwagandha, the price per bottle or dose isn’t the whole picture — you also need to take into account the concentration of withanolides within a given extract.

Withanolides, the active components of ashwagandha, don’t correlate in the same measure with every extract.47 As we mentioned earlier, Shoden extract has a 35% withanolide concentration, Sensoril has a 10% concentration, and KSM-66 has a 5% one.

The chart below compares our top contenders based on price and withanolide content. For comparative purposes, the information shows the lowest possible monthly costs and the lowest possible price per serving for each product, taking into account possible bulk purchase and subscription discounts.

From this information, a few things become clear:

• YouTheory may seem reasonable when purchasing a single pack, but you’d have to purchase three packs of 12 (36 servings) to cover an entire month. This makes it one of the most expensive of our picks on a cost-per-month basis, even with a subscription.
• Even though the Innerbody Labs supplements are similar to YouTheory in their lowest monthly cost, you’re getting a 6-month supply — not just one. Six months of YouTheory at its lowest monthly price would be a whopping $321 in comparison.
• Goli has a lowest possible monthly cost that’s fairly close to that of Nootropics Depot’s Shoden capsules, but there’s a 27mg difference in withanolide content per serving.
• Nootropics Depot Shoden powder offers (at minimum) 125 servings, which helps make it the least expensive per serving.
• Transparent Labs gives you a 2-month supply of ashwagandha with 30mg of withanolides at the second-lowest cost per serving. It also has one of the lowest possible monthly costs of our top picks.

With that last point in mind, perhaps it becomes a bit more obvious why we chose Transparent Labs as our pick for cost. But if you don’t have any concerns about using a powdered supplement, then Nootropics Depot Shoden powder is also a great cost-saving choice.

Convenience

Advantage: Goli Ashwagandha Gummies

Although a product’s convenience is subjective, ashwagandha supplements shouldn’t be particularly inconvenient for most people. Depending on your concern, you can take them at whatever time of day you want (e.g., in the morning for anxiety, before bed for trouble sleeping, in the evening to wind down after work, etc.) There’s also no need to take ashwagandha with food, unless you experience some stomach upset. But, like with most supplements, some forms may be more convenient to take than others.

For some, powders are the least convenient; you have to have a kitchen scale or special scoop to measure exactly the right dose and then either mix it into water or add it to an empty capsule. Pills — the most popular option — are often considered more convenient than powders, though you’ll need a beverage at hand to wash them down. Luckily, most ashwagandha supplements use capsules on the smaller side, so they shouldn’t pose a significant barrier to people who have a hard time swallowing large pills (e.g., most fish oil pills or some multivitamins).

However, a significant number of people suffer from pill dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing any kind of pill. Though the issue is more common in older adults due to age-related issues like stroke or neurodegenerative conditions, it can occur in anyone of any age simply because they have a small mouth, high taste sensitivity, or past experience choking on a pill.56 57

For these reasons, we chose Goli Ashwagandha Gummies as the most convenient ashwagandha supplement. On top of being easier for more people to take, the gummies have a surprisingly delicious flavor; one of our testers even compared the taste to that of a Fruit Roll-Up.

Youtheory’s Liquid Ashwagandha is a close second for convenience, solely because liquids are easier to take than pills — or even gummies — for some people. These blueberry-flavored drinks are great for on-the-go supplementation, like when you’re traveling. However, those who can take gummies may still prefer them over having to open up a single-use (and not very environmentally friendly) packet to drink something. And, as our testers found, the packets can be tough to open at times; you may need scissors on hand, which works against the product’s convenience.

The chart below offers a quick reference of how our top picks compare in several major ways, including their cost, serving counts, and more.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, is an herb with roots in Ayurvedic medicine (dating back to at least 6,000 BCE), where it’s often used to address health issues such as inflammation, low energy, arthritis, anxiety, and respiratory problems.23 24 31

Today — largely due to a growing body of supportive research — ashwagandha can be found in supplements marketed for an even wider range of health and wellness goals. For example, ashwagandha hasn’t only demonstrated impressive potential as a nootropic (i.e., it may boost cognitive functioning and protect the brain), but it also possesses adaptogenic properties (i.e., it can help counteract free radicals, lower oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, etc.).58 59 60

Ashwaganda's potential benefits also extend to the rest of the body — not just the brain. The authors of a 2025 review, for instance, explain that the botanical’s impacts on cognitive function, inflammation, stress, and sleep, among other things, suggest that the ingredient may have “beneficial effects on athletic performance.”61

Overall, while more research is needed to confirm these effects, the possible applications of ashwagandha have certainly expanded since its first appearance in traditional medicine.

Ashwagandha can be for any healthy adult who wants to try it, but there are certain groups who (based on research) may benefit more from the supplement, including:

• Individuals with anxiety or stress
• Those who experience trouble sleeping
• People interested in trying a nootropic for better cognitive function
• Men looking to increase their testosterone
• Women seeking a supplement that may balance hormones
• Athletes who want a performance boost

Ultimately, ashwagandha might be able to help a wide range of people meet their health and wellness goals. However, there are some goals or intentions where ashwagandha may not be the most appropriate choice.

Who may want to look elsewhere?

There are some marketing claims and myths about ashwagandha that aren’t rooted firmly in scientific fact, including those that suggest it:

• Can help boost your height: After your growth plates fuse together when you’re a teenager, you can no longer gain height — from a supplement or otherwise.
• Speeds up your metabolism: There’s no strong evidence that ashwagandha can “speed up” your metabolism, but its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory qualities may benefit your metabolic health.61 Eating right and exercising are more likely to boost your metabolism than taking ashwagandha.95
• Melts body fat: Though ashwagandha doesn’t “melt body fat,” it may promote relaxation and better sleep, both of which might help you lose weight.96 97
• Has psychoactive effects similar to cannabis: Ashwagandha is not psychoactive. It may produce feelings of calm, but it shouldn’t feel like a “high” from THC.

If you’re not quite sure whether or not ashwagandha is right for you, we cover several other options for meeting various health and wellness goals under the “Alternatives to ashwagandha” section later on in this guide.

As mentioned, the research on ashwagandha and its possible uses has grown quite a bit over the past few years. Here are some of the biggest benefits researchers think ashwagandha may provide:

Our experience trying ashwagandha

When our testers first tried ashwagandha supplements years ago, one of them — a person who hadn’t had much luck when taking supplements with anti-anxiety effects — noted that it felt like ashwagandha “put the anxiety in a steel box”; it was difficult to induce feelings of stress or anxiety, even when they tried by thinking of potentially stressful situations. They reported that after 2-3 hours, the anti-anxiety effects seemed to wear off, and they felt drowsier than normal for another 2-3 hours.

Since then, our testers have had numerous experiences with ashwagandha, both as a single-ingredient supplement and as an inclusion in multi-ingredient formulas. When one of our testers took ashwagandha as a new parent, he reported that the supplement seemed to help him maintain his executive function in the face of increased stress. Even with only a single daily dose, he felt that “the ashwa days were easier to handle than non-ashwas!”

Another one of our testers took ashwagandha for stress, and he explained that, after around 30 minutes to an hour, the feeling of the supplement starting to work “isn’t euphoric, but it’s a recognizable change from before. A G-rated good feeling, like someone patting you on the back and calling you ‘champ.’”

For anxiety and panic attacks, a family member of one of our testers found that it worked comparably to her anti-anxiety medication but without the “hangover” and sedation that can accompany many anxiolytic drugs. Of course, ashwagandha is no replacement for prescription medication, nor is it a treatment or cure (or diagnostic measure). If you’re concerned about your daily anxiety levels, reach out to your doctor first.

In terms of side effects, some testers reported feeling a bit drowsy for a short period, while others had a slight headache. Our testing team experienced no other noticeable side effects.

When it comes to dosage, our testers all reacted well and experienced positive effects at doses that generally align with clinical research (e.g., 300-600mg KSM-66, 80-120mg Shoden). Our testers also generally found that doses smaller than that often produced little or no noticeable change, and that unbranded ashwagandha extracts also vary widely in potency based on the effects they experience.

When purchasing ashwagandha supplements, it’s worth looking for one with a standardized extract (either branded or unbranded). Those without a standardized extract could still be beneficial, but they may not work as consistently as those with one, and simple powders (as opposed to extracts) would require at least several grams per dose to be effective. This is because a specific group of naturally occurring steroids in ashwagandha, called withanolides, makes its benefits possible. So, supplements containing an ashwagandha extract standardized to a certain percentage of withanolides are likely to be more reliable.

Research suggests that the higher the standardized percentage of withanolides in a supplement, the better your body can use them. In a 2025 study on the bioavailability of four commercially available ashwagandha extracts in healthy adults, researchers gave subjects an extract standardized to either 35%, 10%, 5%, or 2.5% while they were fasting. Though the total withanolide doses were the same (185mg), the results showed that, in terms of the area under the curve (AUC), the 35% extract performed roughly 118 times better than the 10%, 226 times better than the 5%, and 267 times better than the 2.5% extract.64 (The AUC is basically a measure of the total amount of a substance the body is exposed to after a single dose, meaning that the 35% extract was far more bioavailable than the others.)

Interestingly, some research indicates that different concentrations of withanolides may be better for different needs. In a 2022 study that examined ashwagandha for insomnia and low energy levels, human subjects were given either an unstandardized supplement, one with 5% withanolides, or one with 2.5% withanolides. The 5% group had the best improvements for insomnia, while the unstandardized option appeared only to be potentially beneficial for energy levels. In comparison, the 2.5% supplement did a little bit of both for subjects.65

Besides studies demonstrating their importance as a part of ashwagandha, numerous cell, animal, and human studies have been conducted on withanolides themselves. For example, withanolides may be able to modulate various inflammatory cell signaling pathways, which suggests they could be used to relieve symptoms of multiple chronic conditions (e.g., certain cancers, osteoarthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.).11

Of course, if you’re interested in trying ashwagandha to find relief from a condition or concern that it may be able to help, it’s best to first consult your doctor.

Types of ashwagandha extracts

Pivoting back to those aforementioned standardized ashwagandha extracts, there are a few different ones, but you’re most likely to encounter one of the three most popular branded options used in supplements: KSM-66, Sensoril, or Shoden. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on your wellness goals.

Here’s a quick breakdown on ashwagandha extracts:

When our testers compared a KSM-66 and a Shoden ashwagandha supplement — from Physician’s Choice and Nootropics Depot, respectively — they found that both supplements had similar effects at similar intensities. However, it’s important to note the difference in dose: 120mg of Shoden ashwagandha (42mg of withanolides) and 1,000mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha (50mg of withanolides).

So, while high-quality ashwagandha extracts are available in supplements across the market, substantially higher doses of KSM-66 or Sensoril are needed to achieve similar effects as a lower dose of Shoden due to their differences in withanolide concentrations.

Differences between ashwagandha root and leaf

When shopping for ashwagandha supplements, you might have noticed that some products have different parts of the plant mentioned on the Supplement Facts label: root, leaf, or a combination. But does it matter which parts are included? According to experts, the parts of the ashwagandha plant used can have a significant impact on the amount of bioactive compounds — such as withanolides — in a given supplement. These compounds are considered the drivers behind ashwagandha’s therapeutic properties.71

In a recent 2025 review, the authors explain that there are five important withanolides in ashwagandha that appear to be responsible for much of its beneficial potential. These are:71

• Withaferin A
• Withanolide A
• Withanolide D
• Withanone
• 12-deoxywithastramonolide

Unfortunately, it’s a bit difficult to compare the withanolide content in the roots and leaves based on the information in the aforementioned review due to differences in measurements. For instance, the roots are noted as having a withanone content of 4.32mg/g, while the withanone content of the leaves is 1.312%. Additionally, some of the measurements are based on dry weight, while others aren’t. The only information that seems fairly clear is that the roots and leaves are both rich in withanolides, and the leaves are the only part of the plant that contains 12-deoxywithastramonolide.71 Basically, the composition of the root and leaves of ashwagandha differs.23

Thankfully, other studies have examined and compared the withanolide content of ashwagandha root and leaf. In a 2024 study, the authors explain that, while both parts contain “significant” amounts of withanolides, the leaf of the ashwagandha plant “exhibits similar withanolide composition to the root but in higher concentrations” and it has a “richer profile of primary and secondary metabolites.”25 72 This indicates that the root and leaves are similarly potent but in different ways, which could mean that each part has unique applications that may be uncovered as research develops further.

On the topic of secondary metabolites, a different 2024 study investigated the phytochemical profile of ashwagandha, including the total phenolic and flavonoid content of various plant parts. In this study, researchers made 100mg/mL aqueous and alcohol extracts from 5g of dry ashwagandha root, leaf, stem, or seeds. Below, we detail the results of the root and leaf extracts.73

This information suggests that both parts contain a decent amount of phenols and flavonoids, especially when extracted with alcohol. Though phenolic compounds and flavonoids are distinct from withanolides, they likely play a supporting role in many of ashwagandha's potential benefits, such as its possible antioxidant and anticancer properties.74 75 As far as current research shows, the withanolide content of ashwagandha is still the key detail to keep in mind, but these other compounds may be more important than we know.

Ashwagandha supplements appear to be generally safe for most healthy adults, though not enough research has been published about long-term safety. Very few of the existing studies have reported significant adverse effects from taking ashwagandha.

Side effects from using ashwagandha can include:28

• Upset stomach
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Transient drowsiness
• Dry mouth

According to experts, larger doses of ashwagandha are more likely to cause side effects, potentially due to “direct irritation to the intestinal mucosa.”76

A small number of people who take ashwagandha develop a fever shortly after taking it, though medical experts aren’t sure why this happens.28 You shouldn’t take ashwagandha if you have a fever, and if you develop one, stop using ashwagandha immediately.

As with any supplement, it’s best to talk to your doctor before incorporating it into your regimen.

Who should stay away for safety reasons?

Despite ashwagandha’s potential to calm anxiety, boost cognition, reduce stress, increase testosterone, and more, there are populations who should proceed with caution or avoid it entirely.

If you fall into any of the above categories, check out the “Alternatives to ashwagandha” section later in this guide to find other options worth trying.

Best for sleep and stress

After researching dozens of supplements for sleep and finding that many of them contain ingredients without high-quality evidence or have substandard doses of helpful ingredients, we worked to create our own option: Innerbody Labs Sleep Support. This melatonin-free supplement contains, among other things, 100mg of Shoden ashwagandha extract. This is one of only three supplements in this guide to use that branded extract (Nootropics Depot Shoden powder and capsules are the other two).

A 2024 study found that doses of Shoden as low as 60mg were “significantly effective” in reducing morning serum cortisol, which means that 100mg — almost double that — certainly has the potential to do the same.25 And by reducing your cortisol (the body’s primary wakeful hormone), you should feel less stressed or anxious, and you may find more success falling asleep and staying asleep.3 82

Other than Shoden ashwagandha extract, Sleep Support also contains:

• Vitamin D3: 38mcg
• Vitamin B6: 1mg
• Vitamin K2: 110mcg
• Magnesium: 127mg
• Zinc: 17mg
• Copper: 0.21mg
• Relissa lemon balm extract: 400mg
• Lactium (casein hydrolysate): 300mg
• L-Theanine: 200mg
• Venetron rafuma extract: 50mg
• Saffron extract: 30mg
• Astaxanthin: 12mg
• Lycopene: 5mg

While all of the ingredients are available in clinically relevant doses, some of the standout players (that aren’t ashwagandha) in this supplement include:

Innerbody Labs Sleep Support pricing details

Like the other Innerbody Labs supplements, Sleep Support can be purchased either one time or on a subscription basis (the latter of which can save you up to 25%). No matter how you purchase it, all orders ship for free and are covered by a 30-day guarantee. Here’s how the pricing works out:

This is the least expensive Innerbody Labs supplement, but it’s the only one of the bunch to contain Shoden ashwagandha — an ingredient that often makes supplements more expensive.

As a quick cost comparison to another pick in this guide, a bottle of Nootropics Depot Shoden capsules ranges from $20-$40 for a product with a single ingredient, and there are no opportunities to save through a subscription discount. So, if you get the 30-count Nootropics Depot Shoden capsules and take one twice daily (you can take it one or two times per day, according to the label), you’d be paying $1.33 per serving. This is only $0.64 less than a 1-month subscription of Sleep Support, but it’s still only for ashwagandha. On top of that, Nootropics Depot doesn’t accept returns of opened products, while Innerbody Labs has a 30-day guarantee.

So, if you’ve tried ashwagandha alone for sleep but it’s not quite enough, then the mix of Shoden and other research-supported ingredients in Sleep Support could be worth a try. (If it doesn’t suit your needs, you can always take advantage of the guarantee.)

Best budget choice for sleep and stress, and best ashwagandha powder

Nootropics Depot is unique among the companies in our guide in that it offers the top three branded ashwagandha extracts on the market — Shoden, KSM-66, and Sensoril — as well as whole-plant options. The company offers single-ingredient supplements of these extracts at more affordable prices than many competitors, and each is available either as a capsule or powder. With the powder options, you can get hundreds of servings that could last you up to a year or more for almost the same price as many capsule-based supplements with 1-month supplies. However, you will need a special scale and scoop to use the Nootropics Depot powders. (The company explains all of this in more detail on its website.)

But, whether in powder or capsule form, the 120mg dose of Shoden ashwagandha in each serving of Nootropics Depot’s supplement should be effective for stress and sleep, based on research.3

Regarding supplement safety, Nootropics Depot conducts third-party testing of its supplements to make sure they’re all “pure, potent, and free from harmful contaminants.” The company’s lab partner, Omnient Labs, is ISO accredited, and its manufacturing partner, Supplement Logistics, is cGMP certified. Moreover, the product’s certificate of analysis (CoA) can be found right on the product page (similar to Innerbody Labs and Transparent Labs). All of this demonstrates Nootropics Depot’s commitment to customer safety, which we greatly appreciate.

Nootropics Depot ashwagandha pricing

Here are the best available prices per dose for Nootropics Depot’s ashwagandha supplements:

You can also get a sample pack of two branded ashwagandha extracts and the whole-plant option (5g of KSM-66, 5g of Sensoril, and 10g of whole plant) for $19.99.

Shipping from Nootropics Depot is only free if you spend more than $50, and none of the company’s ashwagandha supplements meet the free-shipping threshold unless you buy more than one bottle per order. If you have to pay shipping, here are the current rates (which have recently gone up):

• FedEx 2-3 Day: $10.50
• USPS Priority: $10.60
• FedEx Ground (3-7 days): $20.71
• USPS Express (1-2 days): $52.30

Unfortunately, on top of expensive shipping, Nootropics Depot doesn’t have a very good return policy; you can only return unopened products within 30 days, minus the cost of shipping both ways. However, this policy is leagues better than what the company offered a few years ago, which was only accepting returns if there was a significant problem with your order.

Best for focus and brain health

Similar to Sleep Support, Innerbody Labs Focus Support is the product of our team setting out to create a nootropic formula that uses many of the most effective ingredients (at clinically relevant doses) that we’ve encountered during our thousands of hours spent researching these “smart drug” supplements. Time and time again, we found companies using promising ingredients at doses well below those used in successful research. For example, one of the biggest offenders is Qualia Mind, a roughly $150 nootropic packed with over 25 potentially beneficial ingredients — but nearly all at subclinical doses.

On the topic of clinically relevant dosing, the dose of ashwagandha used in Innerbody Labs Focus Support, 300mg of KSM-66 extract, has demonstrated the ability to improve cognitive functioning in adults with and without mild cognitive impairment.8

Besides ashwagandha, the other key ingredients in Innerbody Labs Focus Support include:

• Niacin: 16mg
• Vitamin B6: 2mg
• Folate: 400mcg
• Vitamin B12: 2.4mcg
• Pantothenic acid: 5mg
• Cognizin citicoline: 500mg
• Rhodiolife Rhodiola rosea extract: 350mg
• Phosphatidylserine 50%: 300mg
• N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (NALT): 200mg
• L-Theanine: 160mg
• Lion’s mane mushroom extract (20:1): 100mg
• Caffeine from Coffeeberry Energy: 80mg
• Saffron extract (2% Safranal): 30mg
• Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ): 20mg

While many of these ingredients have the potential to boost things like your attention,40 concentration,41 cognitive speed,42 and more, others are there to promote calm (like L-theanine and lion’s mane) and optimize brain health (such as PQQ).43 44 45

At this time, there isn’t a caffeine-free version of Innerbody Labs Focus Support available for those who are sensitive to caffeine. However, the inclusion of L-theanine helps to reduce the caffeine jitters — and vasoconstriction effects — experienced by some people, so it may not be as “intense” as other caffeinated nootropics that don’t contain L-theanine.46 This means that those who are only mildly sensitive to caffeine may be able to better tolerate the caffeine content in this supplement. Supporting this, one of our testers, an older adult woman who has a mild caffeine sensitivity (she can only drink half-caff coffee), was able to take this supplement without issue. But, if you do have a caffeine sensitivity, it could be helpful to start with half the full dose, or even a single capsule, just to play it safe at first.

Innerbody Labs Focus Support pricing

Like Testosterone Support and all other Innerbody Labs supplements, Focus Support is available as a one-time purchase or as a subscription. Both purchase options ship for free and are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can pay for your order using credit or debit, PayPal, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, or, if you have an HSA/FSA account, you can use it as payment at checkout through Truemed (if approved).

The chart below breaks down the one-time purchase price, subscription pricing, and the various costs per serving of Focus Support.

Compared to other ashwagandha supplements in this guide, many of which only contain one or two ingredients, Focus Support may appear expensive at first glance. However, its price should become more understandable when you consider all of its ingredients and compare it to other nootropics on the market. For instance, Thesis Stress Reset — one of our favorite nootropics — has a one-time purchase price of $129 (a 1-month subscription is $79), only contains 25 servings per order, and gives consumers fewer potentially beneficial ingredients.

Here’s a quick price comparison between Stress Reset and Focus Support:

Note: The chart only shows 1- and 3-month subscription intervals to keep things simple. This is because Innerbody Labs has a 6-month subscription option that Thesis doesn’t, and the latter has a 2-month interval that the former doesn’t.

As you can see, even though the Thesis subscriptions appear less expensive, you’d be paying more per serving — on top of paying more frequently because of the 25-day subscription cycle. A 1-month Thesis Stress Reset subscription would require paying for it around 14 or 15 times per year (365 divided by 25 is 14.6), while a 1-month Focus Support subscription would be paid 12 times (or 12.2 to be more precise). Altogether, you’d save roughly $60 per year with Focus Support.

To learn more about Innerbody Focus Support and some of our other favorite “brain boosters” and “smart drugs,” check out our guide to the best nootropics.

Best budget choice for focus and brain health, and best budget choice for men

Transparent Labs lives up to the name, as the company has a rigorous testing strategy and regularly updates a public online database with batch-specific third-party test results. This lets you compare the bottle in your hand to the results from its particular batch, ensuring purity, dose accuracy, and safety. Such a practice isn’t entirely unique in the supplements space, but most high-quality supplement manufacturers will only tell you that testing happens; Transparent Labs is one of the only companies on our list (alongside Nootropics Depot and Innerbody Labs) that’s willing to show this information directly to you.

Transparent Labs uses KSM-66 ashwagandha in a 600mg dose. Every bottle contains 60 capsules, which is double the amount of most of our other top picks. Moreover, note that a serving is only one capsule, similar to Nootropics Depot. Most other ashwagandha supplements require you to take two or more, so a 60-capsule bottle from competitors might amount to only 20-30 servings — about half or less of what Transparent Labs provides.

Transparent Labs KSM-66 Ashwagandha pricing

A one-time purchase of Transparent Lab’s KSM-66 Ashwagandha costs $19.99 (only $0.33 per serving). The company also allows you to add this ashwagandha supplement to a subscription program, which means you can save 10% (dropping the price to $17.99, or about $0.30 per serving) and get free shipping. This free shipping offer means a lot with Transparent Labs — without a subscription, shipping costs vary depending on your location, and you wouldn’t qualify for free shipping without spending at least $99. A couple of years ago, you could only get free shipping on orders over $149, so this decrease in the free-shipping ceiling is nice to see. But because of this high threshold, you should know how shipping costs work out otherwise.

Generally, standard shipping (5-7 business days) is $7.99 for most people in the U.S., while the cost of FedEx 2Day shipping varies by location and is based on your order’s weight. However, the latter option is almost always over $20. For example, one of our testers in the Northeastern U.S. would be charged a whopping $45.90 for FedEx 2Day.

Since a subscription order saves you 10% and gives you free shipping — and Transparent Labs won’t give you a hard time when you try to cancel your subscription — we recommend joining this program.

Best for men

Testosterone Support is Innerbody Labs’ first product, and it’s what kickstarted our team’s efforts to create supplements that we couldn’t find on the market during our research. Though we’ve mentioned our issues with supplements for sleep and focus, the vast testosterone booster market is perhaps the most frustrating — and dangerous — for consumers. From underdosed ingredients and false claims to outright safety hazards, a lot of supplements for testosterone are sketchy, to say the least. While we won’t claim that our supplement can instantly transform you into a bodybuilder overnight, boost your height, or make you 17 again, we did create a formula based on relevant positive research suggesting the ingredients and doses can support men’s testosterone and overall health.

In addition to a clinically relevant dose of KSM-66 ashwagandha (600mg), Innerbody Labs Testosterone Support also contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other botanicals. Each four-capsule dose includes the following ingredients:

• Organic ashwagandha extract (KSM-66): 600mg
• Tongkat ali extract (200:1): 400mg
• Maca root extract (10:1): 200mg
• Fenugreek extract (std to 50% saponins): 600mg
• Vitamin A: 750mcg
• Vitamin D3: 25mcg
• Vitamin K2: 75mcg
• Zinc: 25mg
• Selenium: 20mcg
• Copper: 300mcg
• Black pepper extract (BioPerine): 5mg

Though some people may start to feel certain benefits within days or a week of starting supplementation, the full picture of how the supplement’s ingredients could benefit you may not develop until up to 12 weeks (three months) of use.

Here’s how some of the ingredients — including ashwagandha — can support healthy testosterone levels and other aspects of men’s health.

Check out our full review to learn more about this supplement's ingredients and the research behind them.

Innerbody Labs Testosterone Support pricing and subscriptions

Innerbody Labs Testosterone Support can be purchased on a one-time basis or as a subscription, which you can cancel at any point. The chart below breaks down all the details.

If you’re unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, just let Innerbody Labs know within 30 days of receiving your order to start the refund process (customers are responsible for return shipping fees).

Though a 30-day guarantee isn’t the longest among our top picks in this guide, a month of consistent use should be long enough for some of the potential benefits of the supplement to start becoming noticeable.

Also, for those who have an HSA/FSA account, you can pay for Innerbody Labs Testosterone Support with those funds via Truemed at checkout.

Best ashwagandha gummy

Goli’s ashwagandha gummies are a tasty, easy-to-take supplement that our testers rather enjoyed. With anxiety-fighting ashwagandha and potentially mood-boosting vitamin D (if you have a deficiency), Goli’s gummies may offer people with depression and anxiety a bit of calming relief.33

However, while the KSM-66 ashwagandha dose is clinically relevant, each two-gummy serving of Goli only contains 15mg of withanolides.34 This is the lowest amount of the active compound from our top picks, and because gummies lose potency over time, you may also lose your investment if you aren’t taking these regularly.35

Goli ashwagandha gummy pricing

On a positive note, these gummies are relatively inexpensive compared to the up-front costs of our other top picks — plus, you can save money by bundling (in packs of three or five) or subscribing. Here’s how that works out:

When you bundle, the cost per bottle drops by a few dollars. With three bottles, it becomes $14.32 (or $12.89 with a subscription), and with five, it’s $13.99 each (or $12.60).

In terms of shipping, orders over $20 ship for free, and those that don’t will cost around $5. The return policy is the same length as those from most of our other picks — 30 days. (Only Transparent Labs (45 days) is better than the rest.)

Best liquid ashwagandha

Youtheory Ashwagandha Liquid is a 12-pack case of packets filled with a blueberry-flavored KSM-66 ashwagandha drink. This 600mg (30mg withanolides) option is great for those who have trouble swallowing pills or chewing gummies, as its dosing is identical to some of our other top picks, like our choice from Transparent Labs.

The blueberry flavor isn’t particularly outstanding, but it does a good job of covering up the earthy bitterness of the ashwagandha. However, if you aren’t a fan of artificial sweeteners, then you may not like the taste of this supplement — xylitol and stevia leaf extract are used to sweeten it in place of added sugar.

Youtheory liquid ashwagandha pricing

The big drawback of this product is its cost. Up-front, the $21 price doesn’t seem too bad, but with only 12 doses per pack, you’re paying $1.75 per serving. This is far more than any of our other ashwagandha-only picks. In comparison, the one-time purchase per-serving cost of our pick from Transparent Labs is $0.33 — a difference of $1.42. Thankfully, Youtheory has recently added a subscription option where you can save 15% (making each 12-pack $17.84) and get free shipping.

If you don’t subscribe or spend $40 to get free shipping, you’ll be charged a flat rate of $14.99. Buying two boxes of Youtheory’s Ashwagandha Liquid would put you over this threshold (and it’s only about $6 more than you’d be spending anyway with shipping), so — if you don’t want to subscribe — it could be worth investing in at least two boxes if you plan on using them.

You can return unopened products within 30 days of purchase, but there’s another shipping-related caveat: it’s unclear if you’re reimbursed for the initial cost of shipping (for single purchases), and you’ll have to pay another $14.99 for return shipping. So, we recommend being very sure that you want Youtheory’s products before committing.

The products in this section were once among our top picks but have since been dethroned by others. However, they’re still recommendable in one way or another, so we compiled them here as honorable mentions.

Physician's Choice KSM-66

Physician’s Choice uses KSM-66, one of the most popular forms of ashwagandha extract. Most KSM-66 supplements offer it in a 600mg dose, but Physician’s Choice uses a 1,000mg dose. This means each dose contains about twice as many withanolides as 600mg, which would make it closer to the withanolide content of Shoden. However, this also means the capsules are a bit larger compared to some competitors, but each one is still less than a half-inch long and relatively narrow, and our testers didn’t find them difficult to swallow.

The Physician’s Choice KSM-66 formula also contains 15mg of black pepper extract (branded BioPerine). Black pepper extract is well-known to enhance bioavailability, making it easier for your body to use what’s in a supplement, so more of those withanolides may readily make their way into your system.30

When our testers tried Physician’s Choice’s ashwagandha, they found that it gave them roughly the same effects as Nootropics Depot’s Shoden ashwagandha. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t care as much about taking two slightly larger capsules, this may be a good alternative to Shoden products.

A single bottle of Physician's Choice KSM-66 costs $28.20 for a one-time purchase or $23.97 with a subscription when buying directly, but it’s also available through Amazon and Walmart. We currently recommend buying this product via Amazon because you actually save money compared to buying from the official website, whether you opt for a subscription or a one-time purchase. The only advantage of buying directly is the 60-day return policy if you aren’t satisfied, a policy that’s on the longer side among the products in this guide.

Live Conscious ZenWell

Live Conscious has a slightly smaller offering of wellness products than some competitors, but that focus allows them to make what are generally very high-quality products. The company’s ZenWell ashwagandha supplement may support relaxation and better sleep quality. In addition to KSM-66 ashwagandha, ZenWell includes 200mg of Alphawave L-theanine. That’s on the lower side of the 200-400mg range typically used by researchers studying L-theanine’s effects on sleep, but it may have a greater impact because it’s paired with ashwagandha.

ZenWell also contains 20mg of organic black pepper fruit extract, which could improve its bioavailability.30 However, this supplement does contain milk, so it’s unsuitable for vegans or those with milk allergies or lactose intolerance.

But, besides the inclusion of milk, the big downside to ZenWell is its cost. The price of a single bottle is $25, which may not seem like too much at first. But that one bottle contains only 30 servings, whereas most other KSM-66 supplements in the same price range offer 60 servings or more. However, you can save up to 42% by buying in bulk and setting up a subscription — a pretty massive discount that brings your price per serving down to the levels of other competitors. Though the downside of this is paying more up-front for better long-term savings.

Here’s how your purchasing options for Live Conscious ZenWell work out:

Live Conscious gives you a 365-day money-back guarantee, which is far longer than most other guarantees in this guide. But there are some caveats:

• You can return any unopened product for up to a year
• Opened product returns are limited to two bottles from no more than one order each

So if you purchased a six-month supply of ZenWell and decided to stop taking it after two months, you’d have another ten months to set up your return and still get a full refund.

Moon Juice Ashwagandha Root Powder

Moon Juice offers a wide variety of supplements for everything from hair health to cognition. The company describes its pure KSM-66 ashwagandha powder as having a “bitter, molasses-like flavor.” As such, it should work well in your coffee, and many anecdotally report that it doesn’t add any taste to a morning brew, particularly when you add a splash of milk.

Each quarter-teaspoon serving provides 600mg of organic KSM-66 ashwagandha. Because it’s KSM-66, you’ll get fewer withanolides per serving than a Sensoril or Shoden ashwagandha, but you’ll still have an average of 30mg per serving if you follow directions. And since it’s a powder, you can adjust the number of servings you take in much smaller increments compared to a capsule or gummy.

One jar of Moon Juice’s KSM-66 ashwagandha powder costs $38 as a one-time purchase. A subscription drops the price to $34.20 per jar, and you can also use Afterpay to split your purchase into four payments.

Moon Juice offers a 45-day money-back guarantee, and shipping is free for subscriptions or orders over $65 to the contiguous U.S. Otherwise, your shipping costs are based on how much the package weighs and where you’re located. We found that standard ground shipping for just one container of KSM-66 ashwagandha costs $6.95 no matter where you live, or you could pay $12.50 (to the East Coast) or $9 (to the West Coast) for express three-day shipping.

Additionally, you can choose between a selection of charities at checkout, and Moon Juice will donate 1% of your order’s cost. Moreover, when you pick your shipping option, an additional $0.98 allows you to opt into using Route, which provides package protection and neutralizes your shipment’s carbon footprint.

Youtheory Ashwagandha Capsules

Youtheory Ashwagandha Capsules include a blend of 600mg KSM-66 and 400mg organic ashwagandha root powder. Even though the total ashwagandha dose is 1g, that doesn’t mean you’re getting more withanolides. The organic root powder isn’t standardized, and it’s not even an extract. Since KSM-66 is a 12:1 extract, 600mg is equivalent to 7.2g of ashwagandha root powder (over seven times what the whole serving provides).

This means that 400mg of the root powder would, at most, be like adding an additional 33mg of KSM-66, or only 1.65mg of withanolides. So, in total, this product has at least 30mg of withanolides (because of the KSM-66), but it may have up to 31mg (because of the powder) — not a huge difference.

It’s worth noting that Youtheory’s ashwagandha capsules also contain 20mg of ginger root extract. While ginger root is great for improving digestion and calming an upset stomach, research is much more mixed when it comes to its effects on the brain. Some animal studies suggest ginger can play a critical role in improving cognitive function, especially in the presence of cognitive disorders.22 However, 5mg per kg was the lowest effective dose used in this research, and that’d be about 31mg when converted for a 170lb human, or 11mg more than Youtheory uses.

There are a handful of studies that suggest ginger can lessen the damage caused by oxidative stress and improve memory dysfunction, but almost all of these studies took place in mouse models, and converting the lowest potentially beneficial dose for a mouse to a 170lb human would amount to about 63mg — over triple what’s in this supplement.17 Additionally, while another study on mice found that ginger improved anxiety better than prescription Valium, that study used 200mg/kg of ginger root extract — meaning humans would need about 1g of ginger root extract to feel that effect.18 Overall, Youtheory’s 20mg dose doesn’t come close to what appears beneficial in the current research.

As mentioned before, one bottle of Youtheory Ashwagandha Capsules costs $21.99, which is about a $3 increase since we first researched these supplements a couple of years ago. Like with Youtheory’s liquid ashwagandha, subscriptions have recently been added, which take off 15% and include free shipping. For single purchases, free shipping kicks in when you order at least $40 worth of products — which is less than the threshold for many other brands — but if your purchase doesn’t add up to that, then you’re left paying a flat fee of $14.99 for shipping.

Xwerks Ashwa Gummies

Xwerks is a relatively fitness-oriented company, but not all of its offerings are exclusively for people who hit the gym hard (though ashwagandha may be able to boost testosterone).21 Several products, including the ashwagandha gummies, are suitable for anyone who’s just trying to feel better. And because the ashwagandha comes in a vegan gummy form (with a recognizable strawberry flavor), they’re easy for almost anyone to take.

Xwerks Ashwa gummies contain 1,500mg of ashwagandha from a 50mg extract per two-gummy serving. This may sound like a lot, but the label notes that these gummies only provide 3% withanolides — or a grand total of only 1.5mg (3% of the 50mg extract) per dose.

Another downside to these gummies is the sugar content. The ingredients list includes glucose syrup, sugar, and glucose, adding 6g of sugar to every two-gummy serving. That may take Xwerks Ashwa off the table for anyone on a Keto or low-sugar diet or those with diabetes.

One bottle of Xwerks Ashwa contains 60 gummies (30 servings or a one-month supply) and costs $19, making it a decent option for those on a budget. If you choose to subscribe, the cost per bottle comes down to $18.05. This price has stayed stable over the past couple of years.

Shipping from Xwerks is free if you purchase at least $75 of products. Otherwise, you’ll pay a $5 flat rate. You can return the product within 30 days of purchase for a full refund, no questions asked, which is a remarkably flexible return policy that lets you discover how you respond to this ashwagandha gummy before making the decision to return it.

Ashwagandha isn’t the best option for everybody. If you already take anti-anxiety medication, you’re waiting for a new kidney, or you’re just not sure that ashwagandha is the right supplement for you, there are plenty of other options you might consider. We’ll go into detail on a few of the major players below.

In general, individual ingredients like melatonin, magnesium, and L-theanine combined with ashwagandha in blended supplements tend to work best for sleep and anxiety, and testosterone boosters — like our own Testosterone Support supplement — combat low testosterone levels more directly than ashwagandha alone.

For sleep and anxiety

If you have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, you might be interested in a blended supplement designed to promote slumber or calm. Many of these blends include ashwagandha, since it’s a potent and well-researched botanical option.

If you’re hoping to avoid ashwagandha altogether, we recommend looking at each individual ingredient in these blends to find a supplement that might work better for you. Below, we’ve compiled details on some common sleep supplement ingredients and broken down what they do and when they might be most effective.

Testosterone boosters

If you’re looking into ashwagandha for its testosterone-boosting properties, we’d first recommend that you talk to your doctor and request a testosterone test to determine whether or not you’re actually low. It won’t do you any good to take a testosterone-boosting supplement if your testosterone is already within the normal range. (We can point you to the best at-home testosterone tests if you don’t want to wait weeks to see your provider.) You’ll also have access to more clinically efficient prescription medications and testosterone replacement therapies if you can confirm your levels.

If prescriptions aren’t your desired first course of action, there are lots of testosterone supplements out there, but surprisingly few are both safe and effective. This is why — after consistently finding supplements that didn’t quite hit the mark — we created our own option, Innerbody Testosterone Support (as detailed earlier in this guide).

Another decent product is TestoPrime, which has 56mg of branded ashwagandha per serving and a formula capable of being effective without breaking your budget. Ro’s testosterone support supplement is also recommendable because of its 600mg of ashwagandha, though it’s an unbranded form. Ro is also an excellent one-stop shop when there isn’t a clomiphene citrate shortage, because, ordinarily, you can access testosterone tests and prescription testosterone therapy services; these services are suspended at the moment, however. Roman also offers erectile dysfunction medications, generic Zoloft, hair loss treatment, skin care, and weight loss support within the same platform.

For more information, check out our guide to testosterone boosters, which outlines your best options in 2025.