Ashwagandha for Hair: What the Research Shows

Ashwagandha is mainly studied for stress, and its hair research is small. One placebo-controlled trial tested a topical ashwagandha serum, and the oral evidence is for stress and anxiety, not hair. A recent review also describes cases of liver injury linked to the supplement.

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Key Takeaways

• In a 75-day placebo-controlled trial of 61 adults with mild to moderate hair loss, a topical ashwagandha root extract serum reduced shedding and improved density, growth and thickness measures compared with placebo.
• We found no trial of oral ashwagandha for hair.
• A meta-analysis of 9 trials (558 patients) found ashwagandha lowered perceived stress, anxiety and serum cortisol compared with placebo, with mild to moderate adverse events in four trials.
• A scoping review of 25 cases described ashwagandha-associated liver injury, usually after weeks of use, and advised people with advanced liver disease to avoid it.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a root used in Ayurveda and sold as a stress supplement.

Does Ashwagandha Help Hair?

Possibly as a topical, based on one small trial. For oral supplements, there is no hair trial, only stress research.

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Using Ashwagandha Sensibly

• Don't assume the stress research means hair benefit. They are different outcomes.
• Talk to your doctor first, especially if you have liver disease or take other medicines.
• Stop and seek care if you develop jaundice, itching or other signs of liver trouble.

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What The Research Shows

A Topical Serum Trial

In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, healthy adults aged 18 to 45 with mild to moderate hair loss applied an ashwagandha root extract serum or placebo. In the per-protocol analysis of 61 participants, the ashwagandha group had significantly less shedding in a 60-second comb test at day 75, and greater improvements in density (7.3 against 2.8), growth (21.7 against 4.2) and thickness (1.8 against 0.9) (Yerram et al., 2023). It was a small trial of one formulation.

Stress And Anxiety

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 randomized trials with 558 patients found ashwagandha formulations had a significant effect on the Perceived Stress Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and serum cortisol compared with placebo. Four trials reported mild to moderate adverse events. The authors said more information is needed on long-term safety (Arumugam et al., 2024). This was not about hair.

Liver Injury

A scoping review of published cases found 13 publications covering 25 patients with liver injury linked to ashwagandha products. It typically developed after weeks of use, with jaundice and itching, and most patients recovered after stopping. One case needed a liver transplant and three deaths occurred in people with existing cirrhosis. The authors advised that patients with advanced chronic liver disease avoid ashwagandha (McIntyre et al., 2026).

Tulsi is another herb studied mainly for stress; see tulsi for hair.

See also: PABA for Hair: Gray Hair Claims & What the Research Shows · Rhodiola for Hair: Stress, Evidence & What to Know

Ashwagandha is one of the ingredients in FullyVital's Hair Revival Supplements. For how the evidence for each ingredient in the line stacks up, see our evidence-tier breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ashwagandha regrow hair?

One small trial of a topical serum reported better hair measures than placebo. We found no oral trial for hair.

Does ashwagandha reduce stress?

A meta-analysis found lower stress and anxiety scores than placebo.

Is ashwagandha safe?

A review describes rare liver injury. Talk to your doctor first.

References

1. Yerram C, Jillella A, Reddy V. Effects of Withania somnifera root extract serum application on hair health in healthy adults: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled study. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2023. PubMed
2. Arumugam V, Vijayakumar V, Balakrishnan A, et al. Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) on stress and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Explore (NY). 2024. PubMed
3. McIntyre D, Nguyen P, Kim Y, et al. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)-Associated Liver Injury: A Scoping Review of Clinical Characteristics and Safety Considerations. Cureus. 2026. PubMed