Recent data from Lumina Intelligence shows that despite the vast majority of women experiencing hormonal health challenges they don’t prioritise them.
Ranging from PMS and painful periods to fertility issues and troublesome perimenopause and menopause symptoms, women often normalise and downplay their symptoms. But there is an answer.
Overall, 86% of females aged between 18 and 30 years old indicated that they are affected by at least one hormonal change. However, this does not top the list of their concerns, instead featuring nearer the bottom of their complaints – with sleep and mental health noted as more pressing concerns.
For centuries, the adaptogenic herb shatavari Asparagus racemosus, has been used in Ayurvedic medicine as a salve for women in puberty, during their child-bearing years and into later life. Despite this, the botanical – which is also known as the queen of herbs – had only a 2% use within a research panel of approximately 1,500 18-30-year-old female consumers across the US, UK and China.
This underserved demand demonstrates a huge opportunity for driving more awareness and uptake of this ingredient which clinical studies have shown can offer support throughout the lifespan. Women are increasingly looking for holistic ways to proactively improve their health and emotional resilience, and this ancient solution is set to come to the fore.
Ancient herb, modern science
In a new Spotlight On broadcast Dr Tieroana Low Dog, an internationally recognized physician (MD) and leading authority on women’s health and integrative medicine explores how the adaptogenic botanical shatavari is uniquely placed to help women manage both stress and hormonal health. Dr Low Dog also unpacks the clinical evidence that shows how SRI-81 Shatavari, from leading shatavari ingredient supplier Ixoreal Biomed, can help women with hormonal health challenges.
“Shatavari is highly regarded in the Ayurvedic system of medicine, one of the oldest systems in the world,” explains Dr Low Dog. “It has been used as a rejuvenating tonic for women across the long arc of a woman’s life for thousands of years. When you can support that with modern gold standard randomized controlled trials, you’ve really got something that women can put their trust in.
“We have 18 clinical studies, five have already been published in peer reviewed scientific journals. We have another four that are completed and nine that are ongoing. So we have quite a robust research agenda for this plant.”
The five studies that have already been published have focused on outcomes related to hormonal regulation, reproductive health, and menopausal support as well as sleep, emotional well-being, libido, and sexual wellness.
Beyond these health benefits, the broadcast touches upon emerging research into PCOS, lactation, and post-partum support and menstrual cycle irregularity.
Watch the broadcast on demand to uncover Ixoreal Biomed’s emerging research about the benefits of combining this adaptogen with other ingredients such as Ashwagandha. “We wanted to see what happened if you studied shatavari along with ashwagandha because they are considered to be additive or synergistic,” explains Dr Low Dog. “That there’s synergism when you combine them. So we wanted to do some research where we looked at shatavari alone and then shatavari with ashwagandha.
“What we saw here was that there was improvement in desire… a reduction in stress. Number of intercourse times and arousal was also a higher and when we look at the stress, the ashwagandha and shatavari really works together.”
Not all shatavari is equal
SRI-81 Shatavari is brought to market by the botanical experts behind KSM-66 Ashwagandha, Ixoreal Biomed. The broadcast showcases how the supplier selects only the finest roots from its 500 acres of organic farmland, testing each for purity and potency ensuring high grade whole root provenance. Green chemistry is used to extract the essence of the root – with only water, time, and pressure used rather than harsh solvents.
You will also hear from renowned formulator and founder of nutritional supplement companies Garden of Life, Beyond Organic, and Ancient Nutrition, Jordan Rubin who explores the efficacy and provenance of SRI-81 Shatavari.
“While using shatavari, first and foremost, you want to make sure that you are hitting the exact dosage in a formulation that is in the randomized controlled trial. When you are advertising a product, people don’t care as much about what’s in it.
“So when we’re talking about the benefits all the way from teenage girls and balancing their cycles, bringing homeostasis to supporting ovarian health and fertility, to helping with sexual function, perimenopause, menopause and everything in between, you want to make sure that you are formulating with – and if you’re a consumer, you are purchasing – the exact formula, the exact dosage and the exact ingredient that was the subject.”
“If you want reproducible, consistent results, because these botanicals work, the more you use them, consistency discipline is the key. They actually build efficacy over time. You want to make sure that you are consuming the gold standard of Shatavari, which we believe SRI-81 has become,” says Rubin.
Expanding the evidence base
Ixoreal Biomed’s next phase includes larger clinical trials exploring dosing, perimenopause outcomes, and fertility support.
“There are plans for a larger clinical trial, which will be 1000 participants. It’s going to be conducted here in the United States,” explains Dr Low Dog. “It will have four arms, so shatavari, ashwagandha, the combination of the two, and placebo. This will be the largest study ever done on a botanical or even a supplement just designed for women’s sexual health.
“We’re also doing some other smaller studies looking at some different parameters around sexual function post menopause. We’re looking at PMS because this is another area we feel is going to really respond well to shatavari maintaining hormonal health. We’re trying to capture different ethnicities, different geographical areas, trying to really get a feel for what does this do globally in women’s health.”
Brand advocates and mythbusting shatavari
Speakers will also address questions around long-term use and formulation confidence, a key consideration as shatavari moves into the mainstream. You will hear from SRI-81 Shatavari brand advocates Hank Ramsey and Brian Upton, the founders of Elevate Organic – the organic, non-GMO regenerative Whole Foods supplement company.
“We were fortunate to be able to get this ingredient early. I think we’re the first brand to launch with SRI-81 so we’re super proud of that as a brand,” says Ramsey.
The broadcast will also see Rubin and Dr Low Dog bust some of the myths surrounding the botanical, including that it only helps women in menopause and that it can’t be produced ethically and sustainably.
For women and their changing bodies, understanding there is support available offers a lifeline during some of the most important changes they go through. And scientific results show that this herb can have growing role for women’s health innovation. With this knowledge and efficacious ingredients available women can take this into their own hands.
Watch the Ixoreal Biomed broadcast ‘Shatavari: The trailblazing botanical redefining women’s health’ now to get a deeper understanding of the data, clinical context and strategies to make the most of this emerging women’s health ingredient.
