Winter Cherry (Withania Somnifera): Functions

In Ayurvedic medicine, the sleep berry is very often used due to its diverse effectiveness. Traditionally, mainly the leaves and roots of the medicinal plant are used with the aim of promoting calmness and clarity of mind, as well as rebalancing body and mind. According to this, the sleeping berry is said to have memory-enhancing, anxiety-relieving, calming, sleep-promoting and mood-lifting effects, as well as life-prolonging and rejuvenating effects. Furthermore, the sleeping berry was traditionally used to strengthen the immune system, as an aphrodisiac, to increase fertility, and also as an abortifacient (abortifacient).The sleeping berry is one of the plant adaptogens. The physiologically active substances withanolides, withanolide glycosides and alkaloids support the body in stressful situations and increase stress tolerance. The organism is adapted (habituated) to stress and is thus able to provide increased resistance to stressors. The adaptogenic effect was demonstrated in double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention studies. Here, a total of 162 chronically stressed study participants took 125 mg, 250 mg, 600 mg of a sleep berry extract or a placebo daily for 60 days. Taking the sleeping berry extract led to a significant reduction in stress, as stress markers such as serum cortisol, pulse, blood pressure and also the inflammatory value C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased compared to the placebo group.Further study results show that taking sleeping berry extracts can increase the training effect and the regeneration ability of strength athletes. During an intervention study, 38 recreational athletes took either 500 mg of sleeping berry extract (from leaves and roots) or a placebo daily for 12 weeks and maintained their normal diet and lifestyle. During the study period, both groups followed a specific upper and lower body strength training program. Athletes who took the sleeping berry extract showed an increase in average leg and upper body strength. This was particularly noticeable in squats and bench presses.In addition, the anxiety-relieving effect of the sleeping berry could be demonstrated. Taking 300 mg to 1,000 mg of the sleep berry extract daily led to a clear improvement in anxiety disorder in a total of 114 sufferers after 6 to 12 weeks, as measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Similarly, mental health, concentration, fatigue, social skills, enjoyment of life, and quality of life improved. In another intervention study, 50 participants with mild cognitive impairment took 600 mg of the sleep berry extract daily for 8 weeks. Compared with placebo, there was significant improvement in memory function, executive function, sustained attention, and information processing speed.