Herbal Ashwagandha Improves Male Steroid Hormones Levels in Aging Male

By Kyle J. Norton

Steroid hormones, secreted by the adrenal cortex, testes, and ovaries and during pregnancy by the placenta refers to any group of hormones associated with steroids.

All steroid hormones are produced by cholesterol, a way substance produced by the liver or from outside sources such as dietary fat.

Steroid hormones can be classified into two classes:
* Corticosteroids produced in the adrenal cortex play a critical role in providing relief for inflamed areas of the body that cause symptoms of swelling, redness, itching, and allergic reactions.

* Sex steroid hormones interacted with androgen or estrogen receptors in men and women respectively, play an essential role in reproduction, differentiation, development, cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, metabolism, homeostasis, and brain function.

In females, estrogens and progestins are synthesized and secreted principally by maturing ovarian follicles, corpora lutea and during pregnancy, the placenta. The dominant estrogen secreted is E2.

In the male, testosterone secreted by the fetal testes that play a critical role to masculinize and defeminize brain structures, physiological processes, and behaviors.

The increase of aging is associated with the change of the levels of steroid hormones in the human body that is easily observed in the perturbed sleep-wake cycles and cognitive decline in the elderly.

Dr. K.G. Sorwell, the lead scientist wrote, "Using remote serial blood sampling we have found the circulating levels of DHEA sulfate, as well as oestradiol and testosterone, decline markedly in old monkeys".

And, "Furthermore, using real-time PCR, we have shown that genes associated with the conversion of DHEA to oestradiol and testosterone (e.g., 3BHSD, 17BHSD, and aromatase) are highly expressed in brain areas associated with cognition and behavior, including the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala".

Ashwagandha also is known as Withania somnifera is a nightshade plant in the genus of Withania, belonging to the family Solanaceae, native to the dry parts of India, North Africa, Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

The herbal medicine has been considered as Indian ginseng and used in Ayurvedic medicine over 3000 years to treat tumors and tubercular glands, carbuncles, memory loss, and ulcers and considered as anti-stress, cognition-facilitating, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging herbal medicine.

On finding a potent compound which processes antiaging property, researchers examined the effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on the promotion of youthful vigor, in enhancing muscle strength and endurance, and improving overall health in aging males.

The 16-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study included overweight men aged 40-70 years, with mild fatigue, received either a placebo or an ashwagandha extract (Shoden beads, delivering 21 mg of withanolide glycosides a day) for 8 weeks.

According to the tested analysis of 57 participants enrolled, with 50 people completing the first 8-week period of the trial and 43 completing all 16 weeks,

* Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) showed the Improvements in fatigue, vigor, and sexual and psychological well-being were over time.

* However, Ashwagandha intake group demonstrated an 18% greater increase in DHEA-S ( p = .005) and 14.7% greater increase in testosterone, compared to the placebo without affecting the levels of cortisol and estradiol.

In other words, Ashwagandha processes antiaging activity in males by improving the male steroid hormones associated with enhancing youthful vigor, muscle strength, and endurance.

Based on the findings, researchers said, " the intake of a standardized ashwagandha extract (Shoden beads) for 8 weeks was associated with increased levels of DHEA-S and testosterone, although no significant between-group differences were found in cortisol, estradiol, fatigue, vigor, or sexual well-being. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to substantiate the current findings".

Taken altogether, Ashwagandha may be considered an antiaging functional herb in males, pending to the result of larger sample size and multicenter study



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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males by Lopresti AL1,2, Drummond PD1, Smith SJ. (PubMed)
(2) Developmental and Functional Effects of Steroid Hormones on the Neuroendocrine Axis and Spinal Cord by L Zubeldia-Brenner,1 CE Roselli,2 SE Recabarren,3 MC Gonzalez Deniselle,1,5 and HE Lara. (PMC)
(3) Causes and consequences of age-related steroid hormone changes: insights gained from nonhuman primates by K.G. Sorwell and H.F. Urbanski. (PMC)