Shatavari is the Indian name for the Asparagus racemosus plant, a type of plant belonging to the asparagus family. Shatavari is native to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka and its dried roots are used in traditional herbal medicine.1
Shatavari Health Uses and Health Benefits
Shatavari is known in Ayurvedic medicine (the traditional Indian medicine system) to be an adaptogenic herb. Helping to create balance in the body, adaptogen herbs like shatavari help the body better cope with oxidative stress, preventing or reducing chronic disease. The primary benefits of shatavari are that it's an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Compounds in shatavari help to eliminate free radicals that cause cellular damage and also reduce bodywide inflammation, both of which can cause long-term disease.1,2,3
Shatavari has also been traditionally used as a tonic to help boost the immune system. Taking shatavari can help protect against infection and can also help to fight current infections, such as from cold and flu.2
Being a natural diuretic, shatavari can also help to alleviate edema (water retention) and protect against bacterial infections such as urinary tract infections. Increased urinary flow can also help prevent against kidney stones. Traditionally, shatavari has also been used as a diarrhea remedy by helping to rehydrate those with chronic diarrhea.2,3
For women’s health, shatavari has been used to help boost female fertility by improving hormonal imbalances and addressing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It also has benefits for treating menopause symptoms such as reducing hot flashes and night sweats.3
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027291/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/shatavari#kidney-stones
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322043.php
