Benefits
59% anxiety reduction and 66% cortisol reduction at low dose
A 60-day double-blind RCT in 60 adults with generalized anxiety (HAMA score >20) confirmed Shoden® at just 60 mg/day reduced anxiety by 59% (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale) and lowered morning cortisol by 66–67% vs. placebo's 2.2% change. These outcomes at 60 mg — a quarter of typical ashwagandha doses — reflect Shoden®'s superior withanolide glycoside potency achieved through its patented 35% standardization.
Superior bioavailability vs. other ashwagandha extracts
A crossover bioavailability study in 16 healthy volunteers directly comparing four commercial ashwagandha extracts confirmed Shoden® (35% withanolide glycosides) demonstrated the highest plasma withanolide concentrations and longest duration of action — establishing Shoden® as the most bioavailable commercial ashwagandha extract. The superior absorption is attributed to withanolide glycosides' enhanced water solubility vs. aglycone withanolides in other extracts.
Sleep quality improvement
Multiple Shoden® clinical studies confirm significant improvements in sleep quality, sleep latency (time to fall asleep), and morning restfulness — outcomes attributed to cortisol normalization reducing the hypothalamic arousal that impairs sleep onset, and direct GABAergic enhancement that promotes inhibitory neurological tone for sleep.
Testosterone support in men
The stress-reduction RCT also confirmed significant testosterone increases in male participants taking Shoden® vs. placebo — consistent with the well-established inverse relationship between cortisol and testosterone. By normalizing HPA axis activity and reducing cortisol, Shoden® allows testicular testosterone production to recover from the suppression of chronic stress.
Mechanism of action
HPA axis normalization via withanolide glycoside GABA-A and glucocorticoid receptor modulation
Shoden®'s withanolide glycosides modulate GABA-A receptor sensitivity in the hypothalamus and amygdala — enhancing inhibitory GABAergic tone that normalizes HPA axis overactivation and reduces cortisol secretion. Simultaneously, withanolides act as glucocorticoid receptor modulators — enhancing glucocorticoid feedback sensitivity so that normal cortisol levels more effectively suppress further cortisol secretion. The withanolide glycoside form in Shoden® provides superior water solubility and bioavailability vs. free withanolide aglycones, explaining the clinical efficacy at doses 4–7× lower than standard extracts.
Clinical trials
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-arm study of Shoden® at 60 mg and 120 mg/day in 60 adults with elevated stress and anxiety (HAMA score >20). 60-day study. Published in Heliyon (2024).
60 adults with generalized anxiety (HAMA >20, morning cortisol >25 mcg/dL). 60-day clinical trial.
Shoden® at 60 mg/day: 59% reduction in HAMA anxiety score vs. placebo. Morning cortisol reduced 66% (60 mg) and 67% (120 mg) vs. 2.2% placebo change. Significant testosterone increase in men. Well-tolerated at both doses. Confirms clinical efficacy at quarter of typical ashwagandha doses.
Randomized, open-label, crossover comparative bioavailability study of four commercial ashwagandha extracts in 16 healthy volunteers. Published in Current Therapeutic Research.
16 healthy volunteers. Crossover pharmacokinetic study.
Shoden® (35% withanolide glycosides) demonstrated the highest plasma withanolide concentrations and longest duration vs. all other tested commercial extracts (2.5–5% withanolide standardization). First human evidence that withanolide glycosides specifically drive superior ashwagandha bioavailability.