Why Denmark Banned Ashwagandha: Side Effects & Health Risks

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Why did Denmark ban ashwagandha? Although ashwagandha is widely promoted as a natural remedy for stress, anxiety and sleep, growing concerns include liver damage, thyroid and hormone changes, anhedonia, pregnancy risks and medication interactions.

Here’s why Denmark banned ashwagandha — and the side effects and health risks to know before taking it.

My use of ashwagandha

I used to take ashwagandha to sleep better, because it reduces cortisol levels!

However, perhaps any herb that changes our hormone levels should be reconsidered, especially for long term use.

While many herbs have the power to change symptoms, they oftentimes do not (if ever) address the underlying cause. Instead, they delay,  and sometimes hide, significant health issues and surprisingly, create new ones.

What is ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub from India whose roots are used for medicinal purposes. Throughout India, Ayurvedic medicine has used this herb for over 2,000 years.

While formerly considered safe because of its long time use in herbal medicine, newer discoveries reveal significant dangers.

Modern uses for ashwagandha include:

• stress and anxiety
• insomnia
• thyroid support
• aging
• testosterone production

Some proponents also use it for asthma, athletic performance, cognitive function, diabetes, menopause and female infertility.

Ashwagandha and its potential link to anhedonia

Elevates serotonin levels — too high

Ashwagandha influences neurotransmitters, including increasing serotonin levels.

While serotonin is known for its role in improving mood, an excess of serotonin activity can sometimes dull emotional responses.

When serotonin becomes too elevated, it may suppress both positive and negative feelings, leading to a muted emotional state called anhedonia — a condition characterized by a diminished ability to experience pleasure.

Lowers cortisol levels too low

Additionally, ashwagandha lowers cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.

While reduced cortisol can help alleviate stress and promote a sense of calm, overly low cortisol levels may negatively impact energy, motivation and emotional engagement.

Since cortisol contributes to alertness and emotional sensitivity, suppressing it too much can result in emotional numbness, loss of empathy and a loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities — main symptoms of anhedonia.

By simultaneously elevating serotonin and lowering cortisol, ashwagandha may, in some individuals, contribute to emotional flattening, lack of alertness, reduced sex drive and a reduced capacity for overall pleasure — including food, friends and physical touch.

Why Denmark banned ashwagandha

Having looked at ashwagandha’s effects on two hormones, we remember and understand that serotonin and dopamine do not exist in a box separate from the rest of the body. In fact, if our hormones are the orchestra, it is our thyroid that is the conductor.

The thyroid releases hormones that regulate various bodily functions. When an herb steps in to interfere with hormone function, that interruption goes back up the chain of command and dramatically affects the thyroid.

In 2020, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) conducted multiple risk assessments of ashwagandha in dietary supplements.

Based on the available data, they concluded that it was not possible to determine a safe minimum intake level.

Researchers found that the root or its extract could negatively impact thyroid and sex hormone levels.

More universal conclusions now state that anyone with hyperthyroidism should avoid ashwagandha, as it exacerbates the effects of the disease.

A similar evaluation was also carried out in Germany, and advice to avoid ashwagandha has been issued in Sweden and other EU countries.

Denmark harshly criticized

Because of Denmark’s stand, they have been bullied, misrepresented and maligned by those in power who benefit from the highly profitable herb market.

As a result, it’s helpful to look at human testimonies in honest forums.

While the mixed studies can be confusing, it’s hard to mistrust honest testimonies from forum users who time and time again complain about all of the ill effects they experienced from ashwagandha use. These voices add credibility to Denmark’s stand and make us wonder: Why such harsh censure from their opponents?

Reddit insights in the U.S.

Reddit has gained credibility in the scientific community in the last several years, with most health testimonies having true value as being accurate and honest. (In the absence of more scientific peer reviewed studies on every subject, Reddit conversations provide insight into real world health experiences.)

While newer Google algorithms rank mostly pro-ashwagandha articles, Reddit conversations are full of participants who suffered various hormone symptoms from use of the root, including increased estrogen in males.

Symptoms were seen immediately, after a few days or after many months of use.

Spontaneous abortions and reduced sperm count

Denmark also banned ashwagandha’s use based on the Ayurvedic traditional of this root as an abortifacient.

While additional new studies have not been done showing that that the herb will induce abortions, its botanical use historically was enough to cause justified concern.

Additional studies link ashwagandha to reduced quantity and quality of sperm and liver damage.

Can Ashwagandha Cause Liver Damage?

Ongoing studies and case reports in the U.S. continue to build on the data that informed Denmark.

I was surprised to read in 2024 that ashwagandha has also now been linked in the U.S. with liver damage, along with turmeric and four other herbs that most of us thought were safe and helpful. In fact, 20% of drug-induced liver injury cases were linked to herbal and dietary supplements in 2013 and 2014, with that number on the rise. 

Due to more recent studies and cases (hospitalizations), ashwagandha is considered to sometimes be an hepatoxic botanical, which should be used with caution or avoided.

What I know from my own work on detoxing the liver over the last seven years is that many herbs “work” by transporting problematic compounds to the liver. While this provides welcome relief, it’s bad news for the liver over time, which becomes overburdened with toxins.

As mentioned, it is better to get at the true root cause of a symptom than manage the symptom with an herb (even if it seems like a nice natural remedy!).

Nightshades

One more surprising and noteworthy fact about this root?

Ashwagandha is in the nightshade family. If you have an inflammatory response from other nightshades (such as peppers, tomatoes and potatoes), ashwagandha is also best to avoid.

But even for those who don’t get immediate symptoms, nightshades build up in our bodies over time.

Nightshades are not good for anyone, although they may wreak much worse havoc on some than on others.

Ashwagandha Side Effects and Drug Interactions

With so many sources, including powerful world forces, now supporting the use of ashwagandha, it’s hard to get balanced information.

In these cases, it’s helpful to look at pharmacological warnings: How does ashwagandha interfere with medications, and what warnings are given about it to patients?

Pharmacists share four warnings, and three coincide with Denmark’s decision:

1. Ashwagandha raises the risk of excessive drowsiness due to reduced cortisol (a lot like the lack of alertness associated with anhedonia).
2. Ashwagandha interferes with thyroid medications and immunosuppressants: “In order to avoid autoimmunity from immune system supplementation, the raw material should be avoided by patients suffering from autoimmune diseases.”
3. Do not take with mental health meds due to the risk of serotonin levels going too high. 

Additional warning:

1. It can dangerously lower blood pressure and blood glucose (sugar) levels when taken with other medications.

Conclusion: Why Denmark Banned Ashwagandha

While the rates of ashwagandha injuries are not high, they’re high enough that I will never use it again.

Anyone who defends the use of ashwagandha would be better off looking for the root cause of their symptoms.

Ashwagandha likely improves symptoms by transferring problematic compounds to the liver, delaying and creating new disease. It makes sense that historically Indian practitioners saw short term benefits for most patients, yet had no way to monitor long term liver damage or acute reactions.

Additional Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11