Comparison
Ashwagandha vs Epitalon
Side-by-side of Ashwagandha and Epitalon. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha supplement guide: KSM-66 and Sensoril extracts at 300-600 mg/day cut morning cortisol and stress in RCTs. Dose, side effects, testosterone data.
Epitalon
Epitalon peptide (Epithalon, tetrapeptide AEDG): telomerase activation, lifespan extension data, anti-aging trials, dosage, half-life, and safety.
Effects at a glance
Ashwagandha
- •Reduces morning serum cortisol by ~20 to 30% at 300 to 600 mg/day standardized extract over 8 weeks
- •Lowers subjective stress on DASS-21 and PSS scales versus placebo in chronically stressed adults
- •Modest grip-strength and 1-RM gains of ~5 to 8% in trained men when paired with resistance training
- •Improves self-reported sleep quality and onset latency in adults with insomnia symptoms
- •Small testosterone increases (~10 to 15%) reported in stressed or subfertile men, less clear in healthy populations
- •May raise free T3 and T4; can interact with levothyroxine and unmask subclinical hyperthyroidism
Epitalon
- •Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation
- •Russian clinical literature reports mortality reduction in elderly cohorts and improved melatonin output
- •Reported telomerase activation in human somatic cell culture and lifespan extension in mice and Drosophila
- •Independent Western replication is essentially absent; no FDA-standard RCTs
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously daily for 10 to 20 day cycles, 2 to 4 times yearly
- •Not currently on the WADA Prohibited List
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Ashwagandha | Epitalon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | natural | peptide |
| Also known as | Withania somnifera, KSM-66, Sensoril | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 10 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 600 | 5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | daily during cycle |
| Routes | oral | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal |
| Onset (hr) | 2 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | - | 168 |
| Molecular weight | - | 390.35 |
| Molecular formula | - | C14H22N4O9 |
| Mechanism | GABAergic modulation and HPA-axis attenuation; withanolides reduce cortisol secretion and inhibit NF-kB signaling. | Synthetic tetrapeptide proposed to interact directly with DNA and chromatin to modulate tissue-specific gene expression. Reported effects include telomerase activation, increased melatonin output from pineal cells, and circadian normalization. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement in most jurisdictions; regulated in Denmark | Not FDA approved; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU |
| WADA status | allowed | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | Not scheduled (research chemical) |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | - | 307297-39-8 |
| PubChem CID | - | 219042 |
| Wikidata | Q310109 | Q5384126 |
Safety profile
Ashwagandha
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- drowsiness
- headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- autoimmune disease (theoretical immune stimulation)
- hyperthyroidism
- concurrent sedative use
Interactions
- benzodiazepines: additive CNS depression(moderate)
- thyroid hormone (levothyroxine): may raise T3/T4, altering dose requirements(moderate)
- immunosuppressants: theoretical antagonism via immune stimulation(moderate)
Epitalon
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- occasional mild headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical telomerase concern)
- concurrent immunosuppression
Interactions
- melatonin: potential additive effect on circadian and pineal output; no controlled data(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Ashwagandha comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Epitalon is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is stress and HPA-axis regulation, pick Ashwagandha.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Ashwagandha.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Ashwagandha is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Ashwagandha. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Epitalon only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Ashwagandha and Epitalon?
Ashwagandha and Epitalon differ in category (natural vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Ashwagandha or Epitalon?
Ashwagandha half-life is 10 hours; Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Ashwagandha with Epitalon?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper