Will Ashwagandha Make You Fail A Drug Test? (Solved!)

If you take Ashwagandha, you may be worried that it can fail a drugs test.

So, in this article, I explain whether Ashwagandha shows on a drugs test, whether you should stop taking Ashwagandha before a drugs test, and other important information you should know.

Will Ashwagandha Make You Fail A Drug Test?

Assuming that your Ashwagandha is from a reliable source and has been 3^rd party tested, it will not make you fail a drugs test.

An Ashwagandha user has reported that after taking Ashwagandha powder, they failed a drugs test as they tested positive for benzodiazepines.

However, Ashwagandha does not contain benzodiazepines, so there are 3 possible conclusions to this claim:

#1 – The claim was fabricated

As this is only an anecdotal claim, there’s no way to verify it as the user hasn’t posted their drugs test or proved that they even took Ashwagandha.

It’s possible that they’ve fabricated this claim.

#2 – The user was taking other substances at the same time as Ashwagandha

If we give the reported user the benefit of the doubt and believe them, then there’s no way to prove that the failed drugs test was caused by Ashwagandha.

Perhaps they were taking other supplements at the same time, and it was these other supplements which caused the failed test.

#3 – The user was taking an unreliable source of Ashwagandha

Let’s say this anecdotal claim is true and Ashwagandha was the only supplement which the reported user took.

Well, given that Ashwagandha doesn’t contain benzodiazepines, then the only logical conclusion is that they bought their Ashwagandha from an unreliable source and it was somehow tainted with drugs.

This is exactly why it’s important to purchase your Ashwagandha from a reliable vendor where the supplement has been 3^rd party tested for purity.

Should You Stop Taking Ashwagandha Before A Drugs Test?

Assuming that you’re using a pure Ashwagandha supplement from a reliable vendor, then there’s no reason why you should stop taking it before a drugs test.

However, if you do have doubts over the quality of your Ashwagandha, then you may want to stop taking it a couple of weeks before your drugs test for peace of mind.

How Long Does Ashwagandha Stay In Your Urine?

Ashwagandha contains two types of compounds – fat-soluble and water-soluble.

It takes between 2-3 days for the water-soluble compounds to be excreted in your urine.

Does Ashwagandha Count As A Drug?

This depends on how you define the word drug.

According to Yourdictionary.com:

A drug is a chemical substance, such as a narcotic or hallucinogen, that affects the central nervous system, causing changes in behaviour and often addiction.

So, by their definition, Ashwagandha doesn’t count as a drug as it doesn’t have psychoactive properties.

Whereas Dictionary.com define a drug as:

A chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.

By this definition, you could argue that Ashwagandha does count as a drug as it enhances mental well-being.

Is Ashwagandha Banned By WADA?

As of 2023, Ashwagandha is not banned by WADA (or the other 2 large governing bodies – the IOC and the NCAA).

Is Ashwagandha Banned In Powerlifting?

Given that Ashwagandha isn’t banned by WADA, it is not currently banned in powerlifting.

Conclusion: Does Ashwagandha Show Up On A Drugs Test?

In summary:

• Pure Ashwagandha extract from a reliable source will not cause you to fail a drugs test.
• When buying Ashwagandha, you should ensure that it’s 3^rd party tested so that you know it’s legit.
• Someone has reported failing a drugs test after taking Ashwagandha, but there’s no way to validate this claim.

That’s all for this article, but is Ashwagandha a PED? Or does Ashwagandha cause gyno?

Hope this helped!

Sources

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-to-know-about-ashwagandha-for-stress-6374003