Shatavari
Summary
Shatavari is an Ayurvedic root extract. Three 8-week Indian trials of 300 to 500 mg a day in 70 to 135 women found lower menopause symptom scores than placebo (grade C). A 20-person trial found slightly better grip strength. Estradiol and FSH rose in one trial.
Key facts
- Root extract of Asparagus racemosus, an Ayurvedic herb, usually standardized to shatavarins (saponins)[1][2]
- All three menopause trials were run in India, each testing one company’s branded extract; a fourth (2025) trial was retracted in 2026 and is not used here[1][2][6]
- In the 8-week perimenopause trial, estradiol and FSH rose more than with placebo[2]
- A 113-woman trial of 300 mg twice daily for the first 72 hours after birth reported more milk volume than placebo[5]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 11, 2026
How it works
ProposedShatavari contains steroidal saponins (shatavarins) described as phytoestrogenic; a muscle-biopsy trial found more myosin light-chain and Akt phosphorylation, but how the extract changes symptoms in people is not established.[4]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy aging | Grade C | Improved | RCT · n = 125 · 2025 | 3 rows |
| Performance | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 20 · 2021 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menopause Rating Scale | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 125 · 2025 Women aged 45–65 with menopausal symptoms in India Form: Shatavari root extract · Dose: 300 mg/day · Duration: 8 weeks Total symptom scores improved more with shatavari than placebo, and more again with shatavari plus ashwagandha; quality-of-life scores did not differ between groups. | 41394012 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Perimenopause symptom and stress scores | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 73 · 2025 Women with perimenopausal symptoms in India Form: Shatavari root extract (>10% shatavarins) · Dose: 300 mg/day · Duration: 8 weeks Menopause Rating Scale, stress and hot-flash scores improved more than with placebo; estradiol, FSH and T3 rose; liver and kidney tests were unchanged. | 41209045 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Menopause symptoms and quality of life | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 70 · 2024 Women with menopausal symptoms in India Form: Shatavari root extract (Aspurus) · Dose: 500 mg/day (250 mg twice daily) · Duration: 8 weeks Hot flashes, night sweats, sleep, anxiety, vaginal dryness and libido improved more than with placebo; no significant adverse events. | 38725785 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Handgrip and knee strength after menopause | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 20 · 2021 Postmenopausal women (mean age 68) Form: Shatavari extract · Dose: 1,000 mg/day · Duration: 6 weeks Handgrip strength rose 0.7 kg versus a 0.4 kg fall with placebo; knee strength and bone-turnover markers did not change. | 34959836 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shatavari root extract | Varies[1] | No head-to-head human absorption data between products in our sources.[1] | No significant adverse events in the 8-week trials; mild nausea was reported by one participant in the three-arm trial.[1][3] | Menopause symptoms (300–500 mg/day), strength (1,000 mg/day) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 300 mg of root extract a day (perimenopause) to 1,000 mg a day (strength), for 6 to 8 weeks; a breastfeeding trial used 600 mg a day for 72 hours.[2][4][5]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- Hormone-sensitive conditions
- Estradiol and FSH rose in an 8-week trial; people with a hormone-sensitive condition or on hormone therapy should ask their clinician first.[2]
- Pregnancy
- No pregnancy safety data were found in the trials we cite.[1]
- Breastfeeding
- The only breastfeeding trial lasted 72 hours, so longer use has not been studied.[5]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Where to buy Shatavari
Products from brands we partner with that contain Shatavari. Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.
- SupersmartPaid linkSuper Shatavari2 capsules: 500 mg Aspurus shatavari rhizome extract standardized to 5% shatavarins; 30 servings. The same branded extract and dose (250 mg twice daily) as the 70-woman menopause trial.Shop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.
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- Offer terms from Supersmart’s site and its affiliate program, checked Oct 8, 2026. Offers can change; the brand's checkout is final.
Frequently asked questions
Does shatavari help menopause symptoms?
Three 8-week trials in India found lower symptom scores than placebo at 300 to 500 mg a day. They were small and short, and each tested one company’s branded extract, so the grade is C.[1][2][3]
Does shatavari affect hormones?
In one perimenopause trial, estradiol and FSH rose more than with placebo; another trial reported hormone levels stayed in the normal range.[2][3]
Can shatavari increase breast milk?
One 113-woman trial reported more milk volume at 72 hours with 300 mg twice daily. Longer use while breastfeeding has not been studied.[5]
How much shatavari was studied?
300 to 500 mg of standardized root extract a day in the menopause trials and 1,000 mg in a strength trial.[1][2][4]
Why is one shatavari trial missing here?
A 2025 perimenopause trial was retracted by its journal in 2026, so we do not cite its results.[6]
Sources
- [1]Efficacy and Safety of Shatavari Root Extract for the Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Double-Blind, Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.. Cureus, 2024. RCT
- [2]Efficacy and Safety of Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) Root Extract for Perimenopause: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.. Int J Womens Health, 2025. RCT
- [3]Efficacy and safety of Shatavari root extract (Asparagus racemosus) for menopausal symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, three-arm, placebo-controlled study.. Front Reprod Health, 2025. RCT
- [4]Shatavari Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women Improves Handgrip Strength and Increases Vastus lateralis Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Phosphorylation but Does Not Alter Markers of Bone Turnover.. Nutrients, 2021. RCT
- [5]Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus Willd) root extract for postpartum lactation: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.. J Obstet Gynaecol, 2025. RCT
- [6]A Standardized Asparagus Racemosus Root Extract Improves Hormonal Balance and Menstrual Health and Reduces Vasomotor Symptoms in Perimenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.. J Am Nutr Assoc, 2025. RCT
What changed
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities (title, year and journal taken from the PubMed record) and abstracts read for each cited row. Product details in Where to buy read from the brand page on the date shown. Self-reviewed in a second strict pass (no independent reviewer yet).