Best Ashwagandha Supplement 2026: Adaptogens Compared

By Steve Luu · Fact-checked against published sources · Nov 9, 2026

Disclosure: Better Vitals may earn a commission when you purchase through our links. Blueprint sent us its Easy Stack free of charge; we have not yet used it. Blueprint did not review or approve this article, and nothing on this page is a paid ranking.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Do not use ashwagandha during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Before considering ashwagandha or rhodiola, ask your doctor or pharmacist to check your medicines and medical conditions against the safety cautions below. Some people should avoid these supplements entirely.

The short answer

Look for a named ashwagandha extract with a printed withanolide (or withanolide-glycoside) percentage, a dose that fits how that extract is typically studied, published testing when available — and check safety first. Transparent Labs lists 600 mg KSM-66 (min. 5% withanolides) at US$19.99/60 servings; Thorne lists 120 mg Shoden (35% withanolide glycosides) at US$22/30; Blueprint Ashwagandha + Rhodiola lists 120 mg ashwagandha root-and-leaf with no withanolide % on the label, plus 300 mg rhodiola, at US$24/30. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding; NCCIH advises against use with thyroid or autoimmune conditions and notes rare liver-injury reports and drug interactions — talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

How we compared

We compared published Supplement Facts panels and brand product pages only. Better Vitals has not used or lab-tested these products. Criteria: extract identity; the stated standardization; label serving size; testing the brand states; listed price per label serving; and safety cautions in NCCIH and ODS summaries. Ingredient studies do not establish equivalent effects from these finished products. Products are in no ranked order — nothing here is a paid #1.

Ashwagandha extract types in plain English

Milligrams alone are not comparable across extracts.

• KSM-66 (root): Transparent Labs lists 600 mg, min. 5% total withanolides. ODS summarizes studies using different preparations and doses, including 500–600 mg/day in some stress or sleep trials. Those are study doses, not a recommended dose for readers or proof of benefits from this retail product.
• Shoden (root and leaf): Thorne lists 120 mg standardized to 35% withanolide glycosides. This describes a different extract and measurement specification from KSM-66's 5% total withanolides; neither the milligrams nor the percentages establish equivalent doses or better results.
• Standardization not stated: Blueprint lists 120 mg ashwagandha root-and-leaf extract but no withanolide percentage or branded extract name on the panel checked. That limits comparison; it does not tell us the actual withanolide content.

Comparison table

	Blueprint Ashwagandha + Rhodiola	Transparent Labs KSM-66	Thorne Ashwagandha (Shoden)
Label serving (not personal dosing advice)	1 veggie capsule	1 capsule	1 capsule
Ashwagandha	120 mg root & leaf; withanolide % not stated	600 mg KSM-66® root, min. 5% withanolides	120 mg root & leaf as Shoden®, 35% withanolide glycosides
Second adaptogen	Rhodiola 300 mg (3% rosavins / 1% salidroside; 9 mg total rosavins)	None	None
Servings / list price	30 / US$24 (autoship US$22.80)	60 / US$19.99	30 / US$22
Approx. list $/day	~US$0.80	~US$0.33	~US$0.73
Testing the brand states	Third-party purity + heavy metals (brand claim)	Third-party testing; COAs on product page	Brand markets Shoden; no NSF claim used here for this SKU
Link	Blueprint	Transparent Labs	Thorne

Prices checked Nov 9, 2026, and can change; these are U.S.-dollar prices before tax and shipping. The daily costs assume one label serving, not a personal dosing recommendation. Blueprint's 120 mg ashwagandha line and Transparent Labs' 600 mg KSM-66 line describe different extracts, and Blueprint states no withanolide percentage. Thorne's 35% withanolide-glycoside specification is also not directly interchangeable with KSM-66's 5% total withanolides. Transparent Labs has the lowest listed cost per label serving of these three. Blueprint combines both herbs, but the rhodiola specifications do not establish added benefit or safety from the combination.

Blueprint Ashwagandha + Rhodiola

Sold under Blueprint's Energy & Stress Support collection. Per the Supplement Facts panel (checked Nov 9, 2026): one veggie capsule provides 120 mg ashwagandha root-and-leaves extract (Withania somnifera) and 300 mg Rhodiola rosea root extract at 3% rosavins / 1% salidroside (9 mg total rosavins printed). The ashwagandha line states no withanolide percentage. Other ingredients: hypromellose, starch, rice extract, rice hulls, gum arabic, sunflower oil. One capsule in the morning with food; US$24 / 30 servings (~US$0.80/day), autoship US$22.80. Blueprint claims third-party purity and heavy-metal testing; we did not open a public lot report for this SKU. The brand's optional 6–8 week cycling suggestion is not a safety recommendation from NCCIH or ODS; do not assume that taking breaks makes long-term use safe.

May suit readers who want both herbs in one capsule and accept a blank withanolide field. Prefer another option if you want a named ashwagandha extract or a 600 mg KSM-66 serving. See Blueprint Ashwagandha + Rhodiola.

Transparent Labs KSM-66

600 mg KSM-66 root extract, min. 5% withanolides, US$19.99 / 60 servings (~US$0.33/day). Brand links third-party COAs. Single-herb; no rhodiola. See Transparent Labs KSM-66.

Thorne Ashwagandha (Shoden)

120 mg root-and-leaf as Shoden, 35% withanolide glycosides, US$22 / 30 capsules (~US$0.73/day). Brand page warns against use if pregnant, nursing, or trying to conceive. Single-herb; we do not claim NSF for this SKU. See Thorne Ashwagandha.

How to choose an ashwagandha or adaptogen: checklist

1. Check the exclusions first. Avoid ashwagandha during pregnancy or breastfeeding and with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. NCCIH does not recommend it with thyroid or autoimmune disorders or before surgery. Australia's TGA advises avoiding it with current or previous liver problems. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to check medication interactions, including sedatives, thyroid hormone, immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants, and diabetes or blood-pressure medicines. Read the liver warning in the safety section before choosing a product.
2. Check extract identity and the printed standardization. A named extract and a withanolide specification help describe the product; they do not prove safety, effectiveness or equivalence to another extract.
3. Read the milligram dose in context. A 120 mg root-and-leaf line is not the same product as a 600 mg KSM-66 capsule.
4. Decide single-herb vs dual. Rhodiola is a separate adaptogen with its own evidence gaps (NCCIH).
5. Look for published third-party results for a recent lot when the brand provides them.
6. Compare cost per day at list price.
7. Start one product at a time. Do not stack multiple ashwagandha products without clinician guidance.

Safety: who should talk to a doctor first

Per NCCIH and the NIH ODS professional fact sheet, some short-term use of ashwagandha (up to about three months) may be tolerated; that is not a guarantee of safety for everyone, and long-term safety is unknown. Side effects can include drowsiness, stomach upset, diarrhea and vomiting.

Stop taking ashwagandha immediately and seek medical advice if you develop yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, nausea, vomiting, unusual tiredness or weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, or loss of appetite. These can be signs of liver injury. Australia's TGA safety alert advises avoiding ashwagandha if you currently have or have had liver problems. Sudden vomiting or diarrhea after one or two doses can also be an acute reaction rather than liver injury: stop use and get medical assessment.

Avoid ashwagandha during pregnancy; do not use it while breastfeeding. NCCIH does not recommend it for people with thyroid or autoimmune disorders or those about to have surgery. Tell your surgical team about any use: it can cause drowsiness and interact with sedating medicines. Possible interactions include thyroid hormone, medicines for diabetes or high blood pressure, immunosuppressants, sedatives and other central nervous system depressants, and anticonvulsants. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to check your medicines before use. People with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer should avoid it, because it may increase testosterone. Do not drive or operate machinery if drowsy.

Rhodiola: NCCIH says there is not enough reliable evidence to say whether it is useful for any health purpose. It is possibly safe for up to 12 weeks; side effects may include dizziness, headache, insomnia and dry mouth or excess saliva; an interaction with losartan has been reported; little is known in pregnancy or breastfeeding.

In the United States, dietary supplements are not FDA-approved before sale. A supplement label is not proof that a product treats a disease.

For Canadian readers: look for an eight-digit Natural Product Number (NPN) and check the exact product in Health Canada's Licensed Natural Health Products Database. Canadian licensing and approved claims for the three U.S. products compared here are unverified. Health Canada's ashwagandha monograph advises asking a health care professional before use in pregnancy or breastfeeding, cautions about drowsiness when driving or using machinery, and advises consultation if symptoms persist or worsen for the relevant uses. This page retains NCCIH's stricter advice to avoid use in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Health Canada's 2026 liver safety review did not establish a definite link between oral ashwagandha and liver injury, but could not rule out a possible link. It required no label updates at that time. That finding is not an assurance that liver injury cannot occur.

FAQ

Is ashwagandha safe?

Ashwagandha is not safe for everyone. NCCIH says short-term use (up to about three months) may be safe for some people, but long-term safety is unknown. Avoid it during pregnancy or breastfeeding; NCCIH does not recommend it with thyroid or autoimmune disorders or before surgery, and people with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer should avoid it. Australia's TGA advises avoiding it with current or previous liver problems. Side effects can include drowsiness and stomach upset. Stop taking it and seek medical advice immediately for yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain, unusual tiredness, nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to check medicines and other risks before use.

Can you take ashwagandha while pregnant?

No. NCCIH says ashwagandha should be avoided during pregnancy and should not be used while breastfeeding. Thorne's product page also warns against use if pregnant, nursing, or trying to conceive. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about safer options for stress or sleep in pregnancy.

Does ashwagandha affect the thyroid?

ODS notes that a few studies show ashwagandha may affect how the thyroid gland works and that it might interact with thyroid medications. NCCIH does not recommend ashwagandha for people with thyroid disorders. If you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid hormone, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

How much ashwagandha should you take?

There is no established dose that fits everyone or every extract. ODS describes different preparations and study doses, including 500–600 mg/day in some stress or sleep research and 120 mg/day of Shoden in one sleep study. These are study doses, not a recommendation to take that amount or proof that the retail products here produce the same results. Blueprint's 120 mg ashwagandha line has no stated withanolide percentage; Thorne lists 120 mg Shoden and Transparent Labs lists 600 mg KSM-66. Do not convert between extracts, combine products or increase a label dose to copy a trial. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether any product is appropriate for you before following its label.

What is the difference between KSM-66 and Shoden?

KSM-66 is a branded root extract; Transparent Labs lists 600 mg with a minimum of 5% withanolides. Shoden is a branded root-and-leaf extract; Thorne lists 120 mg standardized to 35% withanolide glycosides. Different plant parts and concentrations mean the milligram amounts are not directly interchangeable.

Does Blueprint Ashwagandha + Rhodiola list a standardized ashwagandha extract?

The rhodiola half is standardized on the label (300 mg at 3% rosavins / 1% salidroside, with 9 mg total rosavins). The ashwagandha half lists 120 mg of root-and-leaves extract with no withanolide percentage on the Supplement Facts panel we checked Nov 9, 2026.

The bottom line

If you want a named ashwagandha extract with a printed withanolide standard, Transparent Labs KSM-66 (600 mg, 5%) and Thorne Shoden (120 mg, 35% withanolide glycosides) both spell that out. If you want ashwagandha and rhodiola in one capsule, Blueprint Ashwagandha + Rhodiola prints a full rhodiola specification and a 120 mg ashwagandha line without a withanolide percentage — treat it as a dual-adaptogen option, not as interchangeable with a 600 mg KSM-66 capsule. Check the NCCIH and ODS safety list with your doctor or pharmacist first. See Blueprint Ashwagandha + Rhodiola, Transparent Labs KSM-66 and Thorne Ashwagandha.

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About this page: Blueprint sent us its Easy Stack free of charge; we have not yet used it. Better Vitals makes no testing claims: nothing on this page is based on personal use of these ashwagandha products, and product details come from brand labels and the NCCIH and ODS pages linked above. Disclosure: Better Vitals may earn a commission when you purchase through our links.