KSM-66: What Does It Do, Uses, and Best Brand

Referred to scientifically as Withania somnifera, ashwagandha is a legendary botanical prized within the ancient Ayurvedic health tradition that’s making waves among today’s fitness and health enthusiasts of various fields.

In Sanskrit, the name “ashwagandha” literally translates to “horse smell.” If you’ve ever gotten your hands on raw ashwagandha root or powder, you’ll understand why ashwagandha is associated with the smell of horse: ashwagandha is a pungent herb with a bittersweet “horsey” taste.

However, smell and taste aside, the herb would still likely have a “horsey” connotation because of its well-documented benefits of male vigor and virility.

Through various bio-mechanisms, ashwagandha supplements may help elevate a man’s “horsepower,” so to speak, effectively enhancing one’s physical and mental performance—not to mention one’s sexual health and libido.¹

But in this competitive supplement market, are all ashwagandha supplements equal? Or are there better forms of ashwagandha?

The answer to the latter of is, of course, yes. And, in this article, we’re covering the best ashwagandha supplement: KSM-66®—a specific ashwagandha extract favored by many supplement types, from nootropics to recovery stacks to testosterone boosters.

But before we dive into the uses and benefits of KSM-66®, let’s first address the basics, starting with:

What is KSM-66® Ashwagandha Extract?

Manufactured by Ixoreal Biomed, KSM-66® is a patented full-spectrum extract standardized to supply 5% withanolides, the primary active constituents of ashwagandha.

Though KSM-66® isn’t the only patented ashwagandha extract available, it’s backed by plenty of human clinical research supporting its use for male health and performance enhancement.

Using only the root of ashwagandha, KSM-66® ashwagandha strictly avoids the use of ashwagandha leaves, which tend to be not only less bioactively rich than the root but are backed by much fewer clinical studies than the root extract.

Through a “Green Chemistry” processing technique, KSM-66® is able to holistically extract ashwagandha’s nutritional root essence while preserving the herb’s natural potency.

This combination of advanced extract technology and holistic nutrient composition represents both a significant jump forward in ashwagandha supplementation and a continuation of a centuries old Ayurvedic tradition in botanical healing and natural ergogenics.

With that in mind, KSM-66® ashwagandha supplements work similar to how standard certified organic ashwagandha works—just with greater potency and efficacy.

How Does KSM-66® Ashwagandha Work?

Much of ashwagandha’s health benefits—and, by that token, KSM-66®’s health benefits—can be attributed to the herb’s bioactive withanolide and saponin content.

Anxiolytic and antioxidant, ashwagandha’s bioactive constituents qualify this herb as an adaptogen, a class of predominantly herbal supplements that help the body adapt to various stressors to maintain metabolic homeostasis in many health systems.²

As an adaptogen, ashwagandha (KSM-66®) seems to work by:

• Regulating stress—both oxidative stress (free radicals) and hormonal stress (cortisol), which negatively impact testosterone production and many other measures of male health.³
• Promoting cognitive health—ashwagandha is believed to possess GABA-like properties on neural activity, calming overexcited cognitive processes and promoting the growth of nervous tissue for greater cognitive longevity.⁴
• Improving immunity—linked to ashwagandha’s anti-inflammatory effects, this herb seems to also assist with cytokine regulation for healthier immune function.⁵

And possibly more. As an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, GABA-like botanical, ashwagandha possesses a wide range of noticeable health benefits for both physical and mental health.

Does Ashwagandha Boost Testosterone?

Considering the interplay between stress and testosterone, many herbs considered to be “adaptogenic” also seem to possess T-promotional properties as well.

In the case of ashwagandha, any potential rises in testosterone activity seems to come as a result of ashwagandha’s protection against oxidative stress in the testes, as well as the herb’s regulation cortisol levels, a stress hormone and a catabolic counterpart to anabolic testosterone.

Not to mention that ashwagandha’s supply of saponins, a type of glycosides with “foamy” qualities when mixed in water, also have been recognized as natural T-boosting compounds.

The mix of ashwagandha’s antioxidant properties and saponin content seems to be all-around healthy for supporting masculine levels of testosterone.

Who Should Take KSM-66® Ashwagandha?

Unlike many other natural supplements used for boosting testosterone, ashwagandha has a wide variety of health benefits that apply to non-testosterone-related conditions and ambitions.

As such, ashwagandha has a broad appeal to many people, both male and female, for a number of reasons.

Competitive athletes, recreational exercisers, full-time bodybuilders, professionals, academics, nootropic nerds—many people may improve their long-term health and performance by adding Ashwagandha KSM-66® to their daily routine.

However, for the designated purpose of boosting testosterone, ashwagandha is a herb that may be enjoyed by men aged anywhere from early 20s well into their 60s—and beyond.

Because testosterone naturally gradually declines after a man’s 30s, KSM-66® ashwagandha only becomes increasingly valuable with time.

With that in mind, whether you’re an active young male or an older mature man, KSM-66® ashwagandha is certainly worth the investment.

KSM-66® Benefits for Male Health and Performance

Though KSM-66® has a wide range of applications, this ashwagandha extract seems to benefit male health and performance in particular in the following areas:

Anabolic Muscle and Strength Gains

Testosterone enhances anabolic muscle and strength gains, and by encouraging healthy testosterone activity, ashwagandha helps foster an anabolic metabolism for enhanced muscle and strength performance.

This is why many men, even young healthy men with ostensibly zero testosterone issues, first turn to ashwagandha: to maximize their strength-training results.

One notable study on the effects of KSM-66® ashwagandha extract on muscle strength and recovery in healthy young men engaged in resistance training observed significant increases in muscle mass size and muscle strength on bench-press and leg-extension exercises, leading the researchers to conclude that

“Ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass and strength and suggests that ashwagandha supplementation may be useful in conjunction with a resistance training program.”⁶

Libido and Reproductive Health

As testosterone naturally declines with age, so, too, does one’s sex drive and libido—not to mention sperm quality and other measures of male fertility.

By promoting testosterone status and protecting against harmful T-diminishing factors, ashwagandha may help reignite libido and enhance male reproductive health.

One clinical evaluation of the spermatogenic activity of ashwagandha noted significant increases in:⁷

• Sperm Count by 167%
• Sperm Motility by 57%
• Semen Volume by 53%
• Serum Testosterone by 17%

Though this study applies to oligospermic (low sperm count) conditions, these findings do support the use of ashwagandha for improving male sexual health and fitness.

Acute Anxiety and Stress Relief

One of the best natural methods of reducing anxiety and even improving certain neurodegenerative conditions, ashwagandha is as much a nootropic as it is a T-booster.

In fact, ashwagandha’s sedative-like effects on cognition can be so pronounced as to be overwhelming for many, veering into “sleep aid” territory more so than “cognitive enhancement.”

Ashwagandha’s nootropic properties are largely attributed to the herb’s GABA-like properties and antioxidant status, which respectively help sedate overexcited cognitive processes and protect against tissue-damaging free radicals.⁸

As one group of researchers noted on a high-concentration, full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha,

“Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” ⁹

Summary

For millennia, ashwagandha has assisted both men and women for a wide variety of health conditions and performance goals. And with Testo Lab Pro®’s advanced testosterone boosting formula, stacking KSM-® ashwagandha extract and more, it’s perhaps no exaggeration to say that we have available to us the best ashwagandha source of all time.

Whether you’re looking to enhance your testosterone status, improve your fat-burning metabolism, or combat cognitive-impairing anxiety, KSM-66® is a smart and safe decision that’ll work for you. With a clinically effective dose of KSM-66®, Testo Lab Pro® is an even smarter and safer and (yes) more effective KSM-66® stack than you’ll find anywhere else.

Take Testo Lab Pro® to naturally boost your male performance and restore youthful levels of vigor and vitality lost to age-related testosterone decline.