Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

The Independent UK

Dipa Kamdar

The truth about ashwagandha’s possible health benefits – and its risks

Immunity booster plant, Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha - (Getty/iStock)

Depending on who you follow on social media, you may have come across talk of a little-known herb called ashwagandha over the past year.

Celebrities including Meghan Markle, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston are reported to use ashwagandha for its calming effects. Ashwagandha has been trending on social media, with data showing #ashwagandha had more than 670 million views on TikTok in 2024.

Sign up to read this article

Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here

Top stories on inkl right now

Hurricane Simon update: Storm expected to become Category 4 before landfall

Hurricane Simon update: Storm expected to become Category 4 before landfall

Category 4 hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson scale have maximum sustained winds of 210-250 kph

The Independent UK

Democratic Senate candidate responds to anti-trans attacks pushed by Republicans

Democratic Senate candidate responds to anti-trans attacks pushed by Republicans

Dr Annie Andrews voices opposition to ‘biological men ... in women’s sports’ in response to Republican attacks

The Guardian - US

Hurricane Isaias barrels toward Gulf coast as category 3 storm

Hurricane Isaias barrels toward Gulf coast as category 3 storm

States of emergency declared in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, where residents prepare for ‘long-duration power outages’

The Guardian - US

Virginia county sues to stop Trump from building his beloved triumphal arch

Virginia county sues to stop Trump from building his beloved triumphal arch

The lawsuit marks the first time a government entity has challenged the proposed arch in court

The Independent UK

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

‘Abolish ICE’: Mamdani, AOC and other Democrats urge action after New York shooting

‘Abolish ICE’: Mamdani, AOC and other Democrats urge action after New York shooting

US immigration officer shot man in car where five-year-old child was sitting in the Bronx, sparking fierce protests

The Guardian - US

No, the French army did not deploy tanks against protesting students

No, the French army did not deploy tanks against protesting students

France's student protests have sparked a wave of misleading content online. A viral TikTok falsely claimed the French army had deployed an armoured vehicle against protesters, when it was actually returning to a nearby military base. Other posts recycle 2023 footage of retirement protests as current events, while an AI-generated…

Related Stories

Top stories on inkl right now

Hurricane Simon update: Storm expected to become Category 4 before landfall

Hurricane Simon update: Storm expected to become Category 4 before landfall

Category 4 hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson scale have maximum sustained winds of 210-250 kph

The Independent UK

Democratic Senate candidate responds to anti-trans attacks pushed by Republicans

Democratic Senate candidate responds to anti-trans attacks pushed by Republicans

Dr Annie Andrews voices opposition to ‘biological men ... in women’s sports’ in response to Republican attacks

The Guardian - US

Hurricane Isaias barrels toward Gulf coast as category 3 storm

Hurricane Isaias barrels toward Gulf coast as category 3 storm

States of emergency declared in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, where residents prepare for ‘long-duration power outages’

The Guardian - US

Virginia county sues to stop Trump from building his beloved triumphal arch

Virginia county sues to stop Trump from building his beloved triumphal arch

The lawsuit marks the first time a government entity has challenged the proposed arch in court

The Independent UK

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

‘Abolish ICE’: Mamdani, AOC and other Democrats urge action after New York shooting

‘Abolish ICE’: Mamdani, AOC and other Democrats urge action after New York shooting

US immigration officer shot man in car where five-year-old child was sitting in the Bronx, sparking fierce protests

The Guardian - US

No, the French army did not deploy tanks against protesting students

No, the French army did not deploy tanks against protesting students

France's student protests have sparked a wave of misleading content online. A viral TikTok falsely claimed the French army had deployed an armoured vehicle against protesters, when it was actually returning to a nearby military base. Other posts recycle 2023 footage of retirement protests as current events, while an AI-generated…

Our Picks

Travis Barker shares Kourtney Kardashian’s bold first move: ‘Something crazy’

Couple were friends for 15 years before becoming a couple around 2020

The Independent UK

‘My dog’s built her own fashion community’: how canine companions stole the fashion week spotlight

Our four-legged friends are turning heads from Louis Vuitton to Schiaparelli – but what does their presence in the most exclusive of spaces say about the industry’s changing attitudes?

The Guardian - UK

Mystery of why big dogs age faster than small ones finally solved

Researchers analyzed the health of more than 860 dogs

The Independent UK

I'm Italian American, but I Don't Celebrate Columbus Day.

The holiday brings out many of the worst excesses of identity politics.

WWE Star Stephanie Vaquer Sets Social Media Ablaze With Nude Photo Wearing Nothing but Her Championship Belt

WWE Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer has attracted widespread attention after sharing a revealing photograph featuring her title, days before defending it against Liv Morgan and Becky Lynch.

International Business Times UK

‘Striking and personal’ self-portrait by David Bowie up for auction

Sotheby’s said the self-portrait created by the musician in 1996 will go on sale next week.

Evening Standard

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.

Download on the AppStore

Get it on Google Play