Arjuna Natural's Shoden-R ashwagandha just won Ingredient Idol at SupplySide Global 2025. The root-only extract is water-soluble, works at 60mg, and finally makes ashwagandha viable in beverages, gummies, and RTD formats.
At SupplySide Global 2025, Arjuna Natural's newly launched Shoden-R ashwagandha extract claimed the Ingredient Idol award for the relaxation category. The accolade validates what the company has been developing behind the scenes and teased on Episode #171 of the PricePlow Podcast: a root-only ashwagandha extract standardized to 35% withanolide glycosides that solves formulation challenges plaguing the beverage and functional food industries.
Finally, we have a clinically-validated form of ashwagandha that actually works in beverages, gummies, and smaller edible form factors, with just a 60mg efficacious dose!
The Ingredient Idol competition pit ingredient developers against each other in live pitches before expert judges and trade show attendees. Shoden-R prevailed among nine finalists across three categories (focus, relaxation, and formulation innovation technology) based on its combination of low-dose efficacy, water solubility, clean organoleptics, and clinical backing.
"We are so excited to receive this recognition as a breakthrough relaxation ashwagandha ingredient for the food and beverage industries," said Keely Johnson, VP of Marketing at Arjuna Natural. "Shoden-R provides clinically backed benefits at just 60mg per day for a long-lasting, non-GMO, and clean label product that matches and exceeds consumers' expectations."
The award caps off a strategic launch targeting categories where traditional ashwagandha extracts have struggled: ready-to-drink beverages, carbonated drinks, gummies, and quick-dissolving formats.
What Is Shoden-R?
Shoden-R is Arjuna Natural's new root-only version of its flagship Shoden ashwagandha extract. Like the original Shoden, Shoden-R standardizes to 35% withanolide content, but the key differentiator lies in the chemical profile and extraction methodology.
Shoden brings a new era to ashwagandha supplements with 35% glycowithanolide standardization. Research shows it delivers powerful effects at just 60-120mg daily, compared to 600mg+ with traditional extracts.
Whereas the original Shoden (the root-and-leaf extract) delivers 35% total withanolide glycoside conjugates, Shoden-R provides 35% withanolide glycosides exclusively from ashwagandha root. This distinction matters for both regulatory positioning and bioavailability.
The extract maintains Arjuna Natural's full-spectrum approach to withanolides, testing for 18 specific compounds including Withanoside I through X, Sitoindoside IX, Withanamide Q, and several other glycosidic structures. This analytical transparency contrasts with competitors who report only total withanolide content without compound-specific quantification, and never even mention the key glycoside configuration.
For readers unfamiliar with the glycoside debate, we recommend reviewing our comprehensive guide: Shoden and the Ashwagandha Evolution: The Rise of Glycoside-Enhanced Extracts.
Why Ashwagandha Matters More Than Ever
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) remains one of the most researched adaptogens in the dietary supplement space, with applications spanning stress reduction, sleep quality improvement, cognitive function support, and exercise recovery. The herb's popularity exploded during 2020 as consumers sought natural stress management solutions, and demand has sustained through subsequent years.
Traditional Ayurvedic medicine has utilized ashwagandha root for centuries, but modern extraction techniques have enabled standardization to specific bioactive compounds rather than relying on whole herb preparations. This shift toward targeted withanolide profiles has created a divide in the marketplace between older aglycone-standardized extracts and newer glycoside-focused formulations.
The human research on ashwagandha supports its reputation across multiple endpoints, from cortisol modulation to testosterone optimization in men and cognitive performance under stress. For a comprehensive breakdown of ashwagandha's mechanisms and clinical evidence, see our main Shoden article.
The Glycoside vs. Aglycone Divide
Not all ashwagandha extracts are created equal. This guide explains why standardization matters, why extract ratios can be misleading, and how to identify quality products when shopping for this popular adaptogen.
Most ashwagandha extracts on the market standardize to 2.5%, 5%, or 10% withanolide aglycones. These are the "unbound" versions of withanolides, created either through natural hydrolysis or deliberate processing to remove glycoside groups.
"Most Ashwagandha extracts are standardized to 2.5%, 5%, or 10% withanolide aglycones, meaning they are less stable and less likely to be fully absorbed by the body," explained Dr. Benny Antony, Managing Director at Arjuna Natural. "For formulators, Shoden-R provides the only water-soluble extract for a highly bioavailable and effective product."
The stability difference stems from the glycoside's chemical structure. Withanolide glycosides retain sugar molecules (typically glucose) attached to the core withanolide structure, which enhances water solubility and protects the compound during digestion. Aglycones, lacking this protective sugar group, demonstrate greater susceptibility to degradation in aqueous environments and under thermal stress.
Research on withanolide bioavailability supports the glycoside advantage. Research comparing ashwagandha extract bioavailability found that glycoside-rich extracts demonstrated superior plasma concentration curves compared to aglycone-dominant formulations when administered at equivalent withanolide doses.[1] The glycoside group facilitates intestinal absorption through glucose transporters, bypassing the slower passive diffusion pathway that aglycones must navigate.
This bioavailability gap explains why Shoden and Shoden-R achieve clinical effects at 60mg daily doses while traditional aglycone extracts typically require 300-600mg to produce similar outcomes.
Water Solubility: The Beverage Breakthrough
Shoden-R's most significant innovation for formulators lies in its water solubility. Traditional ashwagandha extracts present notorious formulation challenges in beverage applications: opacity, sediment formation, flavor interference, and instability during shelf life.
"This 100% root extract is also odorless, tasteless, and has virtually zero opacity for numerous applications to support resilience against physical, emotional, and biological stressors," Dr. Antony noted.
The water solubility enables several formulation advantages:
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Beverage Applications
Carbonated drinks, sparkling water, ready-to-mix powders, and functional shots become viable delivery formats. At SupplySide Global 2025, Arjuna Natural demonstrated Shoden formulas in pineapple sparkling water and mango iced tea stick packs, showcasing the extract's versatility in different pH environments and carbonation levels.
The extract's stability across acidic pH ranges (tested from pH 2.5 to 7.0) means formulators can incorporate Shoden-R into fruit-based beverages, kombucha, and other fermented drinks without degradation concerns.
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Gummy and Chew Formats
Shoden-R's heat stability (tested up to 90°C) allows incorporation into gummy and chew manufacturing processes without withanolide degradation. The odorless, tasteless profile eliminates the need for heavy masking flavors, enabling cleaner label formulations.
At SupplySide Global, Arjuna showcased Shoden orange mango chews as proof of concept for confectionery applications.
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Low-Dose Convenience
Arjuna Natural is showcasing BCM-95 turmeric chocolates and Shoden ashwagandha beverages at SupplySide Global 2025. Visit Booth #6517 to taste these functional food innovations firsthand.
At 60mg efficacy, Shoden-R fits into single-serve formats that higher-dose ashwagandha extracts cannot accommodate. Products like "pixie sticks" (straight-to-mouth ingestibles), dissolvable oral strips, and mini-shot formats become possible without compromising therapeutic benefit.
This dose efficiency matters for brands targeting millennial and Gen Z consumers who prefer convenient, on-the-go formats over traditional capsule supplements.
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No Precipitation or Opacity
Unlike aglycone extracts that create cloudy suspensions or settle out of solution during storage, Shoden-R maintains clarity in finished beverages. This eliminates the need for emulsifiers, stabilizers, or constant agitation instructions on product labels.
Clinical Research Coming: The Cortisol Awakening Response Study
Arjuna Natural has completed a clinical trial examining Shoden-R's effects on cortisol awakening response (CAR), a biomarker that has gained attention in stress research over the past decade.
CAR measures the natural cortisol surge that occurs within 30-45 minutes of waking. This morning cortisol spike reflects hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and correlates with stress resilience, sleep quality, and daily energy patterns. An abnormally high or blunted CAR can indicate chronic stress, burnout, or circadian rhythm disruption.
The Shoden-R study, currently under peer review, examined CAR patterns alongside secondary endpoints including perceived stress, sleep quality, cognitive function, and energy levels in healthy women aged 30-59 over 60 days. While specific results remain embargoed pending publication, Arjuna reports that preliminary findings demonstrated improvements across multiple stress and wellness parameters.
What makes this study notable is the biomarker selection. Most ashwagandha research measures static cortisol levels at single time points or uses questionnaire-based stress assessments. CAR monitoring provides dynamic HPA axis data that captures how the body responds to the daily stress cycle.
The CAR protocol requires saliva collection at awakening (0 minutes), then at 15, 30, and 45 minutes post-waking to map the cortisol rise curve. This methodology offers more precision than random cortisol sampling, though it demands greater participant compliance.
Arjuna Natural has additional clinical work underway, including a 90-day study in perimenopausal women (ages 40-55) examining hormonal endpoints, menopausal symptom scales, and quality of life measures. This research targets the demographic showing the strongest market pull for ashwagandha products according to recent consumer data.
This study was teased on Episode #171 of the PricePlow Podcast and we'll have another episode to cover its publication. Sign up for PricePlow's Arjuna Natural news alerts below on this page to get notified when the study is published and we podcast over it.
Target Applications and Market Positioning
Shoden-R's formulation advantages position it for categories where ashwagandha has historically struggled to gain traction:
- Functional Beverages: RTD relaxation drinks, sparkling adaptogen waters, pre-sleep shots, and non-alcoholic alternatives represent high-growth segments where clean-label adaptogens command premium positioning.
- Confectionery Supplements: Gummies continue dominating supplement sales, driven by consumers who reject pill formats. Shoden-R's taste profile and heat stability remove the formulation barriers that have limited ashwagandha's gummy presence.
- Sports Nutrition: Pre-workout formulas increasingly incorporate adaptogens for stress mitigation during high-intensity training. Shoden-R's 60mg dose allows formulators to add ashwagandha without sacrificing label space or exceeding serving size constraints.
- Stick Packs and On-the-Go Formats: Single-serve powder formats targeting convenience and portability benefit from low-dose ingredients that deliver efficacy without bulk.
- Nootropic Stacks: Cognitive enhancement products combine multiple ingredients to support focus, memory, and mental clarity. Shoden-R's space efficiency enables multi-ingredient formulations that would be impossible with 300-600mg ashwagandha doses.
The ingredient maintains non-GMO status and clean label positioning, aligning with consumer demand for transparent, minimally processed botanicals. Its water solubility also simplifies manufacturing logistics compared to oil-soluble or poorly soluble botanical extracts that require specialized equipment or processing aids.
Award-Winning Excellence Straight Out of the Gate
Bennito Russo, Keely Johnson, and Nipen Lavingia from Arjuna Natural's team reveals the science behind Shoden ashwagandha's superior bioavailability and their industry-leading botanical standardization on the PricePlow Podcast #171.
Shoden-R's launch addresses real formulation challenges that have prevented ashwagandha from reaching its full market potential. Water solubility opens beverage categories. Heat stability enables confectionery formats. Low-dose efficacy supports convenient delivery systems. Clean organoleptics eliminate masking flavor requirements.
The Ingredient Idol award validates these advantages through independent expert assessment, positioning Shoden-R as a premium ingredient for formulators targeting functional food and beverage applications.
As consumer demand for stress management solutions continues growing, brands need ingredients that deliver clinical benefits without formulation compromises. Shoden-R provides that solution through glycoside standardization, extraction expertise, and manufacturing quality that separates it from commodity ashwagandha extracts flooding the market.
For formulators ready to explore ashwagandha in formats beyond capsules and powders, Shoden-R opens possibilities that weren't viable six months ago. The ingredient's success will depend on brands recognizing that water solubility, dose efficiency, and bioavailability matter as much as withanolide percentage when selecting botanical extracts.
To learn more about Shoden-R, its clinical data, and formulation support, visit arjunanatural.com, contact mail.usa@arjunanatural.com, and sign up for PricePlow's Arjuna Natural news alerts.
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