Ashwagandha and Shatavari: Two Ayurvedic Rasayana Medicines

2. Are they suitable for both men and women?

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain says yes: Ashwagandha and Shatavari are suitable for men, women, children and the elderly alike. She notes the common belief that Ashwagandha is an aphrodisiac intended mainly for men, and that Shatavari is especially useful for women after childbirth to increase milk supply. She stresses, however, that their benefits are not limited to this and that many of their benefits are not widely known.

Editorial note: The presenter’s statements about suitability, aphrodisiac effects and milk supply are therapeutic claims from the video, not verified medical advice. Age, pregnancy, medicines and health conditions can change whether an herb is appropriate.

3. Their Ayurvedic properties

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain describes Shatavari, or asparagus, as heavy (guru), meaning heavy to digest, and oily (snigdha), meaning that it creates lubrication in the body, with a cold potency. She says it pacifies Vata and Pitta and increases Kapha. It is a smooth substance that gives lubrication and reduces dryness.

She gives Shatavari’s classical description as vata-pitta-hara (pacifying Vata and Pitta), vrisha (aphrodisiac), svadu (sweet) and tikta (bitter).

Ashwagandha, she says, is a light and oily herb (laghu snigdha): light to digest, with an oily property, and warm in potency, so it increases heat. She says it reduces Kapha and Vata and increases Pitta.

Editorial note: These are classical Ayurvedic categories of energetics, not laboratory measurements. The claims about doshas and bodily effects are Dr. Jain’s presentation of Ayurvedic teaching, not verified medical advice.

4. Shatavari for women

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain says Shatavari balances Vata and Pitta, so it suits Vata-Pitta prakriti and Vata-Pitta disorders. She says it helps women who are underweight and need to gain weight, and those with excess dryness such as dry skin, dry hair, dry eyes or other dryness, because it is smooth and gives lubrication.

She describes it as useful where Pitta is aggravated and causing excess heat, burning, acidity, mouth ulcers, burning urination, ulcers or ulcerative colitis. She says it helps women who bleed heavily during menstruation, have excessive discharge and consequently feel extremely tired or have low haemoglobin. Dr. Jain notes that Ayurveda describes raktapitta, bleeding from any route, and says Shatavari helps reduce excessive or frequent menstrual flow.

Another of its names is rasayana, meaning an excellent tonic, and she calls it a very good medicine for women. She says it can be taken safely in pregnancy, noting that medicines in pregnancy generally require great caution but that Shatavari is one a woman can take, helping nourish both mother and foetus and ensuring proper nutrition.

In the postpartum period, she says, it increases milk supply, reduces fatigue and relieves body pain and back pain. She says it is beneficial for women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, and that it gives significant benefit in infertility.

For PMS — the five to six days before a period when there is excess stress, anger, irritability, body heat and mood change — she calls it a highly effective remedy. Overall, she says it is especially useful for women of Vata-Pitta nature or with Vata-Pitta disorders.

Editorial note: The claims about bleeding, haemoglobin, ulcers, pregnancy, milk supply, miscarriage, infertility, PMS, pain and fatigue are therapeutic or medical claims as presented by Dr. Jain. They are not verified medical advice; pregnancy, bleeding, infertility and other symptoms require qualified medical care.

5. Ashwagandha for women, and who should avoid Shatavari

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain says Ashwagandha is a warm herb, so it increases heat, and that women with Pitta problems, or who feel increased Pitta disorders in very hot weather, should avoid it. She says it reduces Kapha and Vata.

She describes Ashwagandha as a highly effective remedy for women who constantly feel cold and shivery, or who have severe body ache, swelling, muscle pain, nerve pain or joint pain. She describes it as anti-inflammatory for the uterus, reducing uterine swelling and inflammation, useful for women with pain in the vagina, and especially useful for hormonal imbalance, delayed periods or irregular periods.

Dr. Jain’s caution about Shatavari is that it increases Kapha in the body and is oily and heavy to digest. Therefore, she says, women prone to weight gain, obesity, fatty liver or fibroids are advised to avoid it, though they can take it as a vegetable prepared from its leaves.

Editorial note: The statements about pain, swelling, inflammation, hormonal imbalance, periods, fatty liver and fibroids are the presenter’s therapeutic teaching, not verified medical advice. Anyone with these symptoms or conditions should seek qualified care, and should not replace prescribed treatment with an herb.

6. Doses and combinations she gives

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: For Shatavari powder, Dr. Jain gives a dose of 3 to 6 grams, about half to one teaspoon, taken with water or milk. Alternatively, she says, about two teaspoons of Shatavari kalp can be mixed in milk or water.

Shatavari tablets or capsules are also available, she says, at one or two tablets twice a day. A medicinal ghee made with Shatavari is also available; she says it is very useful in pregnancy and even in infertility, and safe in pregnancy, at one teaspoon once or twice a day mixed in lukewarm water or hot milk. The Shatavari root is itself used as medicine.

For Ashwagandha, the recommended dose in her presentation is 3 to 6 grams, half to one teaspoon, once or twice a day, with milk, water or ghee.

She says that depending on your prakriti and condition you can choose which of the two suits you best. Women who do not suffer severe Pitta can take a combination, for example half a teaspoon of Ashwagandha powder and half a teaspoon of Shatavari powder mixed in milk with a little rock sugar (mishri).

Alternatively, if taking Ashwagandha, she suggests taking it with Yashtimadhu (licorice), or adding a little Giloy powder or Giloy extract to it to prevent increase of Pitta.

Editorial note: These doses are what the presenter states in her video and are not a recommendation by Wah.Guru. Readers should take doses only under a qualified practitioner’s guidance. Herbs can interact with medicines and are not safe for everyone, including during pregnancy or with liver, hormonal, autoimmune or other health conditions.

7. For men

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: As with women, Dr. Jain says men of Vata-Pitta nature, or men who suffer more from Vata-Pitta dosha, should prefer Shatavari, while men of Kapha-Vata nature with illness can prefer Ashwagandha. The two can be combined, for example half a teaspoon of Ashwagandha and half a teaspoon of Shatavari powder. She notes that when Ashwagandha is combined with Shatavari it will not create as much heat, because Shatavari has a cooling effect.

Both are rasayana medicines. Both increase virya (semen or sexual potency), she says, so these medicines are useful for men who suffer deficiency of virya, weakness in virya levels, erectile dysfunction, excessive tiredness, insomnia, excessive thinking or infertility. She notes that Ashwagandha is widely used in most aphrodisiac medicines, but states that Shatavari also increases virya.

She says both are also useful for men who train hard at the gym, those who want to gain weight and increase muscle strength, and those suffering body pain, joint pain, muscle pain or nerve-related pain.

Dr. Jain describes Ashwagandha root as the part used as medicine, taken as 3 to 6 grams of powder, or half to one teaspoon, mixed in water or lukewarm milk, with a little rock sugar (mishri) if wished.

She gives another remedy, Ashwagandha shirpak, for those who want to gain weight, build muscle strength or increase virya as an aphrodisiac: take one cup of milk and add one cup of water, the water being added so the milk does not become too thick and heavy to digest. Then add about half to one teaspoon of Ashwagandha powder, a little mishri and some cardamom powder. Because Ashwagandha does not taste pleasant, the mishri and cardamom improve the taste.

She says those who have trouble sleeping, or suffer insomnia, excessive thinking or frequent dreaming, can take Ashwagandha powder mixed in milk, or Ashwagandha syrup before sleeping, and this will also remove their sleep problem.

Dr. Jain states that both Ashwagandha and Shatavari help control blood pressure, and that taking either is useful for those who have high blood pressure from insomnia or stress-induced hypertension. She says that taking Ashwagandha or Shatavari powder with water or milk before sleeping also removes confusion and fainting, meaning giddiness or extreme anxiety, and that both are anti-inflammatory, reducing inflammation in the body.

Editorial note: These are the presenter’s stated Ayurvedic claims, not verified medical advice. Erectile dysfunction, infertility, insomnia, hypertension and pain should be assessed by a doctor.

8. For the elderly

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain explains that old age is a Vata-dominant condition: Vata dosha increases in the body, dryness appears and degeneration happens at a fast pace. Conditions such as joint pain, muscle pain, nerve pain, blood pressure and diabetes are most commonly seen at this time.

She says both medicines have a lubricating and nourishing effect, both are very effective in reducing Vata dryness, and both are rasayana, excellent tonics, useful for reducing joint and muscle pain, increasing body strength and keeping immunity good in old age.

She says their syrups are also very effective at this time, and that a preparation of milk, water, Ashwagandha powder and a little ghee on top is very useful for reducing elderly problems and gives quick relief. Otherwise, the powder can simply be given mixed in milk; those who do not drink milk can take it with water, or take Ashwagandha tablets or Shatavari tablets. She says you can take these for one to three months, for as long as suits you.

She gives one caution: elderly people who have Pitta problems, increased Pitta disorder in the body, burning, heat, acidity, mouth ulcers, burning urination or ulcers should avoid taking Ashwagandha, especially in summer. Shatavari will be a safe alternative for them, she says.

9. For children

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain says even small children will benefit from taking Ashwagandha and Shatavari, since both are rasayana medicines. If you give your child milk with chocolate powder or something similar, she says you can give them Shatavari kalp. Children may not take Shatavari powder but will easily take Shatavari kalp because its taste is good, as it contains mishri and cardamom; some even add saffron, which tastes good. You can add one to two teaspoons of Shatavari kalp to milk and give it to them.

For children suffering hair fall, whose weight does not increase at all, or who fall ill repeatedly, she says Ashwagandha will also be useful. Her method is to take a little ghee, add one teaspoon of Ashwagandha powder and roast it gently on a low flame. Then add milk, cook it a little more and add a little ghee. She says this mixture of milk, ghee and Ashwagandha will nourish children and help them gain weight.

Editorial note: Children’s supplement doses should be set by a paediatrician or qualified practitioner. Concerns about a child’s weight, hair loss or recurrent illness need clinical assessment.

10. For skin

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain says both Ashwagandha and Shatavari are useful for skin diseases, and each has its own characteristics. Where Vata and Pitta increase in a skin disease, with excessive burning and dryness in the skin, she says taking Shatavari will be more useful.

Ashwagandha is more effective in treating Kapha- and Vata-related skin disease, such as itching; if you have no Pitta problem, she says, it will be very useful. She gives it the name kushthaghna, meaning beneficial for skin disease, and says it is also useful in reducing white patches, the problem of leucoderma.

She describes Shatavari as a blood stimulant: it increases blood in anaemia, increases skin glow and reduces bleeding tendency and bleeding disorders. She says Shatavari is a very mild and safe remedy for glowing skin.

Editorial note: Leucoderma (vitiligo) and other skin conditions require dermatological assessment. No herbal product should be relied on as a cure.

11. Best time to take them and how long

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain says these are rasayana medicines, so it is desirable to take them at the rasayana time, as early as possible. Take them on an empty stomach and avoid eating or drinking anything until hunger arises. Especially when taking Ashwagandha and Shatavari with milk, she says to avoid fruits and salty foods.

She says how long you should take them depends on your chronic condition, your prakriti, your state and the current season. That decision has to be made accordingly, but she says you can safely take them for a maximum of one to three months and can start again after a break in between.

By season, she says taking Ashwagandha is more beneficial in winter, while Shatavari can be taken in summer or autumn.

12. Closing remarks

Translated rendering — Dr. Rupali Jain: Dr. Jain concludes the video by saying that they have discussed the comparative Ayurvedic review of Ashwagandha and Shatavari. She hopes the video will help viewers use both effectively, and says this is a very good medicine for men, women, children and the elderly.

She asks viewers to tell her how they found the video, to like it, and to subscribe if they are new to the channel and watching for the first time, so they can get correct information about Ayurveda. She also asks viewers to share the video with friends and relatives so they too can learn about Ayurveda.

She closes with: “See you in the next video. Take Ayurveda, stay healthy. Namaskar.”