Ashwagandha: adaptogen benefits and evidence

Layne reviews ashwagandha's effects on strength, recovery, hormones, sleep, dosing, and safety concerns.

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The Dr. Layne Norton Podcast is back with Part 2 of the highly anticipated Supplement Series! In Episode 23, Layne dives deep into his Tier 2 supplements — the ones with solid (but not quite elite) evidence for supporting strength, power, endurance, recovery, body composition, stress management, sleep, and overall training performance.

Building on the Tier 1 foundations from Episode 22 (creatine, whey protein, and caffeine), Layne breaks down the science, mechanisms, optimal dosing, timing, safety profiles, and real-world takeaways for these promising options. No hype, just evidence-based insights to help you decide what's worth adding to your stack.

In this episode, Layne covers:

Ashwagandha — Boosts strength, lean mass, testosterone, recovery, sleep, and stress management as a powerful adaptogen.

Betaine (Trimethylglycine) — Potential improvements in body composition, strength, power output, and recovery.

Rhodiola Rosea — Enhances resistance training performance, endurance, VO2 max, fatigue resistance, recovery, and cognition.

Citrulline (including Citrulline Malate) — Increases muscular endurance, reps to failure, nitric oxide production, and reduces fatigue.

Beta-Alanine — Buffers acidity for better performance in high-intensity efforts (1–10 minutes), more reps in resistance training.

Tart Cherry Extract — Reduces DOMS, speeds strength/power recovery, and lowers inflammation/oxidative stress markers.

Melatonin — Improves sleep quality (with indirect benefits for body composition and recovery via better rest).

Taurine — Supports endurance, acute power/strength, and recovery from muscle damage/DOMS.

Carnitine — Aids recovery, reduces soreness, boosts power/volume, and may enhance high-intensity performance.

Magnesium — Benefits exercise performance, recovery, and sleep — especially if you're deficient.

Layne references key studies, meta-analyses, practical dosing protocols, side effects to watch for, and who might benefit most.

Whether you're chasing PRs, better recovery, or optimized health, this episode cuts through the supplement noise with Layne's no-BS, science-first approach.

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