Ashwagandha root extract: what “5% withanolides” means on a label

Pick up almost any ashwagandha supplement and you will see a line like “root extract, 5% withanolides”. It looks like a quality mark. It is actually a measurement, and like any measurement it only means something if you know what was measured, how, and in what.

What withanolides are

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a shrub whose root has a long history of use in traditional Indian practice. Withanolides are a family of compounds the plant produces naturally. They are the compounds manufacturers most often choose to measure and report, because they are characteristic of the plant and can be tested for in a laboratory.

What “5%” actually tells you

Take a 300 mg capsule dose of an extract standardised to 5% withanolides. Five per cent of 300 mg is 15 mg of withanolides. The other 285 mg is everything else that came through the extraction: plant carbohydrates, fibre, and other compounds.

So the percentage is a statement about composition. It is not a statement about how well the product works, and it is not a dose of “the active ingredient” in the sense a vitamin has one.

Why brands standardise at all

Plants vary. Soil, climate, harvest time and the part of the plant used all change what ends up in the raw material. Two products that both say “ashwagandha 300 mg” can contain very different amounts of withanolides. Standardising means the manufacturer tests each batch and adjusts so that the figure on the label is the figure in the capsule.

Four questions to ask about any label

• Which part of the plant? Root, leaf, or a blend. Their withanolide profiles differ, so a percentage is not comparable across them.
• 5% of what? Of the extract, or of the starting raw root? Labels are not always clear.
• Which withanolides, measured how? “Total withanolides” and a single named compound are different figures, and different laboratory methods can return different numbers for the same material.
• Can you see the test? A certificate of analysis for the batch you are holding is the only way to confirm the number.

How we handle it

Toro Prime™ contains 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract, standardised to 5% withanolides, from Madhya Pradesh in India. The root only, extracted with water. The dose, part, origin and standardisation are printed on the product page and the label, and the certificate of analysis for your batch is available on request using the batch number on the base of the bottle.

What the number does not tell you

A standardisation figure describes what is in the capsule. It does not prove a benefit. There is no authorised health claim for ashwagandha in the EU or Great Britain, so we make none. What we can do is tell you exactly what is in it and let you check.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical supervision, speak to your doctor before use.