Use the clinically studied, high-potency Shoden® extract, not a generic ashwagandha root powder.
The Next-Generation Ashwagandha
I used to take a generic ashwagandha root powder. The effects were mild and subtle. Then I learned about a new, next-generation extract called Shoden®. It has an industry-leading standardization of 35% withanolide glycosides, the active compounds. It was a complete revolution. The effect on my stress, my sleep, and my recovery was on a completely different level. I realized that all ashwagandha is not created equal. I had been driving a horse and buggy, and I had just been handed the keys to a sports car.
Stop thinking all ashwagandha is the same. Do use Shoden® for its industry-leading 35% withanolide glycoside content.
The 35% Difference
I used to look at bottles of ashwagandha and just see the milligram amount. I was missing the most important number. The magic of ashwagandha is in its withanolide content. A standard extract might have 5%. The new, cutting-edge Shoden® extract has an incredible 35%. This isn’t just a small difference; it is a profound leap forward in potency and bioavailability. To think all ashwagandha is the same is to be blind to the massive, seven-fold difference in the concentration of the active ingredient.
Stop taking ashwagandha just for stress. Do use a potent extract like Shoden® to support healthy testosterone levels and improve recovery.
The Athlete’s Adaptogen
I always thought of ashwagandha as a “stress” herb for anxious people. I had no idea it was a powerhouse for athletes. I learned that a potent, clinical-grade extract has been shown in numerous studies to help lower the catabolic stress hormone, cortisol, while at the same time supporting healthy testosterone levels. This powerful, hormonal-shifting effect makes it an incredible tool for accelerating recovery, improving strength, and building a more anabolic internal environment. It’s not just for stress; it’s for strength.
The #1 secret for lowering cortisol and raising testosterone simultaneously is a clinical dose of a potent Ashwagandha extract.
The Hormonal Holy Grail
For any athlete, it is the hormonal holy grail: the ability to simultaneously lower your primary stress and muscle-wasting hormone (cortisol) while increasing your primary muscle-building hormone (testosterone). I discovered the secret that can achieve this. A potent, high-withanolide ashwagandha extract, taken consistently, is one of the few natural compounds that has been clinically shown to do both. It is the ultimate secret weapon for creating a more favorable anabolic-to-catabolic ratio.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about testosterone boosters is that they all have to be weird, exotic herbs. Ashwagandha is proven.
The Proven Powerhouse
The world of “testosterone boosters” is full of weird, exotic, and often unproven herbs from faraway jungles. The lie is that you have to venture into this murky territory to get results. The truth is that one of the most effective, reliable, and scientifically-backed testosterone-supporting herbs is one of the most famous and well-known adaptogens in the world. Ashwagandha isn’t a weird, hyped-up newcomer; it is a proven powerhouse with a mountain of clinical data to support its effects.
I wish I knew that the quality and standardization of the ashwagandha extract mattered so much.
The Quality Quandary
I first tried a cheap, generic ashwagandha and felt absolutely nothing. I wrote off the entire herb as useless hype. I wish I had known that the quality and the standardization of the extract is the single most important factor. The knowledge that a high-potency, clinically-studied extract like Shoden® or KSM-66® existed, and that it was a world away from the inert powder I had tried, would have saved me years of skepticism. I was judging a lion by the purr of a kitten.
I’m just going to say it: For athletic recovery and hormonal health, Shoden® is the most potent and bioavailable ashwagandha on the market.
The Cutting Edge
In the competitive world of ashwagandha extracts, there is a new king. For its unprecedented, 35% standardization of withanolide glycosides and its superior bioavailability, the Shoden® extract is, quite simply, the most potent and advanced option available for the serious athlete. It delivers a more powerful and more reliable dose of the active compounds that are responsible for the cortisol-lowering, testosterone-supporting, and recovery-enhancing effects. It represents the absolute cutting edge of the science.
99% of athletes make this one mistake: buying a cheap ashwagandha powder and getting none of the benefits seen in clinical trials.
The Placebo Powder
An athlete hears about the amazing, research-backed benefits of ashwagandha for recovery. They go online and buy the biggest, cheapest bag of raw ashwagandha root powder they can find. They are making a huge mistake. They are not taking the same thing that was used in the clinical trials. They are taking a weak, unstandardized powder and expecting the results from a potent, concentrated extract. They are, in effect, just swallowing a placebo powder and are getting none of the real benefits.
This one habit of taking Shoden® ashwagandha before bed will change your sleep, recovery, and hormonal profile forever.
The Nightly Reboot
I was looking for a single habit to upgrade my entire recovery process. I found it. Every single night, about an hour before bed, I take my dose of Shoden® ashwagandha. This one, simple act has had a three-fold, profound effect. It lowers my cortisol, allowing me to fall into a deep, restorative sleep. This improved sleep enhances my physical recovery. And this entire, stress-reducing process creates a more favorable hormonal environment for my body to rebuild and get stronger. It’s a total nightly reboot.
If you’re still just “managing” stress, you’re losing the performance-enhancing, cortisol-crushing power of a top-tier ashwagandha.
The Proactive Power
You are just “managing” your stress. You are being defensive. You are losing. You are losing the opportunity to go on the offensive. A powerful, top-tier ashwagandha extract doesn’t just help you to cope with stress; it gives you a powerful performance advantage. By actively crushing your catabolic cortisol levels and supporting your anabolic hormones, it transforms your stress management into a proactive, performance-enhancing strategy. You are not just surviving; you are thriving.