Ashwagandha Gains Traction as Interest in Adaptogens Grows

Consumers are showing growing interest in adaptogens, the natural, nontoxic plants traditionally used to help the body adapt to physical, mental, and emotional stress. The global adaptogens market size was estimated at approximately $10.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $16.3 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research.

Among these ingredients, ashwagandha has emerged as one of the most widely used, noted particularly for its associations with stress management and sleep support. In the United States, ashwagandha was the third-most-purchased herbal supplement in 2024, with sales totaling $144 million, according to the American Botanical Council.

When it is taken over time, ashwagandha may help ease anxiety, improve sleep quality, and lower cortisol, a biological marker for stress, according to Tieraona Low Dog, MD, an expert in integrative and herbal medicine. “Ashwagandha is fantastic for relieving nervous tension, and I often recommend it to exhausted people who struggle to turn off their brains at night,” Dr. Low Dog says.

As consumer interest in herbal supplements grows, attention has turned to standardized extracts such as KSM-66, a clinically proven ashwagandha root extract, which can be used as a functional ingredient in a wide variety of foods and beverages, ranging from brownies and lollipops to coffee and energy drinks.

Understanding both the scientific evidence and formulation considerations may help product developers evaluate how ashwagandha extracts can be used in convenient, affordable food and beverage applications.

The Functional Benefits of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is commonly studied for its potential role in stress modulation and sleep. Emerging research has also explored its effects on exercise performance and aspects of women’s health, including hormonal changes.

Dr. Low Dog explains that physiological responses to stress can differ across populations. For example, women’s immune and endocrine systems are especially vulnerable to stress-mediated dysregulation, she points out.

“It’s not just that we may have more stress as women, but we actually have a different stress response,” Dr. Low Dog says. “Ashwagandha is uniquely beneficial in modern times for stress, and it has a quieting, calming effect on the nervous system, which can provide benefits including improved sleep, enhanced libido, and support for the menopausal transition.”

Clinical trials have explored these outcomes. In one randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 100 healthy perimenopausal women, KSM-66 supplementation decreased hot flashes by more than 30%, along with improvements in certain menopause-related quality-of-life measures (Gopal et al. 2021).

Additional research has examined stress and sleep outcomes. In one study, adults who took a KSM-66 supplement experienced a reduction in serum cortisol levels of nearly 28% (Chandrasekhar et al. 2012). Another trial, which included participants with insomnia as well as those with no sleep problems, showed sleep benefits in all subjects who took KSM-66 supplements (Langade et al. 2019).

KSM-66, produced by Ixoreal Biomed, is one of the most extensively clinically studied ashwagandha root extracts available. “It has been evaluated in more than 50 gold standard clinical trials, which highlight benefits across several important consumer-relevant areas,” says Kartikeya Baldwa, CEO of Ixoreal Biomed.

“These include stress reduction and better sleep quality, improved cognitive performance and memory, enhanced endurance, strength, and immune function, and support for sexual wellness and testosterone in men,” Baldwa says.

There is also a strong body of safety evidence for KSM-66 ashwagandha, led by the largest randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled safety trial ever conducted on an ashwagandha extract (n=1,002), which found no serious adverse events and tolerability comparable to placebo at 600 mg/day for eight weeks (Pakhale et al. 2026).

This was complemented by a 12-month observational study in 191 adults showing stable liver, kidney, and thyroid parameters throughout long-term use, with only mild adverse events reported in 9.4% of participants (Salve et al. 2025).

Further supporting safety at higher intakes, a 12-week study of 145 healthy adults receiving 2,000 mg/day found no clinically significant changes in hepatic, renal, thyroid, lipid, or glycemic markers, with nausea being the only notable side effect (7%) (Movva et al. 2026).

Collectively, these studies provide safety data across three key dimensions—large-scale clinical use, long-term administration, and high-dose exposure—while reporting no serious safety concerns.

Food and Beverage Applications

KSM-66 has a neutral taste. In product formulations, it has a minimal impact on both taste and texture, making it well-suited to food and beverage applications. In addition, it is highly soluble, blending seamlessly into beverage formulations, according to Baldwa. It is also heat and pH stable and has a shelf life of up to three years. As an ingredient, KSM-66 has a free-flowing, non-hygroscopic nature, and resilience during manufacturing conditions of around 100°C without deterioration of bioactives.

KSM-66 is self-affirmed as GRAS (generally recognized as safe), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) designation indicating that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts under the conditions of its intended use. KSM-66 was evaluated by an independent panel of toxicologists at a daily usage level of 1,008 mg per day.

The latest clinical evidence from all the KSM-66 research studies shows that a higher dosage is safe and delivers results, so the company is currently upgrading its toxicology study to include a higher dosage. When that study is complete, then KSM’s GRAS notice will be submitted to the FDA, Baldwa says.

KSM-66 is used in more than 4,500 products, including more than 45 delivery formats. “Some of the strongest and most commercially relevant food and beverage applications for ashwagandha include gummies, coffee, tea or chai, granola, nutraceutical bars, brownies, cookies, chocolates, sparkling water, vitamin water, shots, stick packs, soft chews, juices, lollipops, and smoothie mixes,” Baldwa says. “KSM-66 is also incorporated in honey, lozenges, mouth spray, oral dissolvable strips, popcorn, peanut butter, spreads, soda, liquid sachets, and even burger applications,” he adds.

The palatability, solubility, and stability of KSM-66 make it a good fit in products where botanical bitterness and processing instability are usually barriers, Baldwa notes. He sees formulation opportunities for products like functional waters, relaxation beverages, mood-support drinks, protein and recovery beverages, confectionery, snack clusters, ready-to-mix powders, and hydration products.

Learn More

For more insights into ashwagandha applications, visit the KSM-66 website.

Visit KSM-66 Website