Ashwagandha. If you’ve spent any time scrolling on TikTok, you’ve probably heard of this latest health and wellness trend, which users claim will completely eliminate any stress, sadness or other negative emotions you may have, essentially leaving you feeling nothing.
But, is this too good to be true, and if it is, why do we want to feel nothing in the first place?
As WebMD describes, ashwagandha “is an evergreen shrub that grows in Asia and Africa. It is commonly used for stress. Ashwagandha contains chemicals that might help calm the brain, reduce swelling, lower blood pressure, and alter the immune system.” Key word? “Might.”
I can’t aimlessly scroll on Tiktok without seeing a user-created ad, often subtly promoting whatever brand of ashwagandha gummies that they can make a commission off of. These creators do so by talking about how emotional and stressed they used to be, and how calm and emotionally numb they now are after taking over-the-counter ashwagandha for mere weeks.
In one video, user @kristoferspeltwrong writes, “‘Ashwagandha kills your emotions.’ I know, I’ve been taking it for a year now.” In another, user @whitetoti1 posts a slideshow which starts with, “Feeling sad…,” “Feeling angry…,” and contrasts it with “Killing all your emotions by taking ashwagandha and not feeling at all.”
These types of videos are racking up huge numbers on the app. The hashtag “#ashwagandha” alone has over 157.9k posts and millions of views.
Virality isn’t always an accurate indicator of validity, however. It wouldn’t be the first time that a wellness fad went viral, despite little-to-no scientific evidence backing up its supposed benefits.
Being an herbal supplement, ashwagandha is not regulated by the FDA in the same way as prescription drugs. This lack of regulation means that the supplements may not have the correct dose or ingredients as their manufacturer claims. Many studies on ashwagandha have shown mixed results, and while some small trials suggest potential benefits, these studies suffer from limitations such as small sample sizes, lack of control groups and short study durations. These factors make it difficult to establish definitive conclusions about the supplement’s effectiveness. Additionally, the long-term effects and possible health implications of ashwagandha are currently unknown and under-researched. In short, as of now, there is no real scientific evidence to prove that ashwagandha suppresses emotions, as these TikTokers claim.
Despite their questionable effectiveness, people swear by these gummies. Comments are full of hundreds of users, often teens and young adults, expressing desire to feel the nothingness that ashwagandha promises them. In a society full of everyday pressures, where perfection is expected and weakness is rarely tolerated, it’s not difficult to understand why this vitamin is going so viral on TikTok.
The allure of ashwagandha taps into a deeper issue in a world that often equates vulnerability to weakness. In a society where toxic masculinity reigns, emotions are frequently dismissed and sensitivity is labeled as a flaw, many people feel compelled to numb their true selves to fit an unyielding standard. The romanticization of emotional numbness speaks to a collective yearning for perfection, and it’s easier to turn to a quick fix, like a trendy vitamin, than to confront the deeper issues at hand.
However, sensitivity, the very thing that ashwagandha claims to ‘fix,’ is a deeply human trait, one that should be celebrated instead of shunned. Embracing sensitivity and our emotions, whether good or bad, leads to stronger, more compassionate communities, and fosters an environment where people feel free to feel. If we as a society recognize this truth, instead of perpetuating impossibly unrealistic standards, maybe less people will be inclined to buy sketchy vitamins from TikTok shop.