Holy Basil Vs Ashwagandha: Is it Better to Combine Them?
Holy Basil vs Ashwagandha are two herbs commonly used to improve overall health in men and women. So, should we choose one of these herbs or combine them to enhance their benefits and effectiveness? Let's compare them and provide a clear answer in today's article.
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Key Takeaways
- Ashwagandha is an adaptogen with many excellent health benefits, especially in improving stress and concern and enhancing sleep quality.
- Holy Basil is also a multifunctional adaptogen for health, and this herb also improves sleep and reduces user stress and nervousness.
- Combining Holy Basil and Ashwagandha can optimize their benefits, but they should be used in appropriate dosages.
Holy Basil vs Ashwagandha: Quick Comparison Table
|
Feature |
Ashwagandha |
Holy Basil (Tulsi) |
|
Main Benefits |
Reduces stress, improves sleep |
Reduces stress, supports immunity |
|
When to Use |
Morning or evening (Note: Some people may feel tired the next morning if taken in the evening).* |
Morning or evening |
|
Flavor |
Strong, pungent, earthy, and bitter taste. |
Pungent, spicy, and slightly bitter, peppery, clove-like, woodsy.* |
How Ashwagandha & Holy Basil Improve Stress, Sleep, and Anxiety
Ashwagandha
How it works: Ashwagandha functions as an adaptogen that helps regulate the body's stress response, mainly by reducing cortisol, the primary hormone linked to stress. This process helps alleviate stress and anxiety, promoting relaxation and calming the mind. [1] [2]
Main benefit:
-
Reducing Anxiety: Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb shown to positively influence the body's response to stress and significantly lower cortisol levels (Arumugam et al., 2024).
-
Sleep Quality: Ashwagandha extract shows a small but significant effect on overall sleep (Cheah et al., 2021).
-
Neuroprotection: Protects against harmful environmental factors due to its antioxidant properties [6].
Holy Basil
How it works: Holy Basil, or Ocimum tenuiflorum (also called Tulsi), works primarily as an adaptogen that modulates the body's stress response through several biochemical pathways.
Main benefits:
- Stress Relief: Ocimum tenuiflorum extract effectively reduces both subjective and objective stress levels. A key highlight is the significant reduction in hair cortisol concentrations after 8 weeks of use, providing a reliable marker of long-term stress management (Lopresti et al., 2022).
- Sleep Quality: While Ashwagandha typically aids sleep onset through its sedative effects, Holy Basil focuses on reducing sleep disruptions caused by stress [10].
What Are Ashwagandha's Other Benefits?
Enhancing brain function: Ashwagandha can transmit cholinergic signals in the cortex and forebrain. Additionally, it increases muscarinic acetylcholine receptor capacity in the cortex, thereby improving memory. [1]
Improving muscle health: This herb also promotes muscle differentiation and recovery after injuries thanks to its main compound, withanolide. Ashwagandha is often used to enhance health for athletes and people engaged in intense sports. [5]
These benefits are also reflected in real-world feedback. An Amazon reviewer, Luke, praised an Ashwagandha supplement, awarding it a flawless 10/10 after experiencing meaningful improvements in her well-being.*
What Are Holy Basil's Other Benefits?
Enhanced Immune System, Endurance: Holy Basil strengthens the immune barrier, enhances resistance, and supports improved user endurance and performance. [5]
Improved Digestive System: Holy Basil is crucial in promoting healthy digestion, aiding metabolic processes, and maintaining ideal weight levels. [5] [6]
Can Ashwagandha And Tulsi Be Taken Together?
Yes, you can combine Holy Basil and Ashwagandha to achieve optimal effectiveness in improving stress, sleep, and concern.
However, users should still pay attention to the dosage and consult a healthcare professional to ensure safe use, especially for those with underlying health conditions or who are taking medications.
Recommend Dosage Holy Basil and Ashwagandha
Recommended Dosage: Studies suggest that the optimal dosage of 300mg to 600mg of Ashwagandha root extract per day provides the most noticeable effects (Akhgarjand et al., 2022).
Recommended Dosage: Holy Basil leaf extract at a dosage of 300 mg to 600 mg per day helps reduce symptoms of stress. A maximum of 1,200 mg per day can be used to support the metabolic process [12,13].
Important Warnings When Using Holy Basil and Ashwagandha
|
Herb |
Holy Basil |
Ashwagandha |
|
Warnings |
|
|
Read more:
- Tongkat Ali Vs. Tribulus: Comparison And Combination
- Tongkat Ali Vs Horny Goat Weed - How Do Them Work Well Together?
- Cistanche Vs Tongkat Ali - The Comprehensive Comparision
Conclusion
Holy Basil vs. Ashwagandha is an excellent solution for managing stress and anxiety and improving sleep for users. To maximize effectiveness, consider using a combination of these two products under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
References
- [1] Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review MD (Ayur), PhD, Betsy B. Singh, PhD, Simon Dagenais Lakshmi-Chandra Mishra,, BA https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=2bdff82eb23a373885252c87b53135b2fc9adde4
- [2] An overview on ashwagandha: a Rasayana (rejuvenator) of Ayurveda Narendra Singh 1, Mohit Bhalla, Prashanti de Jager, Marilena Gilca DOI: 10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5S.9
- [3] Effect of Ashwagandha Withanolides on Muscle Cell Differentiation Biomolecules 2021, 11(10), 1454; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11101454
- [4] Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study Cureus . 2019 Dec 25;11(12):e6466. doi: 10.7759/cureus.6466.
- [5] Usage of Holy Basil for Various Aspects Raaz Maheshwari1, Bina Rani2, Rajesh Kumar Yadav3, Magan Prasad4 Online ISSN 2277 – 1808 Bull. Environ. Pharmacol. Life Sci.; Volume 1 [10] September 2012: 63 - 65
- [6] Basil: A Brief Summary of Potential Health Benefits Singletary, Keith W. PhD Author Information Nutrition Today 53(2):p 92-97, 3/4 2018. | DOI: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000267
- [7] Controlled programmed trial of ocimum sanctum leaf on generalized anxiety disorders D Bhattacharyya,1 TK Sur,1 U Jana2 and PK Debnath2 Nepal Med Coll J 2008; 10(3): 176-179
- [8] Arumugam, V., Vijayakumar, V., Balakrishnan, A., B Bhandari, R., Boopalan, D., Ponnurangam, R., Sankaralingam Thirupathy, V., & Kuppusamy, M. (2024). Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) on stress and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EXPLORE, 20(6), 103062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2024.103062
- [9] Cheah, K. L., Mohd Noor Norhayati, Yaacob, L. H., & Rahman, R. A. (2021). Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 16(9), e0257843–e0257843. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257843
- [10] Lopresti, A. L., Smith, S. J., Metse, A. P., & Drummond, P. D. (2022). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of an Ocimum tenuiflorum (Holy Basil) extract (HolixerTM) on stress, mood, and sleep in adults experiencing stress. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.965130
- [11] Akhgarjand, C., Farzaneh Asoudeh, Bagheri, A., Zahra Kalantar, Zahra Vahabi, Sakineh Shab‐bidar, Rezvani, H., & Kurosh Djafarian. (2022). Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research, 36(11), 4115–4124. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7598
- [12] Cohen, M. (2014). Tulsi - Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 5(4), 251. https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.146554
- [13] Jamshidi, N., & Cohen, M. M. (2017). The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2017(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9217567
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