Short answer: ashwagandha is not banned by the NCAA. It is not named on the 2026 to 27 banned list and is not one of the eight banned drug classes [1]. But a Division I school still cannot give it to you, because it is not one of the six supplement types schools may provide [2]. And because it is a plant, "not on the list" is a weaker answer than it sounds.

Ashwagandha and the NCAA at a glance

Question	Answer
Is ashwagandha on the NCAA banned list?	No. It is not named on the list or in any banned class [1]
Does that prove a product is safe to take?	No. The NCAA says its list is not complete [1]
Can a Division I school give athletes ashwagandha?	No. It is not one of the six supplement types schools may provide [2]
Does it help athletic performance?	There is not enough evidence to say [3]
Is there an NCAA approved ashwagandha?	No. The NCAA approves no supplements [1]

Why is "not on the list" a weak answer for an herbal?

The NCAA's list is not a list of every banned ingredient. It calls itself "neither a complete nor exhaustive list" [1]. Anything chemically or pharmacologically related to a banned class is also banned, and there is no complete list of banned substances [1]. The NCAA warns athletes not to rely on the list to rule out any ingredient on a label [1].

That warning matters more for a plant than for a single chemical. Here is why:

Plants contain many compounds. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) names ashwagandha as a common example of the herbal ingredients athletes ask about. It explains that natural products contain many compounds, some not yet identified [5].
USADA often cannot rule on them. Because it cannot know for sure what every natural product contains, USADA says it is often impossible for it to give an anti-doping status for them. Their use is at the athlete's own risk [5].
Certification lowers the risk. USADA says athletes can reduce the inherent risk by using only herbal products certified by an independent third party as free from prohibited substances [5].

For a specific product, scan it in the free Varsity Stack app and confirm with your compliance office. Your school can also send the label to Drug Free Sport AXIS, the only label review service the NCAA subscribes to [1]. Our guide to AXIS explains how it works.

Can a Division I school provide ashwagandha?

No. NCAA rules (Bylaw 16.5.2.7) let a school provide supplements "for the purpose of providing additional calories and electrolytes" [2]. Only six types qualify: carbohydrate and electrolyte drinks, energy bars, carbohydrate boosters, protein supplements, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals [2]. Ashwagandha is an herb, not any of those six [3]. So a Division I program cannot stock it or hand it out.

This is a separate rule from drug testing. "Banned" is about you, the athlete: it is about your drug test. "Impermissible" is about the school: what it may buy and give out. Our creatine guide explains the difference, and it applies to ashwagandha the same way.

What is ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub found in parts of India, Africa and the Middle East. It contains a group of compounds called withanolides. Supplements usually contain extracts of its root, leaf, or both [3]. It is promoted for stress, anxiety, sleep, male infertility and athletic performance [3].

Does ashwagandha actually help performance?

The evidence is thin for sport. Here is what the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says:

Performance: there is not enough evidence to say whether it helps athletic performance [3].
Sleep and stress: some ashwagandha preparations may be effective for insomnia and stress. Evidence on anxiety is unclear [3].
Testosterone: limited evidence suggests that taking it for 2 to 4 months may increase testosterone levels and sperm quality [3].

There is another catch. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) says studies have used different preparations, extraction methods and amounts. That makes it hard to know which specific extracts work [6]. Two products that both say "ashwagandha" on the front may not be comparable.

Is ashwagandha safe?

NCCIH says ashwagandha may be safe in the short term, up to 3 months. There is not enough information to reach conclusions about long term safety [3]. These are the concerns it lists:

Liver injury. Although rare, a number of cases link liver injury to ashwagandha supplements [3]. ODS notes that people in those cases improved after stopping. It also notes that the products' contents were not independently verified in all cases, and some were combination products [6].
Thyroid. It is not recommended for people with thyroid or autoimmune disorders. It may interact with thyroid hormone medication [3].
Other medications. It may interact with some medications, including those for diabetes and high blood pressure, immunosuppressants, sedatives and anti seizure drugs [3].
Pregnancy. It should be avoided during pregnancy and not used while breastfeeding [3].
Hormone sensitive conditions. Because it may increase testosterone levels, people with hormone sensitive prostate cancer should avoid it [3].

Why do some countries restrict ashwagandha?

Regulators outside the US have gone further. ODS reports that Denmark banned the use of ashwagandha in 2023 [6]. That followed a 2020 Technical University of Denmark risk assessment that discussed possible effects on thyroid and sex hormones [6]. In 2024, France's food and health safety agency, ANSES, recommended against its use in certain groups [6].

Those are food and supplement decisions, not sport rules. But they show why this herb draws more scrutiny than most.

Does the military allow ashwagandha?

The Department of Defense's supplement safety program says ashwagandha is not on its prohibited supplement ingredient list. It says ashwagandha should not cause a positive result on a routine military drug test [7]. Keep in mind that this is the military's program, not the NCAA's. The same page notes that without laboratory testing, there is no way to know what a product actually contains [7].

Is there an NCAA approved ashwagandha?

No. There are no NCAA approved nutritional or dietary supplements [1]. The NCAA says third party tested products may be options, but complete elimination of risk is impossible [1].

Certification programs differ in how they check. Informed Sport, for example, tests every batch before release and asks athletes to search the batch number on the product they hold [8]. Our guides to NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport and BSCG Certified Drug Free explain what each program checks.

What about high school athletes?

The NCAA does not govern high school sport. The NFHS position statement on performance enhancing substances does not address ashwagandha by name [4]. Your state association and school may set their own policies. Ask your athletic trainer before using any herbal product.

Checklist before you use an ashwagandha product

Scan it in Varsity Stack first. Check the barcode or label against our certification database before you buy.
Talk to your athletics staff and your doctor first. The NCAA makes checking with staff your responsibility [1]. The thyroid, liver and medication concerns above are medical questions.
Read the whole label. Ashwagandha can come in combination products [6], and every other ingredient needs the same review.
Choose a certified product and match the lot. Look up the lot or batch number on the certifier's own site.
Report symptoms to a clinician. ODS lists yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), itching, nausea and abdominal discomfort among the signs in reported liver injury cases [6].

Ashwagandha is often marketed for sleep. If melatonin is the product you are weighing instead, see whether melatonin is banned by the NCAA. The NCAA banned substances guide covers the full list.

Check an ashwagandha product with Varsity Stack

The fastest way to check an ashwagandha product is the free Varsity Stack app. Scan the barcode or snap a photo of the label, and Varsity Stack checks it against our certification database before you buy. Then log it with the rest of your stack, so you and your staff always know what you are taking.

Download Varsity Stack free

For coaches, sports dietitians and athletic trainers: the team dashboard shows every athlete's stack, the certification status of each product and its full ingredient panel. Athletes scan what they buy, and staff approve or reject it for the roster, for example an ashwagandha or stress blend. Request access for your program.

Varsity Stack does not laboratory test supplements, and certification lowers risk without removing it.

This article is for educational purposes only. Consult a qualified healthcare provider or registered dietitian before starting any supplement regimen. Varsity Stack does not provide medical, legal or NCAA compliance advice; check current NCAA legislation and Drug Free Sport AXIS with your compliance staff when reviewing individual products.

Is Ashwagandha Banned by the NCAA? Why Herbals Are Harder