HUSH is one ingredient: 650mg of organic ashwagandha root, paired with 5mg of organic black pepper extract for absorption. We chose root over a branded extract, and we chose this dose over a smaller one. Both choices are deliberate.
The dose
The majority of human clinical work on ashwagandha for stress, sleep, and recovery has been done at doses between 600mg and 1000mg per day, taken as a single capsule or split across two. 650mg sits in the middle of that range. The reduction-in-perceived-stress effect, the cortisol-curve effect, and the strength-and-recovery effect are all observed at this band — typically over an 8 to 12 week protocol.
Smaller doses (200–300mg) work in some studies. We didn't choose them because the effect sizes are less consistent and the time-to-perceived-result is longer. If you want to feel something in two weeks, 650mg is the dose that earns it.
Root vs. branded extract
You'll see two formats on the supplement aisle: ashwagandha root, and a small handful of branded extracts (KSM-66, Sensoril, and others). Extracts are higher concentration. Some are good. The trade-offs:
- Extracts use solvent-based standardization steps to concentrate withanolides. The solvents are stripped before the powder reaches the capsule, but the process is on the label and we'd rather not be.
- Extracts are patented, which means you're paying for the patent. The 30+ year body of clinical literature on ashwagandha was built largely on root powder, not on any one branded extract.
- Organic root, dosed at the level used in most studies, achieves the same outcomes that drove the literature in the first place.
It's a different choice, not a worse one. We chose simpler.
Black pepper extract (BioPerine equivalent)
Piperine — the active compound in black pepper — increases the bioavailability of fat-soluble compounds, including the withanolides in ashwagandha. 5mg of organic black pepper extract is the standard pairing dose. It's there to make the 650mg do its work, not to do work of its own.
The capsule
Plant-based pullulan. No gelatin, no hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. It's tasteless, odorless, and breaks down in your stomach the way a capsule should.
What it doesn't do
HUSH is not a stimulant and not a sedative. It does not prevent stress; it changes how your body's cortisol response unfolds across the day, with the strongest effect on the late-afternoon spike. It is not a sleep aid in the traditional sense — you will not feel drowsy after taking it. The sleep effect (when it appears, usually in week two or three) is a softer onset, not a heavier hit.
Cycling
Most published protocols run 8 to 12 weeks of daily intake. We follow the conservative practice of cycling: 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off. We'll send a single email when your bottle is due to cycle off, and another when it's time to come back.
If you want the papers
The literature is large. A few starting points: Chandrasekhar et al. (2012) for stress reduction, Salve et al. (2019) for cortisol and sleep quality, Wankhede et al. (2015) for resistance-training adaptation. These are the studies the 650mg dose is anchored to. If you want our reading list, email hello@hushdirect.xyz and we'll send the bibliography.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. HUSH is a dietary supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, on prescription medication, or have a medical condition, talk to your physician before starting any supplement.