Last updated: October 2026
No, ashwagandha isn’t banned in the UK. As of October 2026 it’s legal as a food supplement, but the FSA is reviewing its safety: its toxicity committee discussed a third draft statement in September 2026 and nothing has been published yet. Denmark banned it in supplements in 2023. Pregnant women and people with liver disease should avoid it.
Below: where the UK review stands, whether a UK ban is coming, why Denmark acted, what other countries have done, who should avoid ashwagandha, what we know about the liver and thyroid, and how to use it more safely.
Is ashwagandha banned in the UK?
No. Ashwagandha is legal to sell as a food supplement in the UK. There’s currently no set safe level, legal limit or required warning for it in supplements, and the FSA hasn’t published formal advice yet, although while the review continues it told Which? in June 2026 that it would advise people with pre-existing liver conditions and pregnant women to avoid ashwagandha supplements.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| February 2021 to December 2024 | The FSA received an increasing number of incident reports linked to ashwagandha supplements and asked its Committee on Toxicity (COT) to review their safety |
| July to September 2024 | The FSA ran a call for evidence from industry and the public (open 8 July to 2 September 2024) |
| May 2026 | The COT discussed a second draft statement on ashwagandha in private (reserved, as it contained confidential information) |
| 25 June 2026 | The FSA published a summary of the 19 responses to its call for evidence, saying a risk assessment will be carried out and the outcome published |
| 8 September 2026 | The COT discussed a third draft statement on the safety of ashwagandha in food, drinks and food supplements, again reserved because it contains unpublished information |
| October 2026 | No COT statement or formal FSA advice published yet (the FSA’s interim line to Which? in June 2026: people with pre-existing liver conditions and pregnant women should avoid it). Ashwagandha is not on the agenda for the COT’s 20 October 2026 meeting |
Once the risk assessment is published, the four UK nations will review it together to decide what advice or rules, if any, are needed. We’ll update this page when that happens.
Is a UK ban coming?
Nobody can say yet. The FSA hasn’t announced a ban, a limit or a warning, and the committee’s draft statements are still private. What we know is the order things will happen in:
- The COT finalises its statement on the safety of ashwagandha in food and supplements. The September 2026 agenda said a modified version of the paper would be published.
- The FSA publishes the risk assessment, which it has said it will do.
- England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland review it together under a shared UK framework and decide on “risk management advice”.
That advice could in principle range from no change, to consumer warnings or label wording, to limits on dose or plant part, to restrictions. Until it’s published, anyone telling you a UK ban is confirmed is guessing. If you take ashwagandha now, the practical advice below still applies: check whether you’re in a group that should avoid it, stick to the label dose and stop if you notice warning signs.
What the FSA review is looking at
- Liver: a small number of case reports of liver injury linked to ashwagandha supplements.
- Thyroid: reports of changes in thyroid hormone levels.
- Blood sugar: possible lowering of blood glucose.
- Reproduction: some evidence of possible effects on sex hormones, and its traditional use to end pregnancy.
The committee noted that reports of side effects were often inconsistent, partly because ashwagandha products vary so much: root or leaf, powder or concentrated extract, and very different doses. Part of the job is working out whether a safe level of intake can be set at all, which is exactly the question Denmark answered “no” to.
What other countries have done
| Country | Position (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Denmark | Banned in food supplements since 2023, after a 2020 assessment by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) concluded that no safe intake level could be set |
| Germany (BfR), 2024 | Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with liver disease should not take it; everyone else should be cautious |
| Netherlands (RIVM), 2024 | Advises consumers not to use ashwagandha supplements or tea, especially in pregnancy. Trade press reported in April 2026 that the government intends to ban it, but no ban is in force yet |
| France (ANSES) | Advises people with thyroid, liver or heart conditions, pregnant women and people taking sedatives to avoid it |
| EU as a whole | No EU-wide ban. In 2024 EU food safety agency heads recommended prioritising ashwagandha for a formal safety review (an “Article 8” procedure); as of mid 2026 that review was still being considered |
| UK | Legal; FSA and COT review ongoing, no outcome published |
Rules on herbal supplements differ by country, so a product legal in the UK may be restricted elsewhere. If you travel with supplements, check the destination’s rules. See flying with CBD oil for how we approach this with our own products.
Why did Denmark ban ashwagandha?
In 2019 the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration asked the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) to assess ashwagandha and see whether a safe intake level could be set. The 2020 report concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to set a safe level for the root or root extracts. The concerns centred on possible effects on thyroid and sex hormones and the herb’s traditional use to bring on abortion.
Denmark takes a precautionary approach: if a safe level can’t be shown, the ingredient doesn’t belong in a food supplement. It banned ashwagandha in food supplements in 2023 and alerted other European countries to products sold online.
The decision is contested. Ashwagandha ingredient suppliers argue the ban isn’t justified: extracts vary so much in composition that evidence about one type can’t reliably be used to judge another, and they say better quality control would do more to keep poor or contaminated products off the market than a ban. Weighing up evidence like this is part of the UK committee’s job, which is one reason the UK hasn’t simply copied Denmark.
Who should avoid ashwagandha
- Pregnant women, or anyone trying to conceive.
- Breastfeeding mothers. See ashwagandha and breastfeeding.
- Children and under-18s.
- People with liver disease or a history of liver problems.
- People with thyroid conditions, especially if taking thyroid medicine.
- People with diabetes on blood sugar-lowering medicines.
- People on sedatives, immunosuppressants or blood pressure medicines, and anyone with an autoimmune condition, unless their doctor agrees.
- Before surgery: stop at least two weeks beforehand.
We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Women with PCOS or a hormone-related condition should also check with their GP first: see ashwagandha for women and ashwagandha for PCOS. For the full list of side effects, see ashwagandha side effects.
Ashwagandha and the liver
A 2020 case series from Iceland and the US described five people who developed liver injury after taking ashwagandha supplements. It caused jaundice and severe itching, and in each case it got better after they stopped, with liver tests returning to normal within one to five months. Liver injury appears to be rare compared with how widely ashwagandha is used, but it’s serious when it happens.
More cases have been published since. A 2023 series from India reported eight people with liver injury from single-ingredient ashwagandha products. Five already had chronic liver disease, and three of them developed liver failure and died. Lab testing found no contamination, only the plant’s natural compounds.
A 2026 review of the published reports found 25 cases worldwide. The pattern was consistent: injury usually appeared after weeks of use, often with jaundice and itching, and most people recovered over weeks to months after stopping. The most serious outcomes were in people who already had cirrhosis, which is why everyone from the BfR to the review authors says people with liver disease should avoid it.
This kind of reaction is thought to be idiosyncratic: it happens unpredictably in a small number of people rather than being caused by taking too much. You can’t tell in advance whether you’re susceptible.
Warning signs: stop taking ashwagandha and see your GP if you notice yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, persistent itching or pain under your right ribs. Tell them which supplements you’ve been taking.
Wondering about CBD and the liver too? See is CBD bad for your liver?
Ashwagandha and the thyroid
Ashwagandha can affect thyroid hormone levels, and this is one of the main reasons regulators are cautious. Germany’s BfR lists effects on thyroid and sex hormones among its concerns, and there are case reports of an overactive thyroid (thyrotoxicosis) in previously healthy people, which settled after they stopped taking it.
If you have an underactive or overactive thyroid, or take levothyroxine or other thyroid medicine, don’t take ashwagandha without speaking to your GP first. In one published case, a healthy man developed tiredness, night-time fevers, weight loss, diarrhoea and headaches two months after starting ashwagandha; his thyroid had become inflamed, and it recovered once he stopped. If you notice symptoms like these, stop and see your GP. See underactive thyroid symptoms for when to get your thyroid checked.
Is ashwagandha safe long term?
We don’t know yet. A 2026 systematic review pooled 23 randomised trials in 2,317 healthy adults taking standardised ashwagandha root extract at 125mg to 600mg a day, for anything from a single dose to 180 days. Liver, kidney, blood, hormone and heart markers stayed within normal ranges, and the side effects reported (stomach upset, headache, drowsiness) were mild and also seen in the placebo groups.
There are caveats. There is very little trial data beyond six months, so daily use for years hasn’t really been studied. Some of the review’s authors have worked with supplement companies, which they declared. And trials enrol healthy volunteers and are too small to pick up rare reactions like the liver cases above.
The sensible reading: in healthy adults, root extract at trial doses has a good short-term record, but it isn’t risk-free and it isn’t something to take indefinitely without a break. For more on timing and dosing, see when to take ashwagandha and what ashwagandha does.
How to use it more safely
- Choose root extract with the plant part and amount clearly stated. Most trials used root extracts, and some of the regulatory concern is about leaf preparations.
- Stick to the label dose, and don’t combine several ashwagandha products.
- Take breaks: most trials lasted 8 to 12 weeks.
- Check medicines with a pharmacist first, including thyroid, diabetes, blood pressure and sedative medicines.
- Buy from UK brands that test their products and can tell you where the ashwagandha comes from.
- Be wary of big promises. Herbs like ashwagandha have no authorised health claims in the UK, so a label that promises to fix stress or sleep is overstepping.
Our Flow CBD Oil combines broad spectrum CBD with ashwagandha root and maca in MCT oil. Because it contains ashwagandha, everything on this page applies to it too: don’t use it if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, or have a liver or thyroid condition, and check with your pharmacist if you take regular medication. If you’d rather avoid ashwagandha, our Broad Spectrum CBD Oil contains only CBD and MCT oil, and magnesium is another option for an evening routine. See ashwagandha vs magnesium and CBD and ashwagandha, and if you take medication, can CBD interact with medication?
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
More on the CBD side: the CBD daily limit in the UK explained. Want to read the research on ashwagandha itself? See ashwagandha and anxiety research and ashwagandha and sleep studies.
Related guides
- Shilajit safety in the UK.
- Signs of an overactive thyroid and when to get your thyroid checked.
- For the amounts used in trials and the upper end of the range, see how much ashwagandha per day.
- Buying ashwagandha at Home Bargains: what to check.
- Buying on the high street? See Holland and Barrett ashwagandha: KSM-66, strengths and UK safety.
- For how ashwagandha’s safety compares with reishi’s, see reishi vs ashwagandha.
- What the Vitabiotics ashwagandha label says about who should avoid it.
- To see how one brand’s label words these warnings, read Wild Nutrition ashwagandha.
- These cautions apply to every form; our guide to ashwagandha gummies, tinctures and capsules covers what to check on each label.
- For how long trials lasted and when to stop, read how long does it take for ashwagandha to work.
FAQs
Is ashwagandha banned in the UK?
No. As of October 2026 it’s legal as a food supplement, but the FSA and its Committee on Toxicity are reviewing its safety and haven’t published an outcome yet.
Is ashwagandha safe to take?
Most healthy adults in trials tolerated it well for 8 to 12 weeks, but rare liver injury has been reported, and some groups should avoid it.
Why is ashwagandha being reviewed in the UK?
The FSA received more incident reports between 2021 and 2024 and asked its toxicity committee to assess liver, thyroid and blood sugar effects.
Who should not take ashwagandha?
Pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, people with liver disease or thyroid conditions, and people on certain medicines unless their doctor agrees.
Is ashwagandha banned in Europe?
Not across the EU. Denmark banned it in food supplements in 2023, the Netherlands advises against it and has signalled a ban, and Germany and France advise certain groups to avoid it.
Is ashwagandha bad for your liver?
For most people, no, but it can rarely cause liver injury, usually after weeks of use. Most cases improved after stopping, but people with existing liver disease have had serious outcomes, so they should avoid it. Stop and see your GP if you notice yellow skin or eyes, dark urine or itching.
Is ashwagandha being banned in the UK?
Not at the moment. No ban has been announced. The FSA will publish a risk assessment once its toxicity committee finishes its statement, and the four UK nations will then decide whether any advice, warnings or limits are needed.
Why did Denmark ban ashwagandha?
A 2020 assessment by the Technical University of Denmark concluded that no safe intake level could be set, citing possible effects on thyroid and sex hormones and its traditional use to induce abortion. Denmark banned it in food supplements in 2023.
Is it safe to take ashwagandha every day?
In trials, healthy adults took root extract daily for up to six months without significant changes in blood markers. There’s little data beyond that, so most people take it for 8 to 12 weeks and then have a break.
Does ashwagandha affect your thyroid?
It can. Ashwagandha may raise thyroid hormone levels, and there are case reports of an overactive thyroid. If you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medicine, speak to your GP before taking it.
Sources
- FSA. Summary of responses to call for evidence on ashwagandha, 25 June 2026.
- COT. Draft minutes of the 8 September 2026 COT meeting (item 5: third draft statement on ashwagandha).
- COT. Meeting agenda, 8 September 2026.
- COT. Final minutes of the 19 May 2026 COT meeting (item 4: second draft statement on ashwagandha).
- COT. Committee on Toxicity meeting, 20 October 2026 (agenda and papers).
- COT. Herb-induced liver injury, July 2026.
- BfR. Ashwagandha: food supplements with potential health risks, Communication 39/2024, September 2024.
- NutraIngredients. Timeline: will authorities de-throne the King of Herbs?, July 2026.
- Nutrition Insight. Regulatory update: international authorities’ response to ashwagandha safety concerns, August 2024.
- Nutrition Insight. “Unjustified ban”: industry responds to ongoing scrutiny of ashwagandha safety, August 2024.
- Björnsson HK et al. Ashwagandha-induced liver injury: a case series from Iceland and the US Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network. Liver Int, 2020. PMID 31991029.
- Philips CA et al. Ashwagandha-induced liver injury: a case series from India and literature review. Hepatol Commun, 2023. PMID 37756041.
- McIntyre D et al. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)-associated liver injury: a scoping review. Cureus, 2026. PMID 42367407.
- Coope OC et al. Safety and tolerability of standardised ashwagandha root extract in healthy adults: a systematic review. Pharmaceuticals, 2026. PMID 42198398.
- Which?. Ashwagandha: stress buster or health risk? (includes the FSA’s interim comment), June 2026.
- Hayashi M et al. Painless thyroiditis by Withania somnifera (ashwagandha). Cureus, 2024. PMID 38559552.
