Examining Ashwagandha's Stress-Busting Potential: A Systematic Review Dissection

In this edition of the Dr Journal Club podcast, hosts Josh and Adam delve into the captivating realm of Ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb renowned for its stress-alleviating properties. They explore a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating Ashwagandha's efficacy in managing anxiety and stress. Despite promising findings suggesting significant effects, the hosts meticulously scrutinize the study's methodology using the Amstar 2 checklist, identifying deficiencies such as the lack of a registered protocol and unclear reporting on funding sources. However, they underscore the importance of considering the results while acknowledging the low evidence level and study limitations. They advocate for critical evaluation of systematic reviews and encourage listeners to utilize tools like Amstar 2 to assess the quality of evidence in research studies.