Introduction
Some of our customers write to us asking a fair question: "Can you show us the withanolide content of KSM-66 in your finished product?"
The honest answer is no. We cannot test for it. This note explains why, and what that means for the trust between you, us, and our raw material supplier.
Our History with KSM-66
Unived has used KSM-66 Ashwagandha as a raw material since 2015.
KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract made only from the root of Withania somnifera. It is standardised to a minimum of 5% withanolides, which are the main active compounds associated with ashwagandha's adaptogenic effects.
We chose KSM-66 because it has more published human clinical research than most ashwagandha extracts on the market. That research includes studies on stress and cortisol [1], muscle strength and recovery in resistance-trained men [2], and male reproductive health [3].
Why We Use a Vegan Version
The standard KSM-66 extraction process uses milk. This is a deliberate choice rooted in traditional Ayurvedic practice, where herbs are often processed in milk.
That makes standard KSM-66 unsuitable for a vegan product. Unived sources a special vegan version of KSM-66 made without any animal-derived inputs, so that our formulations stay true to our 100% vegan commitment.
The Testing Question: Why We Cannot Measure Withanolides in Our Finished Product
Testing a botanical extract for its active compounds requires a validated Method of Analysis (MOA). This is the exact laboratory procedure: sample preparation, reference standards, instrument settings, and calculation.
KSM-66 is produced by Shri Karthikaya Pharma. The company does not share its MOA for withanolide content with customers or third-party laboratories.
Without that method, we are left with the conventional test methods used by laboratories in India. Those methods cannot reliably quantify withanolides as KSM-66 specifies them.
Therefore, we are unable to test for withanolide content.
So How Do You Know It Is Authentic?
The authenticity of KSM-66 in our products rests on a chain of trust:
- You trust Unived to use pure, unadulterated KSM-66, in the quantity stated on our label, with nothing substituted or diluted.
- Unived trusts Shri Karthikaya Pharma: its values, its ethics, and its material specification for every lot we receive.
There is no other way today. We cannot offer you an independent verification that does not exist.
We take our side of this seriously. We have worked with this raw material for over a decade, and we manufacture the finished product in-house, so the material we receive is the material that goes into your capsule.
We would rather tell you plainly where the limits of verification lie than imply a level of testing we cannot do.
What We Hope For
We respect Shri Karthikaya Pharma's research and the work that has made KSM-66 one of the most studied ashwagandha extracts in the world. We also understand that companies protect their methods for commercial reasons.
Still, we hope that one day the MOA for KSM-66 withanolide content is made public. That would let manufacturers like us, independent laboratories, and consumers verify what is in their supplements. It would extend complete transparency to every stakeholder in the chain, and we believe it would strengthen trust in KSM-66 itself.
Until then, we will keep doing what we can control: sourcing from the original manufacturer, manufacturing in-house, and being honest with you about what we can and cannot prove.
References
[1] Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-262.
[2] Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S. Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:43.
[3] Ambiye VR, Langade D, Dongre S, Aptikar P, Kulkarni M, Dongre A. Clinical evaluation of the spermatogenic activity of the root extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in oligospermic males: a pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:571420.
Questions about our raw materials or sourcing? Write to us at science@unived.com