What the research says today.
“Ashwagandha may help reduce stress and anxiety in people who take it.”
Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) on stress and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Arumugam V., Vijayakumar V., Balakrishnan A. et al.
Explore (New York, N.Y.) · 2024 · PMID 39348746
Meet Vita —
your biology researcher.
Ask anything about your body. Get an answer backed by actual peer-reviewed research — with the study, the authors, and the mechanism explained clearly.
Your gut and brain maintain a constant two-way dialogue through the vagus nerve. This isn't metaphorical: your gut produces roughly 90–95% of the body's serotonin — not your brain. The enterochromaffin cells lining your intestinal wall synthesise serotonin in response to the microbial environment around them. When your microbiome is disrupted, that production shifts — and your mood follows.
Gut microbiota and mental health: in search of causal links
Gut · 2022 · PMID 34031177