Three patented ashwagandha extracts sit behind most of the bottles on the shelf. They use different parts of the plant, are standardized to different percentages, and are taken at very different serving sizes. Here is how to read the spec sheet and pick the one that matches what you are buying for.
Quick answer: KSM-66®, Sensoril® and Shoden® are three separate patented ashwagandha extracts and they are not interchangeable milligram for milligram. KSM-66® is root only, standardized to 5% withanolides, taken at a full 600 mg a day. Sensoril® and Shoden® both use root and leaf at smaller servings and higher concentrations. Optibio uses KSM-66® at the full 600 mg serving.†
If you have compared more than two ashwagandha bottles you have run into this. Same plant, three different patented names, three wildly different milligram numbers, and label copy that never quite answers the question. A 120 mg capsule and a 600 mg capsule can deliver a similar amount of active compound, which makes the number on the front of the bottle close to meaningless on its own. If you are still deciding between brands overall, our buyer's guide to the best ashwagandha supplements of 2026 walks through the wider shortlist.
Below is a straight comparison of all three: plant part, standardization, serving size, who makes it, and the arithmetic that lets you compare them honestly.
Side by side comparison
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Extract | Plant part | Standardization | Typical daily serving | Withanolide load | Made by | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KSM-66® | Root only | 5% withanolides | 600 mg | ~30 mg | Ixoreal Biomed | Anyone who wants the root only form at a full serving |
| Sensoril® | Root and leaf | 8 to 10% withanolides | 125 to 250 mg | ~22 mg at 250 mg | Natreon, distributed by PLT Health Solutions | A smaller serving, leaf material acceptable |
| Shoden® | Root and leaf | 35% withanolide glycosides | 120 mg | ~42 mg glycosides | Arjuna Natural | The smallest capsule of the three |
Withanolide load is simple arithmetic from the serving size and the standardization percentage. Shoden® measures withanolide glycosides, a different measurement, so its figure is not directly comparable to the other two.
KSM-66® vs Sensoril®
The short version: root only at a bigger serving, against root and leaf at a smaller one.
KSM-66® is made by Ixoreal Biomed and uses ashwagandha root only. It is standardized to a minimum of 5% withanolides and produced through a patented 14 day extraction that uses no alcohol or synthetic solvents. The serving you will normally see is 600 mg a day, taken either as one dose or split into two.
Sensoril® came out of Natreon and is distributed by PLT Health Solutions. It uses both root and leaf material, and its extraction concentrates a higher percentage of withanolides per gram, 8 to 10% against KSM-66®'s 5%. Because it is more concentrated, the serving is much smaller: 125 to 250 mg a day.
Here is the part most comparisons skip. Those serving sizes look far apart, but the actual withanolide load is not. 600 mg of KSM-66® at 5% works out to roughly 30 mg of withanolides. 250 mg of Sensoril® at 9% works out to roughly 22 mg. Closer than the headline numbers suggest.
Pick KSM-66® if you want a root only extract and you are comfortable with a larger capsule. Traditional preparations of ashwagandha use the root, and root only sourcing is the main practical difference between the two.
Pick Sensoril® if you want a smaller serving and leaf material is not a concern for you, or if a practitioner has pointed you to it specifically.
KSM-66® vs Shoden®
The short version: the established root only extract, against the smallest capsule on the shelf.
Shoden® is made by Arjuna Natural and is the most concentrated of the three by some distance, standardized to 35% withanolide glycosides. That concentration is why a Shoden® serving is around 120 mg, roughly a fifth of a KSM-66® serving. Like Sensoril®, it uses root and leaf.
One caution on comparing the two directly: Shoden® is standardized to withanolide glycosides, which is a different measurement from the total withanolides that KSM-66® and Sensoril® report. You cannot line up 35% against 5% and conclude Shoden® is seven times stronger. They are measuring different things.
Pick KSM-66® if you want root only material and the longer track record on retail shelves.
Pick Shoden® if capsule size genuinely matters to you, for instance if you find larger capsules hard to swallow.
Shoden® vs Sensoril®
The short version: two root and leaf extracts, separated mostly by concentration and age.
These two have more in common with each other than either has with KSM-66®. Both use root and leaf. Both are taken at servings well under 300 mg. Neither is a root only extract.
The difference is concentration and time on the market. Shoden® at 35% withanolide glycosides is the more concentrated, which is why its serving is the smaller of the two at around 120 mg against Sensoril®'s 125 to 250 mg. Sensoril® has been available longer and appears in more finished products.
Between these two, capsule size points to Shoden® and familiarity points to Sensoril®. If root only sourcing matters to you, neither is the answer and you want KSM-66®.
Who actually makes each extract
All three are branded ingredients. A supplement company does not make them, it licenses them and puts them in a capsule. That matters because it tells you what the brand on the front of the bottle is actually responsible for.
- KSM-66® is made by Ixoreal Biomed, released in 2009.
- Sensoril® was developed by Natreon and is distributed by PLT Health Solutions.
- Shoden® is made by Arjuna Natural.
If a label just says "ashwagandha extract" with no branded name, none of the above applies and you are looking at a generic. More on that below.
What the numbers on the label actually mean
Standardization
The percentage of withanolides guaranteed in every batch. Without it, content can drift from harvest to harvest. This is the number that makes two bottles comparable.
Plant part
Root only, or root and leaf. Leaf is cheaper to harvest and changes the compound profile. Traditional preparations use the root.
Withanolide load
Serving size multiplied by the standardization percentage. This is the only figure that lets you compare a 120 mg capsule against a 600 mg one.
Which extract is right for you
It comes down to two questions, in this order.
Do you want root only material? If yes, the choice is made: KSM-66® is the only one of the three that is root only. If you are indifferent, all three stay on the table.
How big a capsule are you willing to take? Shoden® is the smallest, Sensoril® sits in the middle, KSM-66® is the largest. If swallowing capsules is a problem, that ordering is your answer.
Everything else, including the milligram number on the front of the bottle, is downstream of those two decisions.
A note on generic ashwagandha
Generic ashwagandha powder is not equivalent to any of these three. Without standardization there is no guarantee of withanolide content from batch to batch, and no way to know which part of the plant you are getting. A generic at 600 mg may deliver a fraction of the active compounds of a standardized extract at the same milligram count, or it may not. The label does not tell you, and that is the problem. Our guide to KSM-66 vs regular ashwagandha and why extract quality matters covers this gap in more detail.
If the bottle does not name a branded extract and a standardization percentage, you cannot compare it to anything on this page.
Safety and who should check with a professional first
Whichever extract you choose, a few groups should talk to a qualified healthcare professional before starting ashwagandha. If you have a thyroid condition or an autoimmune condition, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you take prescription medication such as sedatives, thyroid medication, or immunosuppressants, check with your doctor first so it fits the rest of what you are doing. For a fuller walkthrough of daily use and cautions, see our everyday ashwagandha safety guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is KSM-66 better than Sensoril?
They are built for different jobs, so neither is strictly better. KSM-66® is a root only extract standardized to 5% withanolides and normally taken at a full 600 mg daily serving. Sensoril® uses root and leaf, is standardized to 8 to 10% withanolides, and is normally taken at 125 to 250 mg. If you want the root only form at the larger serving, that is KSM-66®. If you want a smaller capsule and do not mind leaf material, that is Sensoril®.
What is the difference between KSM-66 and Shoden?
Plant part, concentration and serving size. KSM-66® is root only at 5% withanolides, taken at 600 mg a day. Shoden® uses root and leaf, is standardized to 35% withanolide glycosides, and is taken at around 120 mg a day. Shoden® gives you a much smaller capsule. KSM-66® gives you a root only extract with a longer track record on shelf.
Shoden vs Sensoril, which one should I pick?
Both use root and leaf material and both are taken at servings well under KSM-66®. Shoden® is the more concentrated of the two at 35% withanolide glycosides against Sensoril® at 8 to 10% withanolides, so its serving is smaller again. Sensoril® has been on the market longer. If capsule size is your deciding factor, Shoden®. If you want the more established of the two, Sensoril®.
Who makes KSM-66, Sensoril and Shoden?
KSM-66® is made by Ixoreal Biomed. Sensoril® was developed by Natreon and is distributed by PLT Health Solutions. Shoden® is made by Arjuna Natural. All three are branded, standardized ingredients that a supplement brand licenses rather than makes itself.
Can I compare KSM-66 and Sensoril milligram for milligram?
No, and this is the most common mistake. The extracts are standardized to different withanolide percentages, so the milligram number on the front of a bottle is not comparable across brands. 600 mg of KSM-66® at 5% delivers roughly 30 mg of withanolides. 250 mg of Sensoril® at 9% delivers roughly 22 mg. Compare the withanolide load, not the capsule weight.
Which ashwagandha extract has the highest withanolide content?
Shoden® is the most concentrated at 35% withanolide glycosides, followed by Sensoril® at 8 to 10% withanolides, then KSM-66® at 5%. Note that Shoden® measures withanolide glycosides, which is a different measurement from total withanolides, so the three numbers are not a straight ranking.
Is Ixoreal the same as Sensoril?
No. Ixoreal Biomed makes KSM-66®. Sensoril® came from Natreon and is distributed by PLT Health Solutions. They are separate companies with separate patented extracts.
Which extract does Optibio use?
Optibio uses KSM-66® ashwagandha root extract at a full 600 mg daily serving, standardized to 5% withanolides, third party tested every batch.
The bottom line
Three patented extracts, one real fork in the road. KSM-66® is the root only option at a full 600 mg serving. Sensoril® and Shoden® are root and leaf extracts at smaller, more concentrated servings, with Shoden® the smallest capsule of the three.
Optibio uses KSM-66® ashwagandha root extract at the full 600 mg daily serving, standardized to 5% withanolides and third party tested every batch.†
Shop Optibio Ashwagandha KSM-66® →†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.