Athletes usually look at ashwagandha for stress support, sleep/recovery, and training adaptation. Intense training affects not only muscles but also the nervous system and stress hormones. Some athletes use adaptogens to support sleep quality and recovery. Some studies report benefits for strength performance and perceived stress, but results depend on product quality, dose, and duration. A key risk is supplement contamination—products with unclear labels may contain unwanted substances. For athletes, choose standardized, tested products and plan use with a sports physician or dietitian.