Is ashwagandha legal in the UK and EU? By country (2026)

The short answer

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is legal in the UK and in most of the EU, but under scrutiny. In the UK, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is reviewing its safety and already advises pregnant women and people with liver conditions to avoid it. In the EU there is no common rule, so each country decides: Denmark has banned it in food supplements, the Netherlands plans to ban the leaf, and Germany’s risk assessment body advises several groups not to take it. The evidence for stress and sleep is real but modest. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have liver or thyroid problems, or take medication, talk to your GP first.

Status by country

We update the table as rules change, including when the UK statement is published. Inside the EU, mutual recognition means a product lawful in one country can often be sold in another, but a country can block it on health grounds if the measure is justified. Great Britain is outside that system. Our guide to supplement maximum levels in Europe explains how this works.

Why authorities are cautious

In the UK, the FSA asked its Committee on Toxicity (COT) to review ashwagandha because ashwagandha supplements were becoming more popular and the number of incidents notified to the FSA was rising. According to the committee’s 2025 summary, FSA risk assessments of those incidents found associations with thyroid toxicity, low blood sugar and possible liver toxicity. The COT noted that reported effects were inconsistent and that some forms have a long history of use, but said it needs more data on long-term effects, liver toxicity and contaminants before it can set a safe level.

Germany’s BfR published its assessment in September 2024. It concluded that no safe daily amount can be derived from the available data, based on:

• case reports of liver injury, including acute liver failure;
• evidence of effects on the thyroid, sex hormones, cortisol and blood sugar;
• missing safety data in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and a traditional use as an abortifacient;
• possible interactions with antidiabetic, blood-pressure and immunosuppressant drugs.

The Dutch RIVM reached a similar conclusion in 2024: harmful effects can occur in sensitive people, it is unknown who they are, and avoiding it is the precautionary advice.

What the evidence shows

According to the NIH, two problems run through the research: extracts differ widely (root vs leaf, withanolide content) and there is almost no safety data beyond three months.

There is no authorised health claim for ashwagandha on the Great Britain or the EU register. Claims for botanicals have been “on hold” for years on both, so “reduces stress” or “improves sleep” on a pack goes beyond what the law allows in the UK and the EU.

How to choose, if you decide to take it

1. Root only. The most recent restrictions, in the Netherlands and India, target the leaf. KSM-66 is root-only; Sensoril and Shoden combine root and leaf.
2. Study doses. Most trials use 300–600 mg of standardised extract a day. More has not been shown to be better.
3. Withanolides stated. A good label states the withanolide percentage (for example 5%).
4. Check the manufacturer’s label, not the shop listing. In our database, one retailer listed 500 mg of KSM-66 per capsule, an unusual figure for that extract (normally 300 or 600 mg).
5. Set an end date. Use it for a limited period, around 8–12 weeks as in the trials. Stop and see a doctor if you notice dark urine, itching, unusual tiredness or yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Our goal finder compares the evidence for ashwagandha with other options for stress and sleep, such as L-theanine and magnesium.