While ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is generally considered safe for most people, there have been several reports of ashwagandha-induced liver injury¹²³.

Instances of liver damage caused by ashwagandha have surfaced from different parts of the world, including Japan, Iceland, India, and the USA¹. Symptoms reported in these cases included jaundice, elevated liver enzymes, and acute hepatitis². The liver injury can present in patterns described as hepatocellular, cholestatic, or mixed³.

One particular study noted that five patients developed jaundice and symptoms such as nausea, lethargy, pruritus, and abdominal discomfort within 2-12 weeks of using ashwagandha³. The liver injury was self-limiting in most cases, with liver tests normalizing in 1-5 months after discontinuation of the supplement, although some cases required intensive pharmacological treatment¹³.

Due to the potential risk of liver toxicity, it is advisable to use ashwagandha supplements with caution and under medical supervision, especially if you have pre-existing liver conditions or are taking other medications that can affect liver function²³.

Footnotes

1. Marta Lubarska et al. "Liver Dangers of Herbal Products: A Case Report of Ashwagandha-Induced Liver Injury," PMC, 2022. ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Cyriac A. Philips et al. "Ashwagandha-induced liver injury—A case series from India and literature review," PMC, 2023. ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. Goran Bokan et al. "Herb-Induced Liver Injury by Ayurvedic Ashwagandha: An Emerging Cause," PMC, 2023. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵