Ashwagandha: Chill Pill or Sex Spell?
- JELQ2GROW
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Ashwagandha has been called a lot of things lately: a stress reliever, a testosterone booster, a cure for modern malaise, and, in some corners of the internet, a natural aphrodisiac that turns you into a walking, talking erection. TikTok wellness bros swear by it. Reddit threads are packed with horny testimonials. Gwyneth Paltrow probably rubs it on her temples during tantric retreats. But strip away the hype, and what are we really talking about here?
A plant. Specifically, an herb from the Indian subcontinent known formally as Withania somnifera. It's a shrub, grayish and a bit hairy, used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine. Its name, ashwagandha, loosely translates from Sanskrit to "smells like a horse." Which might be a reference to its odor, or to the strength it’s supposed to give you. Either way, it’s got a vibe.
Most people first encounter ashwagandha because of anxiety. It’s known for reducing cortisol levels, which, in plain terms, means it can help chill you the fuck out. And once you’re less anxious, surprise: your libido sometimes resurfaces. That’s not magic, it’s basic physiology. Stress messes with sex drive. You can’t feel sexy when your brain’s screaming about unpaid bills and existential dread.
But is there more to the ashwagandha-horniness connection than just being less anxious?
Let’s talk studies. In 2015, researchers looked at women dealing with sexual dysfunction and found that ashwagandha improved arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and general satisfaction. Good news, right? Sure. But the study was small, and like most supplement-related research, it wasn’t exactly rigorous. Still, there’s a signal there.
A few years later, a 2019 study on men aged 40 to 70 showed increased testosterone levels with ashwagandha supplementation. That’s interesting, considering testosterone has a lot to do with libido. But the study also noted no significant improvement in overall sexual well-being. So, more hormone, but not necessarily more action.
That hasn’t stopped the internet from treating ashwagandha like it’s some kind of Ayurvedic Viagra.
"Violently horny all day," one user wrote.
"Abnormally horny," said another.
One woman complained on Reddit that her boyfriend, when on ashwagandha, becomes an iron man in bed, lasting forever. But without it? "He cums in my vagina almost immediately."
On the flip side, some people claim the exact opposite. Another Redditor said it made him feel emotionally numb, like he couldn’t connect with his partner, let alone feel turned on. Someone else said it made their balls feel "dull." We’re not even going to try to unpack that one.
The reality? Ashwagandha probably won’t turn you into a sex god. But it might help if your low libido is tied to stress, fatigue, or hormonal imbalance. That’s a decent reason to give it a shot, as long as you’re not expecting fireworks and a surge of uncontrollable desire by day three.
Also worth mentioning: side effects. Take too much and you could end up on the toilet, wondering why your sexy supplement is giving you violent diarrhea. Not hot. Stick to the recommended dose.
And no, you probably don’t need the overpriced adaptogen mix being peddled by some influencer with perfect teeth and no medical training. The stuff is available in most health stores for about $20. Look for plain ashwagandha root powder or capsules, preferably standardized for withanolides (that’s the active compound).
So does ashwagandha make you horny?
Sometimes.
For some people.
In some situations.
But mostly, it just helps you relax. And in a world wired with anxiety and dopamine burnout, that might be the most erotic thing of all.