NOW Foods Ashwagandha 450mg 90 Veg Capsules

What it is

NOW Foods Ashwagandha 450 mg is a standardized botanical extract supplied as 90 vegetarian capsules, with a serving size of one capsule. The extract is drawn from Withania somnifera, and the Supplement Facts panel is specific about which parts of the plant went into it: root and leaf. The bottle carries a Non-GMO mark and a Vegetarian/Vegan marking on the front, is marked "A Dietary Supplement", and sits in the NOW Botanicals/Herbs range alongside the rest of our Herbs & Botanicals shelf.

Root and leaf: reading what this panel names

Look closely at the phrase "(Root and Leaf)" printed after the botanical name. A botanical panel is not obliged to tell you which part of the plant was extracted, so when one does, it is worth reading. Withania somnifera is a shrub in the nightshade family, grown widely in India and cultivated for its thick storage roots; the aerial parts, including the leaves, are a separate material with a separate composition. By printing both, NOW is recording that the extract was made from a combined root-and-leaf starting material rather than from root alone. That is a sourcing fact you can check against the bottle in your hand.

The second parenthetical, "(min. 2.5% Total Withanolides - 11 mg)", names the marker compounds the extract is measured against. Withanolides are a family of naturally occurring steroidal lactones found in this plant, and they are the yardstick used to describe an ashwagandha extract's concentration. "Min." sets a floor rather than a target, and the arithmetic on the label closes cleanly: 2.5% of 450 mg is 11.25 mg, which rounds to the 11 mg NOW prints beside it. The percentage describes what the extract was measured against. It is not a statement about what the capsule will do, and we are not going to turn it into one. General background on the plant itself is available from the NCCIH entry for ashwagandha, and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements background on botanical supplements explains how extracts and standardization work in general terms.

Underneath the active row the panel prints "** Daily Value not established." That footnote is doing real work, and it is easy to misread as something missing. A %DV column can only exist where a government reference intake has been set, as it has for nutrients such as vitamin C or iron. No such reference intake exists for ashwagandha, so there is no percentage for the panel to show, and the footnote is the label saying so plainly rather than leaving a blank. It also means the 450 mg figure stands on its own, with no official daily benchmark beside it, which is why the suggested usage printed on the bottle matters more here than a percentage would.

Three other ingredients are listed: Hypromellose (cellulose capsule), Stearic Acid (vegetable source) and Rice Flour. Hypromellose is a plant-derived cellulose material, and naming it is what makes the Vegetarian/Vegan marking on the front coherent, since the alternative shell material in this category is gelatin. The panel gives no description of what any of the three contributes, and we have not invented one to fill the gap.

How to use it

The bottle's suggested usage reads: take 1 capsule 2 to 3 times daily. That is the whole of the printed instruction, and we have not added a time of day, a meal pairing or a worked example to it, because the label does not supply any. Storage is printed too: store in a cool, dry place after opening. One further line on the panel is worth repeating because it heads off a reasonable worry — "Natural color variation may occur in this product." A botanical extract is an agricultural material, and shade differences between batches of the powder are expected rather than a fault.

Who it's for

This is a product for adults 18 and over who want a plain, single-herb botanical capsule with a legible panel. The formula is one active row and three other ingredients, all named on the bottle, so there is not much to decode. The hypromellose shell makes it suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets, and the 90-capsule bottle suits someone who already knows how they want to use a botanical rather than someone trying one for the first time. It is explicitly not for pregnant or nursing women, and the label directs anyone taking medication or managing a medical condition to speak to a physician first — read the printed cautions below before deciding. You can browse the rest of our Supplements range for other single-ingredient options.

Good to know

The bottle prints a caution block, and it is reproduced here in full because it is the part of a label most often shortened elsewhere. For adults only. Not recommended for pregnant/nursing women. Consult physician if taking medication (especially thyroid hormones) or have a medical condition (especially thyroid, liver, and gastrointestinal conditions, including ulcers). This product may cause digestive upset in some sensitive individuals. If you experience any gastrointestinal discomfort after using this product, discontinue use. Discontinue use if rash/itching occurs. Keep out of reach of children.

The allergen statement on the panel reads: "Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens." The second sentence is a shared-facility disclosure and belongs with the first, so it is quoted alongside it rather than separated from it. The panel also records that the product is manufactured for NOW Foods of Bloomingdale, Illinois, and that it is "Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients". The bottle itself is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin, and the pack notes that NOW has been family owned since 1968. General guidance on using herbal supplements safely is published by NCCIH, and labels for products in this category can be looked up in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which parts of the ashwagandha plant are in this extract?

Root and leaf. The Supplement Facts panel prints "(Root and Leaf)" directly after the botanical name Withania somnifera, which records that the extract was made from a combined root-and-leaf starting material rather than from root alone.

Is this suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes — the front of the bottle is marked "Vegetarian/Vegan" and the capsule shell is hypromellose, a plant-derived cellulose, rather than gelatin. The only other listed ingredients are stearic acid, which the panel specifies is from a vegetable source, and rice flour.

What does "min. 2.5% Total Withanolides" mean on the label?

It is a floor rather than a target: the extract is standardized to contain at least 2.5% total withanolides, the marker compounds used to describe ashwagandha extract concentration. On a 450 mg serving that works out to the 11 mg the label prints beside it. It describes how the extract was measured and nothing beyond that.

Why is there no %DV on the Supplement Facts panel?

Because no Daily Value has been established for ashwagandha, which is what the panel's "** Daily Value not established." footnote records. A %DV column can only be shown where an official daily reference intake exists, as it does for nutrients like vitamin C. Its absence here is a correctly completed panel, not an omission.

How is my order packaged?

Orders ship in plain outer packaging with no product imagery and no brand marks, and nothing on the outside describes the contents. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.