“What Drug Are You On?” — My Accidental Journey with Ashwagandha

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Disclaimer:

This article is based entirely on my personal experience. I’m not a doctor, and this isn’t medical advice. I’m sharing what happened to me in the hope it helps someone discover something useful — but always talk to a healthcare professional before taking health advice from anyone on the internet.

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One time after sparring, an opponent looked at me and said:

“Johnny, you’re strong, you’re fast, and you don’t even diet. What the hell kind of drug are you taking?”

I laughed. At the time, the honest answer was: none.

Years later though? I finally had something I could’ve pointed to — not a steroid, not a stimulant… but a root.

Ashwagandha.

And I didn’t even start taking it for performance.

Image: Johnny skillfully grapples larger-built Gus, showcasing dynamic wrestling technique. Johnny's red and black attire contrasts with Gus's casual look during their intense training session.

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What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herb used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine. Today it’s usually called an adaptogen — something believed to help the body handle stress and return to balance instead of overstimulating it.

Modern supplements contain compounds called withanolides, thought to be the main active ingredients.

It’s commonly associated with:

• Stress reduction
• Mood support
• Sleep quality
• Hormonal balance
• Recovery and resilience

It’s not a miracle cure. But among herbal supplements, it’s one of the more researched for stress support.

⚠️ What It 

Didn’t

 Do

I started taking it in 2020 for sciatic nerve pain.

It didn’t help that at all.

But something else happened.

🧠 Stress Reduction — The Part That Changed My Life

Let me describe the feeling first.

If you’ve ever had serious money problems, you know this feeling. Someone once said financial stress feels like a thousand tiny rats gnawing at your brain 24 hours a day.

That was me during COVID. My counseling business collapsed. Credit card debt piled up. Rent, food, bills — everything felt like it was closing in.

It felt like I was being slowly torn apart from the inside.

Like death by a thousand paper cuts — mentally.

I wasn’t just “stressed.” My nervous system felt like broken glass grinding against me every minute of the day.

Ashwagandha didn’t fix my situation.

But it stopped my mind from living in constant emergency mode.

The problems were still there — but I stopped spiraling, snapping, obsessing, and mentally self-destructing. It helped me weather the storm without losing control or taking it out on the people I love.

That’s when I realized this wasn’t about muscle or energy.

It was about getting my nervous system out of permanent fight-or-flight.

🔥 The Libido Part (Where I Had to Admit I Was Wrong)

When my trainer first suggested ashwagandha, he added,

“Oh, by the way, it’s supposed to be really good for sex drive too.”

I laughed. Hard.

In my head I was thinking:

“Yeah, sure. Like oysters. Like every old myth people swear by.”

Day 1 — nothing.

Day 2 — nothing.

Day 3… I woke up and realized my trainer might know a thing or two.

I’ve always had a strong drive — that’s common for athletes and martial artists. But I am not a morning person. I wake up like a zombie. Don’t talk to me. Don’t expect charm. I need coffee and breakfast before I’m functional.

After starting this, morning biology started showing up whether I was mentally awake yet or not — and it stayed consistent.

It’s not like a performance drug. It feels more like when stress drops, sleep improves, and hormones balance, your body just works the way it’s built to.

So yeah… I had to admit I was wrong.

⚡ Training & Energy (Not Like Creatine)

When I used to take Creatine and glutamine, they made me stronger, fuller, explosive — and heavier.

Ashwagandha feels different.

It doesn’t create energy.

It feels like it reduces how much energy stress is wasting.

So I had steadier stamina for training without water weight or bulk gain.

💤 Sleep: The Interesting Part

It doesn’t help me fall asleep.

But once I’m out?

Deep sleep. Vivid dreams. Better recovery.

So it’s not a sedative. It seems to help the body stay in repair mode once sleep actually happens.

🧠 The Honest Trade-Off

When I’m on it:

• Calmer
• Less reactive
• Easier to deal with (my partner noticed immediately 😆)
• Better sleep

But I’m also slightly less razor-sharp mentally.

When I stop:

• Faster mind
• More edge
• More tension
• Worse sleep

For me, it’s not a miracle. It’s a dial between intensity and regulation.

🧪 How I Use It

I take around 650 mg per day, usually before dinner so absorption isn’t slowed by a full stomach.

I don’t use it as a performance enhancer.

I use it as a stress-load manager.

🧩 Final Thoughts

Ashwagandha didn’t fix my pain.

It didn’t make me superhuman.

It didn’t solve my problems.

What it did was simple but powerful:

It made my nervous system less likely to live in survival mode all the time.

For someone driven, intense, and always “on,” that changes everything — relationships, sleep, recovery, and emotional control under pressure.

Not magic. Just a tool.

More about my training, life journey, and projects:

👉 johnnytiger.com

👉 tigertactile.com

#Ashwagandha #Adaptogen #MartialArtsLife #StressManagement #SleepQuality #MensHealth #TrainingLife #Recovery #NervousSystem #PersonalJourney