Ashwagandha (Shoden®)
Withania somnifera
A patented root and leaf extract clinically studied for its effects on cortisol reduction, stress resilience, and the hormonal environment that testosterone depends on.
The Ingredient Explained
Ashwagandha has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, but Shoden® is not a generic extract. It's a patented, standardized form of ashwagandha derived from both roots and leaves, delivering one of the highest concentrations of withanolide glycosides available. That concentration matters because it determines clinical efficacy. Most ashwagandha products use root-only extracts at much lower standardization. Foundation uses Shoden® at 120mg because that's the dose studied in human trials, not a marketing number.
Why it's in Foundation
Cortisol is testosterone's primary antagonist. When cortisol stays elevated, the body actively downregulates testosterone production at the source. Reducing cortisol isn't a secondary benefit for men trying to optimize hormones. It's a prerequisite. Shoden® Ashwagandha works upstream of that suppression, reducing the stress signal before it can inhibit the hypothalamic-pituitary axis that controls testosterone output. That's why it's not optional in this formula. Without cortisol control, the other ingredients are working against a headwind.
Your 90-Day Timeline.
Stress response may begin to ease. Men under high chronic stress often notice the earliest effects here - better sleep, reduced anxiety, and improved mood.
Cortisol levels begin to normalize measurably. The downstream effect on testosterone becomes more apparent as the stress hormone load decreases.
Most Shoden clinical studies run 8-12 weeks. The combination of sustained cortisol reduction and testosterone support is strongest at this timeframe.
What the research shows
120mg Shoden®. The most concentrated form studied.
Human trials using Shoden® at 120mg showed significant reductions in cortisol and improvements in stress and sleep scores over 8 weeks. Because Shoden® is standardized to a higher withanolide concentration than standard root extracts, it produces clinically meaningful results at a fraction of the dose used in most ashwagandha studies.
View the human study
Cortisol and stress reduction in adults, published clinical trial
How it works with other ingredients
Tongkat Ali
Tongkat Ali blocks the downstream suppression of testosterone caused by cortisol. Ashwagandha reduces the cortisol signal itself. They hit the same problem from opposite ends, which is why the combination is stronger than either alone.
Shilajit
Shilajit supports the energy system and LH signaling that drives testosterone production. Ashwagandha clears the cortisol load suppressing that output. One fuels the engine, the other removes the brake.
Zinc
Zinc provides the raw material testosterone synthesis requires. Ashwagandha keeps cortisol from shutting down the signaling that triggers that synthesis. Supply and signal, protected.