Can You Take Ashwagandha and Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu) Together?

Use extra care with this pair

The short answer

Fo-Ti has well-documented hepatotoxicity, while Ashwagandha has emerging case reports of liver injury. Combined use may increase overall liver stress, particularly in susceptible individuals.

How to arrange timing

Monitor liver function if combining. Research suggests individuals with pre-existing liver conditions should be especially cautious.

Reference

Reference noted for this combination: Björnsson HK et al., J Hepatol 2020; Lei X et al., J Ethnopharmacol 2015

Important context

Whether supplements suit you together also depends on dose, product formulation, health conditions, and medication use. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic condition.