KSM-66 vs Sensoril vs Shoden: which ashwagandha extract to buy

Buy the extract by the dose it was trialed at, not by the biggest withanolide number on the label. The three branded extracts were studied at different amounts (KSM-66 at 600 mg a day, Sensoril from 125 mg, Shoden from 120 mg) and their labels count different things (5% withanolides, 10% withanolides, 35% withanolide glycosides). At a trialed dose, Nutricost's KSM-66 costs $0.28 a day, Nootropics Depot's 125 mg Sensoril $0.22 and its 120 mg Shoden $0.67. Ashwagandha has NIH safety cautions that come before any of this: liver, thyroid and pregnancy.

How we compiled this · not medical advice. We read each product's label facts, price and stated testing on the brand's own product page (dates beside each figure), read the trials in their PubMed abstracts and, for KSM-66, the open-access trial paper, and graded the ingredient with our published A to D rubric. We did not buy or lab-test these products. Price per day is list price divided by days of supply at the dose shown. Some links are affiliate links; they never change the ranking.

What makes an ashwagandha extract "branded"?

A branded extract is a specific, standardized preparation of Withania somnifera made by one licensor, sold under its trademark to supplement companies, and usually the thing the clinical trials tested. KSM-66 is made by Ixoreal Biomed and described in its trial paper as "drawn only from the roots" and standardized to at least 5% withanolides by HPLC, made "without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents". NOW's product page repeats that it uses "a unique proprietary extraction process without using alcohol or any other chemical solvents" (read 2026-10-19). Sensoril is, in the words of the STAR trial abstract, "a standardized aqueous extract of the roots and leaves of Withania somnifera". Shoden is Arjuna Natural's extract, which its own page says is "standardised to 35% Withanolide glycosides (measured by HPLC)" and markets at "60mg Lowest Dose" with a root-only variant, Shoden-R.

The product that matters to a buyer is therefore not the brand name on the bottle but whether the bottle carries the licensed extract at the amount a trial used. Our ashwagandha guide covers benefits, safety and the full brand ranking; this page is the extract decision. Owner-site reads: natreon.com (Sensoril's owner) refused the connection and sensoril.com returned an empty page on October 26, 2026, so the Sensoril column rests on Nootropics Depot's product page and the trial literature.

Root only versus root and leaf

KSM-66 uses the root only. Sensoril and Shoden, as sold by Nootropics Depot, use root and leaf, and the Sensoril page there says its water extraction "preserves the natural ratio of glycowithanolides". A root-only claim matters to buyers who follow the traditional root preparation; a root-and-leaf extract matters to buyers who read the Sensoril and Shoden trials. Neither choice is backed by a head-to-head comparison among the studies read for this page, so treat plant part as a preference and a label fact, not as an efficacy ranking.

Sports Research writes "root-only" for its organic product and names KSM-66 in its marketing copy; Jarrow lists "Ashwagandha Extract (Withania somnifera) (Root)" at 300 mg of KSM-66 per capsule. Gaia Herbs' product is the control row: a "proprietary extract blend" of organic root, root extract and withanolides, with no branded extract and no milligram or percentage printed.

Withanolide standardization: 5% versus 10% versus 35%

The three numbers sit side by side on the internet and are not comparable. Nutricost's KSM-66 capsule is labeled "5% Withanolides (30mg Per Cap)" for 600 mg. Nootropics Depot's Sensoril page says "standardized to minimum 10% withanolides" for 125 mg, which is 12.5 mg. Its Shoden page says "35% Withanolide Glycosides by HPLC/UPLC" for 120 mg, which is 42 mg. The first two count withanolides as a group; the third counts only the glycoside fraction. A 35% label on a 120 mg capsule is therefore not "seven times stronger" than a 5% label on a 600 mg capsule, and the first figure shows why: the filled part of each bar is small, and it sits inside a different-sized track.

That is also why cost per milligram of withanolide is a weak buying metric across brands. Using the label numbers, KSM-66 works out at about $0.0094 per label milligram, Shoden $0.0159 and Sensoril $0.0178, but the milligrams measure different fractions. Use cost per trialed day instead, which is the second figure.

What dose each extract was studied at

• KSM-66: Chandrasekhar et al., 2012, 64 adults with a history of chronic stress, 300 mg of high-concentration full-spectrum root extract twice a day for 60 days against placebo, with lower stress-scale scores and serum cortisol in the ashwagandha group. The open-access paper names the extract as KSM-66.
• Sensoril (root and leaf, aqueous): Pandit et al., 2024, an 8-week trial of 125, 250 and 500 mg a day in adults with self-reported high stress (98 in the final analysis), and Ziegenfuss et al., 2018, 500 mg a day of Sensoril for 12 weeks in 38 recreationally active men doing resistance training.
• Shoden (35% withanolide glycosides): Lopresti et al., 2019, 60 stressed healthy adults given 240 mg once a day for 60 days; and Mishra et al., 2024, 60 adults who met DSM-IV criteria for generalized anxiety disorder given 60 mg or 120 mg for 60 days. We describe the Mishra group by who was enrolled and draw no treatment claim from it.
• Pooled evidence: a 2024 meta-analysis of nine randomized trials in 558 patients found lower Perceived Stress Scale, Hamilton anxiety and cortisol values than placebo (Arumugam et al., Explore), and a 2026 dose-response meta-analysis of 22 trials reported lower stress, depression and anxiety scores while calling for higher-quality trials (Alsanie et al., Complementary Therapies in Medicine).

Nootropics Depot's Sensoril page says each 125 mg capsule "delivers the same dose used in human clinical trials"; that is true of the lowest arm in the Pandit trial, while the STAR trial used four times that amount. Both facts are on the page above so you can choose with them.

Comparison table: extract, plant part, standardization, studied dose and cost per day

Nutricost is the cheapest KSM-66 product per day at $0.28; the Sensoril capsule is cheaper per day at its lowest trialed dose, and Shoden is the dearest. Prices are one-time list prices, with exceptions marked.

Product	Extract	Plant part	Label withanolide	Dose × capsules a day	List price / servings	Per day	Testing
NNutricost KSM-66	KSM-66	root	5% (30 mg)	600 mg × 1	$16.97 / 60	$0.28	third-party tested
NNOW KSM-66 Ashwagandha	KSM-66	root	not stated	600 mg × 1	$32.99 / 90 †	$0.37	none on page
SSports Research Organic Ashwagandha	KSM-66	root-only	not stated	600 mg × 1	$32.95 / 90 ‡	$0.37	third-party tested
Jarrow Formulas Ashwagandha 300 mg	KSM-66	root	not stated	300 mg × 2	$24.99 / 120	$0.42	Non-GMO, vegan badges
Nootropics Depot Sensoril	Sensoril	root and leaf	10% (12.5 mg)	125 mg × 1	$19.99 / 90 §	$0.22	lab tested
Nootropics Depot Shoden	Shoden	root and leaf	35% glycosides (42 mg)	120 mg × 1	$19.99 / 30	$0.67	lab tested
Gaia Herbs Ashwagandha Root	non-branded (control)	root + root extract	no % given	mg not listed	price not shown	n/a	SuppCo named

† NOW's page returned an access-denied response on October 26, 2026; $32.99 for 90 capsules, 600 mg per capsule and 1 capsule per serving are from the October 19 read. ‡ Sports Research's page was rate-limited on October 26; KSM-66 and 600 mg per serving are from the October 19 read and $32.95 for 90 from the October 14 read, with one capsule a day assumed. § Nootropics Depot shows $19.99 beside a 90 or 180 count selector; we treat the default, 90-count, as the price. Our ashwagandha guide lists NOW at about $15.99 (a March 2026 read) and Jarrow at $17.99 (undated); the figures above are the newer reads and should be used where the two differ.

Products using each extract

Split-dose KSM-66

Jarrow Formulas Ashwagandha 300 mg

$24.99 for 120 capsules · $0.42 a day · 300 mg KSM-66 twice daily

Jarrow's page directs "1 capsule 2 times a day" with the KSM-66 logo, matching the twice-daily split in the Chandrasekhar trial, and a 120-capsule bottle is a 60-day supply. It carries Non-GMO Project Verified, vegan and gluten-free badges, which describe ingredients, not the content of the capsule. The page notes "Excluding VAT". Jarrow product page.

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Sensoril, 125 mg

Nootropics Depot Sensoril Ashwagandha Capsules

$19.99 (90-count default) · $0.22 a capsule · 125 mg root and leaf, 10% withanolides

The only Sensoril product we could read, with a label of 125 mg per capsule and 1 to 2 capsules daily. At one capsule it matches the lowest arm of the Pandit trial; the STAR trial amount, 500 mg, is four capsules at about $0.89 a day. Its page claims "3rd Party Lab Tested & Verified". Nootropics Depot Sensoril page.

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Shoden, 35% glycosides

Nootropics Depot Shoden Ashwagandha Capsules

$19.99 for 30 capsules · $0.67 a capsule · 120 mg, 35% withanolide glycosides

Shoden's low milligram dose is the draw: one 120 mg capsule is at the top of the Mishra arms (60 and 120 mg, in adults meeting anxiety-disorder criteria), and two capsules reach the 240 mg of the Lopresti trial at about $1.33 a day. That makes it the dearest studied day here. Nootropics Depot Shoden page; owner page: Arjuna Natural Shoden.

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Which ashwagandha extract should you buy? A verdict for each kind of reader

• Lowest cost per day at 600 mg

  Nutricost KSM-66 at $0.28, the cheapest KSM-66 day we could read.

• Wants the smallest studied dose

  Nootropics Depot Sensoril, one 125 mg capsule at $0.22 a day, the lowest arm of the Pandit trial.

• Prefers one capsule and a root-only extract

  NOW or Sports Research KSM-66, 600 mg in one capsule; check the current price first.

• Prefers a twice-daily split

  Jarrow 300 mg, the same split as the Chandrasekhar trial.

• Drug-tested athlete

  None of these pages names NSF, USP or Informed Sport. Ask for a lot certificate or choose a certified product elsewhere.

• Pregnant, breastfeeding, thyroid or autoimmune condition, liver disease, or hormone-sensitive prostate cancer

  Do not start without your clinician. NCCIH advises avoiding ashwagandha in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and not recommending it with thyroid or autoimmune disorders; NCCIH says people with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer should avoid it.

• On thyroid, diabetes, blood pressure, sedative or immunosuppressant medication

  Ask first. NCCIH lists interactions with each of these.

Copy this extract check before you buy

The ashwagandha extract check below turns the label into the three numbers that matter. Copy it into your notes app.

ASHWAGANDHA EXTRACT CHECK
1. Extract named on the label (KSM-66 / Sensoril / Shoden / none): ________
2. Plant part on the label (root / root and leaf): ________
3. Extract per capsule: ____ mg   Capsules a day: ____   Daily mg: ____
4. Withanolide % printed: ____ %   Daily withanolide mg (3 x 4 / 100): ____
   Note: 5%, 10% (total) and 35% (glycosides) are different measures.
5. Trial dose for this extract: KSM-66 600 mg; Sensoril 125 to 500 mg; Shoden 60 to 240 mg.
6. Bottle price $____ / days of supply ____ = $____ a day
7. Tester named (SuppCo, NSF, USP, Informed Sport)? ________
8. Pregnant, breastfeeding, thyroid or autoimmune condition, liver disease,
   hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, or on thyroid, diabetes, blood pressure,
   sedative or immunosuppressant medication? Ask a clinician first.  Y / N
Source: NIH NCCIH ashwagandha (updated March 2023); PubMed 23439798, 38732539, 30463324, 31517876, 39286132.

What the evidence grade covers, and what it does not

Grade B means several randomized trials show positive results, but with smaller samples or fewer replications. The pooled analyses cited above call for higher-quality trials, and the 2024 meta-analysis included only nine trials in 558 patients. The grade is for the ingredient and the stress and sleep outcomes measured in these trials. It is not a statement that any of these products treats anxiety, insomnia or any condition, and it does not rank KSM-66 against Sensoril or Shoden. For the surrounding routines see the sleep supplement ranking, the Mood Stack and our rhodiola guide.

Who should not take ashwagandha without medical advice

NCCIH (updated March 2023) says ashwagandha should be avoided during pregnancy, should not be used while breastfeeding, and is not recommended before surgery or for people with autoimmune or thyroid disorders. It lists possible interactions with diabetes and blood pressure medicines, immunosuppressants, sedatives, anticonvulsants and thyroid hormone drugs, and says people with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer should avoid it. NCCIH adds that rare cases of liver injury have been linked to ashwagandha supplements.

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet (read from our October 14, 2026 copy; the page returned access denied to our fetcher on October 26) reports a few cases of liver injury, including in people who took 450 to 1,350 mg a day for one week to four months, that ashwagandha might affect thyroid function, that some experts advise against use in pregnancy, and that Denmark banned its use in 2023 after a 2020 risk assessment. Because the supplement is not approved before sale (FDA), see also NCCIH on using dietary supplements wisely.

Frequently asked questions

Which is best: KSM-66, Sensoril or Shoden? We found no head-to-head trial among the studies read for this page, so no extract can be called best on the evidence. Each has its own randomized trials at its own dose: KSM-66 at 600 mg a day, Sensoril from 125 mg to 500 mg, Shoden from 60 mg to 240 mg. The buying decision is therefore the dose a product delivers against the dose its extract was studied at, the plant part, and your tolerance for the safety cautions NIH lists.

Do the withanolide percentages on labels compare across extracts? No. Nutricost's KSM-66 label reads 5% withanolides (30 mg in a 600 mg capsule), Sensoril is sold standardized to 10% withanolides, and Shoden to 35% withanolide glycosides measured by HPLC. The numbers count different things, so a higher percentage does not mean a stronger dose. Multiply the percentage by the milligrams you take and compare only within one measure.

What is the difference between root-only and root-and-leaf ashwagandha? KSM-66 is made from root only; its published trial paper describes an extract "drawn only from the roots" and made without alcohol or synthetic solvents. Sensoril is a water extract of root and leaf, and Nootropics Depot sells Shoden as a root and leaf extract, while Arjuna also offers a root-only Shoden-R. Whether the plant part changes outcomes has not been settled by head-to-head trials we found.

How much ashwagandha do trials use? Chandrasekhar et al. 2012 gave 300 mg of KSM-66 root extract twice a day for 60 days to 64 adults with chronic stress. Pandit et al. 2024 compared 125, 250 and 500 mg a day of a root-and-leaf water extract for 8 weeks; Ziegenfuss et al. 2018 gave 500 mg a day of Sensoril for 12 weeks to men training with weights. Lopresti et al. 2019 gave 240 mg of Shoden once a day for 60 days, and Mishra et al. 2024 gave 60 mg or 120 mg to adults meeting criteria for generalized anxiety disorder.

Is ashwagandha safe? NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (updated March 2023) says it may be safe in the short term, up to 3 months, that rare cases of liver injury have been linked to supplements, and that it should be avoided during pregnancy, not used while breastfeeding, and not used by people with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer; it is not recommended for people with thyroid or autoimmune disorders. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements reports a few cases of liver injury and possible thyroid effects.

Is any ashwagandha product on this page third-party certified? None of the product pages states an NSF, USP or Informed Sport listing (read October 2026). Nutricost and Sports Research say "third party tested", and Nootropics Depot says "3rd Party Lab Tested & Verified", without naming a certifier; Gaia Herbs names SuppCo for identity and potency testing. If you are drug-tested in sport, ask the brand for a lot certificate first.

Bottom line

Choose the extract by its trialed dose and its safety fit, not by the largest percentage. At a trialed daily dose, Sensoril's 125 mg capsule is the cheapest day ($0.22), Nutricost's KSM-66 the cheapest 600 mg day ($0.28) and Shoden the dearest ($0.67 at 120 mg), while the withanolide milligrams behind those labels (12.5, 30 and 42) measure different things. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a thyroid, autoimmune or liver condition, take interacting medicine, or have hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, talk to a clinician before any of them.

Method and sources

Product facts and prices were read on the brands' own pages (Nutricost, Jarrow, Nootropics Depot and Gaia Herbs on October 26, 2026; NOW and Sports Research on October 19 and 14 as marked). Cost per day is list price divided by days of supply at the dose shown; label withanolide milligrams are the trialed daily milligrams multiplied by the label percentage. The Sensoril 125 mg trial dose is the lowest arm of Pandit 2024, whose abstract describes a root-and-leaf water extract and which Nootropics Depot cites for its Sensoril; the abstract does not itself name the brand. We did not purchase or lab-test any product. Review cadence: this page is re-checked when a listed product changes its price, extract or testing statement, or when NIH revises its ashwagandha pages.

1. NIH NCCIH, Ashwagandha: Usefulness and Safety, last updated March 2023.
2. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Ashwagandha Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
3. Chandrasekhar K et al., Indian J Psychol Med 2012;34(3):255-262, PMID 23439798.
4. Pandit S et al., Nutrients 2024;16(9):1293, PMID 38732539.
5. Ziegenfuss TN et al., Nutrients 2018;10(11):1807, PMID 30463324.
6. Lopresti AL et al., Medicine 2019;98(37):e17186, PMID 31517876.
7. Mishra DN, Kumar M, Heliyon 2024;10(17):e36885, PMID 39286132.
8. Arumugam V et al., Explore 2024;20(6):103062, PMID 39348746; Alsanie SA et al., Complement Ther Med 2026;97:103325, PMID 41644067.
9. US FDA, Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements.
10. Brand pages: Nutricost, NOW, Sports Research, Jarrow, Nootropics Depot Sensoril, Nootropics Depot Shoden, Gaia Herbs, Arjuna Natural.