What is on an ashwagandha label
Ashwagandha is the root of Withania somnifera, a plant from the nightshade family. Supplements contain either ground root or a root extract. An extract is concentrated: when a label says DER 16:1, 16 parts of dried root were used to make 1 part of extract. Many extracts are also standardised to withanolides, a group of compounds found in the root, and the label states their share as a percentage.
KSM-66 and other root extracts
KSM-66 is a registered brand name of one ashwagandha root extract. Several supplement makers buy it and put it in their own capsules, which is why the KSM-66 mark appears on products from different brands. In our range, OstroVit states 5 % withanolides for its KSM-66 extract, while the Jarrow Formulas label gives 300 mg of KSM-66 extract without a percentage. Other brands use root extracts without a brand name, standardised to 1.5 % or 2.5 % withanolides. Full spectrum products contain ground root, and their labels state no standardisation.
How to compare products
Compare the amount per daily dose, not per capsule. To get milligrams of withanolides, multiply the extract amount by the percentage on the label. These figures come from the labels of the products we sell:
| Product type | Per daily dose | Withanolides on the label |
|---|---|---|
| KSM-66 extract (OstroVit) | 200 mg extract | 5 %, 10 mg |
| KSM-66 extract (Jarrow Formulas) | 300 mg extract | not stated |
| Root extract (Swanson) | 450 mg extract | min. 2.5 %, 11.25 mg |
| Root extract (Osavi Extra) | 400 mg extract | 2.5 %, 10 mg |
| Extract and ground root (Solgar) | 300 mg extract + 100 mg root | 1.5 %, 4.5 mg |
| Gummies (Osavi) | 375 mg extract in 3 gummies | 1.5 %, 5.6 mg |
| Ground root (Swanson Full Spectrum) | 900 mg root in 2 capsules | not stated |
Ground root and extract cannot be compared by weight, because 900 mg of root powder and 400 mg of extract are different materials. Check which one the label lists. Some products also contain other ingredients: OstroVit capsules add black pepper extract with piperine, Osavi adds vitamin B12 (and B6 in the gummies), and Swanson sells a complex with turmeric and American ginseng.
How to take it and how to store it
Take the daily dose printed on the pack and do not exceed it. Most products here are one capsule a day, the Osavi gummies are three a day and the OstroVit tablet is split in half. Labels ask you to keep the pack in a dry place away from sunlight. Osavi gummies should be used within 3 months of opening.
Who should ask a doctor first
Labels in this category say the products are not for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women. OstroVit and Osavi labels also say not to take them together with sedatives, sleeping pills or anti-epileptic medicines. If you take any medicine, talk to your doctor before you start.
Ashwagandha benefits: what a shop may and may not say
Many people look up ashwagandha benefits before they buy. In the EU, a food supplement may carry a health claim only if the European Commission has authorised it and listed it in the EU Register of nutrition and health claims. No claim for ashwagandha has been authorised. Claims submitted for plant ingredients are largely marked as on hold in that register, which means they have not been assessed to the end. Until that changes, no shop may promise an effect, whatever an advert or a forum post says. What we can give you is what you can check yourself: the type of extract, the amount per daily dose, the withanolide content and the warnings printed on the label. If you want to read about research and safety, the NCCIH page listed under Sources summarises it in plain language.
Questions
Which ashwagandha is best?
There is no single best product, and no shop can rank them by effect. Choose the form first: a standardised extract (KSM-66 or another) or ground root. Then compare extract per daily dose, withanolides in milligrams, any extra ingredients you do or do not want, such as piperine or B vitamins, and the price per day on each product card.
When should I take ashwagandha?
If the label names a time of day, follow it. If it gives only the daily dose, choose a time you can keep every day, for example with breakfast or with dinner, and take the capsule with water.
How long does one pack last?
Divide the number of units by the daily dose. 120 capsules at one a day last 120 days. 90 gummies at three a day last 30 days.
Is a higher withanolide percentage better?
The percentage only tells you how much of the extract is withanolides. It is a way to compare labels, and it says nothing about effects. A product with a lower percentage and more extract per dose can contain a similar amount in milligrams.
Sources
- NCCIH: Ashwagandha, usefulness and safety
- European Commission: Nutrition and health claims
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (permitted health claims)
- EFSA: Health claims
Content reviewed by Inese Kalniņa, dietitian.
2026-10-15
