Written by Alexa Heathorn, MS, CNS, Science Writer. Eight weeks of supplementation with a proprietary herbal formulation containing ashwagandha, Triphala, and Trikatu significantly improved perceived stress, anxiety, mood, and overall well-being compared with both ashwagandha root extract alone and placebo, while demonstrating a favorable safety profile in adults experiencing moderate stress and anxiety.

The demands of modern life, along with increasing social and economic pressures, have contributed to rising levels of stress and anxiety worldwide.¹ Stress is a physiological and psychological response to internal or external stimuli that challenge an individual’s ability to adapt.¹ Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to increased cortisol production, while anxiety is characterized by excessive worry, apprehension, and tension in response to perceived or uncertain threats.¹ Because stress and anxiety share overlapping behavioral and neurobiological pathways, they often occur together.¹ Chronic stress and anxiety have been associated with impaired cognitive function, reduced memory and executive function, poor sleep quality, and diminished overall well-being.¹ Conventional treatment approaches include psychotherapy, medications, and lifestyle modifications; however, these strategies may be limited by cost, accessibility, the need for ongoing use, and the potential for adverse effects.¹ Consequently, there has been a substantial increase in interest in alternative and complementary approaches to stress management.¹

One such alternative approach is the use of adaptogens.¹ Adaptogens are natural substances, usually derived from plants and herbs that enhances an organism’s ability to adapt to environmental stressors while maintaining physiological balance.¹ In other words, they act as metabolic regulators that support the body’s ability to respond to stress without disrupting normal biological function.¹ Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a well-studied adaptogen that has been shown to reduce cortisol levels during chronic stress, support adrenal function, and help regulate the sympathetic nervous system.¹ Additional adaptogenic formulations, including Triphala and Trikatu, have demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and stress-modulating properties in both traditional Ayurvedic medicine and emerging scientific research.¹ Given the growing interest in herbal combinations that may produce synergistic benefits, a proprietary multi-herbal formulation containing ashwagandha, Triphala, and Trikatu was recently evaluated for its effects on stress, anxiety, mood, and overall well-being in adults experiencing moderate stress and anxiety.¹

The 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted across multiple centers in the United States and India and included 141 adults between 18 and 65 years with self-reported symptoms of stress, including anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia.¹ Eligible participants were required to have a Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) score between 14 and 30, a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) score of at least 13, a body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 35 kg/m², and no recent use of medications known to affect stress or anxiety.¹ Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a proprietary herbal formulation containing ashwagandha, Triphala, and Trikatu (APB), a standardized ashwagandha root extract (ARE), or a placebo.¹ All participants consumed one 300 mg capsule twice daily for 8 weeks. Primary and secondary outcomes, including cortisol levels, stress, anxiety, mood, and happiness, were assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 8.¹

The results were as follows:

Cortisol Levels
Participants taking either ARE supplementation experienced greater reductions in cortisol levels than those taking placebo; however, these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.059).¹

Perceived Stress
The proprietary herbal formulation (APB) produced the greatest reduction in perceived stress, significantly outperforming both ARE and placebo (p < 0.0001).¹

Anxiety
Participants receiving APB experienced the largest improvements in anxiety symptoms, with significantly greater benefits than both ARE and placebo (p = 0.001).¹

Mood
APB significantly improved multiple aspects of mood, including tension, anger, depression, fatigue, and overall mood disturbance compared with both ARE and placebo (p < 0.05).¹

Happiness and Well-Being
Participants taking APB reported the greatest improvements in happiness and overall well-being, significantly exceeding both the ARE and placebo groups (p < 0.0001).¹

Safety
No serious adverse events were reported, and both ashwagandha interventions were well tolerated throughout the study.¹

Several limitations should be considered when interpreting these findings. The study population consisted primarily of women with mild-to-moderate stress and anxiety symptoms, which may limit generalizability to men and individuals with more severe psychiatric conditions.¹ The intervention lasted only 8 weeks, so the long-term effects remain unknown.¹ Additionally, the primary outcome of cortisol reduction did not reach statistical significance, despite significant improvements in stress, anxiety, mood, and well-being.¹ Finally, because the proprietary formulation contained multiple herbal ingredients, the specific contribution of each component cannot be determined.¹

This study suggests that ashwagandha supplementation may be an effective and well-tolerated strategy for reducing stress and anxiety in healthy adults. While the primary outcome of cortisol reduction did not reach statistical significance, participants receiving the proprietary herbal formulation containing ashwagandha, Triphala, and Trikatu showed significant improvements in perceived stress, anxiety, mood, and overall happiness compared to both placebo and ARE alone.¹ These findings suggest that combining adaptogenic and antioxidant herbs may provide greater benefits than ARE alone, although larger and longer-term studies are needed to confirm these effects and evaluate their durability over time.¹

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Posted June 9, 2026.

Alexa Heathorn, MS, CNS-c, is a clinical nutritionist specializing in metabolic health, hormonal balance, and gastrointestinal restoration through root-cause functional nutrition. She earned her master’s degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University and is currently a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) candidate. Alexa also works as a research writer and functional health consultant, translating complex science into actionable strategies for practitioners and wellness companies. Learn more at www.bloomedwellness.com.

References: 

1. West RE, Biswas A, Rao R, Tayade H, Ademola J. A proprietary herbal extract of ashwagandha root for stress and anxiety in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, three-arm, placebo-controlled efficacy and safety study. J Med Life. 2026;19(1):49-62. doi:10.25122/jml-2025-0172