What does Shatavari do for the body?

Description

Shatavari is an essential herb in the long-standing tradition of Ayurvedic medicine. 

Also known as the Queen of herbs, Shatavari is regarded as a highly versatile female tonic for supporting and strengthening women at various stages of life. 

According to Ayurvedic energetics, Shatavari tastes sweet and bitter, cooling in temperature, and reduces heat and dryness due to its moistening ability. 

Shatavari is also believed to have strong building qualities leading to its balancing, nourishing, and rejuvenating qualities. High vata (too much heat and dryness) are often responsible for menstrual irregularities based on Ayurvedic principles. 

It is believed that Shatavari may nourish and rejuvenate the reproductive system. Therefore, its cooling and nourishing properties are considered suitable for the hot, dry flushes associated with menopause and the burning irritation of urinary infections. 

But this is only a taste of what this herb can do. 

Is Shatavari just a female herb?

To answer the above question correctly, it is vital to discuss one fallacy in the world of herbal medicine regarding how specific herbs develop a reputation regarding their relationship to particular conditions specific to one gender. 

This fallacy has misguided people to believe that the opposite gender can’t use that herb. 

You take a trip back in time, you learn that the herbs that are considered gender-specific today were, in fact, successfully used for both genders for a very long time. 

An excellent example is the herb black cohosh root. Today, the standardized version is touted as a female herb specific to hormone modulation, but, in actuality, the whole root as a full spectrum extract is one of the most underrated nerve tonics that both men and women traditionally used for a long time before herbs were standardized; the isolating and concentration of specific constituents. 

When isolated, a compound creates a different result than when left in its synergy with all the other naturally-containing compounds. 

The result is often a specific targeted mechanism of action versus a balanced effect.   

So, how did this new way of thinking become a reality? 

Western science believes that specific constituents are primarily responsible for the herb's desired effects. We believe this concept is pure reductionist thinking and limits an herb's potential usage capability. For example, Shatavari roots are known for having nourishing levels of alkaloids such as Asparagamine A, Saponins, and Sarsasapogenin, which are believed to yield their nutritive qualities. 

Contrary to popular belief, the sum of the parts is not equal to the whole because none of these compounds works as individual entities when consumed as the whole root.

So, when we look at all of the benefits of Shatavari based on clinical research, is it fair to conclude that it is a predominantly female herb? 

Several human studies have discussed Shatavari’s ability to work as a galactagogue, a food that increases the flow of mother milk through the increase of prolactin in the body. Prolactins are one of the many hormones involved in milk production.

Other studies discuss Shatavari’s potential role in nourishing and rejuvenating ovaries through the development of ovarian follicles, leading to enhanced ovulation and regulating menstrual cycles. 

It is not uncommon to read a study about how one specific herb “raised” testosterone or balanced estrogen levels. 

What you might read in most articles about Shatavari is its ability to modulate various aspects that affect the female body during multiple stages of life or that it is considered to be an adaptogen based on Ayurvedic principles. On the surface, you might think it would be straightforward to conclude that this herb is only specific to women's health. 

Unfortunately, Shatavari is one of those herbs where a misguided perception has also been placed regarding gender and usage. 

It is essential that before concluding these results, we take a closer look at how the results were produced via principle mechanisms of action. 

Compounds found in plants specific to hormone modulation will create different results in a male vs female body. For example, Shatavari may help to regulate the production of the luteinizing hormone. In women, luteinizing hormones play a critical role in triggering ovulation and also trigger the creation of steroid hormones in the ovaries. In men, luteinizing hormones play a vital role in sperm production and cause Leydig cells of the testes to produce testosterone. 

Many papers about Shatavari specifically reference its hormonal modulation and other benefits to its various abilities, which may result from its effects on the stress response. These studies have given the perception that Shavatari is an actual adaptogen. This leads to an interesting question. 

Is Shatavari an actual adaptogen or a traditional tonic with adaptogen-like qualities?

Before answering this question, let's quickly review the criteria for defining an adaptogen. 

Adaptogens must: 

1. Be nontoxic at clinical dosage
2. Increase the resistance of the hormonal and immune systems to all kinds of stressors through a nonspecific physiological response. 
3. Normalize body function no matter how external stressors have altered them. 

Because many plants that are not considered true adaptogens can fulfill the above criteria, we have learned that what makes a plant an actual adaptogen is that it must also work through one or both of the body’s master control systems.

1) The HPA Axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis) is a complex system of neuroendocrine pathways and feedback loops that maintain and support homeostasis in response to chronic stress. The HPA axis interfaces the endocrine, nervous, immune, digestive, reproductive, and cardio systems.  

2) The SAS (Sympatho Adrenal system, aka fight or flight) is a complex system that connects the sympathetic nervous system to the adrenal medulla. In simple terms, it is our fight-or-flight response. A triggered response floods our system with adrenalin and releases hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla. This response increases blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate and suppresses digestion. This releasing of hormones and redistribution of blood allows the mind and body to respond and survive. 

Some exciting research exists regarding Shatavari’s ergogenic (performance and recovery enhancing) effects. The following was stated in a paper titled The Effects of Asparagus Racemosus Supplementation Plus 8 Weeks of Resistance Training on Muscular Strength and Endurance. “The results demonstrated that during the eight weeks of resistance training, supplementation with 500 mg·d−1 of A. racemosus elicited greater mean percentage and individual increases in bench press 1RM, mean and individual increases in bench press repetitions to failure, and a greater rate of increase in bench press training loads compared to placebo. It was hypothesized that the ergogenic effects of A. racemosus were due to its antioxidant properties.”

While there is preliminary research showing that Shatavari may alleviate symptoms of depression via modulating the HPA axis, increasing BDNF levels, and GABAergic neurotransmission, human studies need to be done to confirm these claims. 

While some quality research on Shatavari fulfills many aspects of the criteria, we believe it is slightly premature to consider Shatavari a “True” adaptogen. It certainly is a powerful tonic with adaptogen-like qualities. With more studies, I think this outstanding herb will be added to the concise and distinguished list of actual adaptogens in the near future. 

So, why can both men and women use Shatavari and get such profound effects? 

The reality is that Shatavari, or any herb, does not differentiate between a man's and a woman’s body. 

Shatavari nourishes and supports various systems, allowing specific responses for each gender based on a broad spectrum of actions. It gives the body the tools to create a balanced internal environment that manifests specifically to the individual gender. The stress response creates the same initial chemical reactions in both men and women, like increased cortisol levels. 

The effects of increased cortisol have a chain reaction that directly affects all glands, which are major hormone producers in the body. 

With men being testosterone-dominant and women being estrogen-dominant, the result of this assault on the body manifests very differently. Another reason for the difference in how the stress response manifests is the individuals' inherent weaknesses. 

In simple terms, any herb used in this situation with a broad spectrum of effects indirectly impacts the individual's response to the stressor. 

In conclusion, at Z Natural Foods, we believe that tradition and science make one heck of a team. The fundamental principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts is essential to understanding the functional phytochemistry of herbs. 

Shatavari is undoubtedly an herb that may support both men's and women's longevity, mood, and stress response and continues to build a substantial body of evidence, proving to be an effective tool in supporting good health.

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