Why Gen Z girlies are promoting ashwagandha to handle long-distance relationships on TikTok
Having never been a victim of the trials and tribulations of a long distance relationship (LDR) myself, you’d think it would be hard for me to fully empathise and resonate with feelings of romantic longing and separation. However, I’m basically the living embodiment of an overly dramatic, emotional sponge, so it’s actually super easy for me. I’m also a massive fan of anything they sell at Holland & Barrett, meaning that when I found out people in LDRs are taking anti-stress supplements to handle their emotions, I was on board immediately.
The latest TikTok trend involves mainly girlies, and also some sad boys, indulging in ashwagandha tablets to help cope with the distance between them and their significant other. These little pills reportedly help to significantly reduce stress and anxiety, helping all the LDR soldiers out there stay strong.
Does Ashwagandha really work though or is it a potentially unhealthy addition to the relationship? Let’s find out.
What is ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that originates from India, the Middle East, and some parts of Africa. As a medicinal herb it’s been praised for its abilities to greatly reduce stress and anxiety while also helping to optimise sleep.
According to the National Institutes of Health, several clinical trials have shown that Ashwagandha extracts hold great calming qualities. That being said, while the research is lacking, there are some indications that long-term use of the supplement could lead to adverse effects on liver function.
For example, a 20-year-old man in Japan developed liver dysfunction and hyperbilirubinemia after using ashwagandha in combination with multiple antianxiety drugs. Since this first case, the use of ashwagandha has been linked to acute liver injury in other case reports. These include five cases, three men and two women, with an age range of 21 to 62.
Why are people in LDRs taking ashwagandha?
Gen Z girlies tend to be at the forefront of mental health TikTok, so their discovery and subsequent approval of ashwagandha makes complete sense. But, how did it quickly become so associated with helping people specifically in LDRs?
Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen so many videos pop up on my FYP of people talking about how ashwagandha “saved” their relationship. In one particular video, user @hiimchlo speaks on how she’s only cried “twice” since her fiance was deployed.
@ms_emmaaa Sooo is this normal?? #longdistance #ashwagandha
♬ original sound - ms_emmaaa
@hiimchlo if you disagree or have a personal experience, feel free to share! #militaryfiance #militaryrelationships #longdistancerelationships #militaryrelationship #militaryfiancee #militaryrelationshipadvice
♬ original sound - hiimchlo
While this is all well and good, there have also been a lot of netizens who have insinuated that the root tablet has effectively “numbed” them, and in some instances actually ruined their relationship.
@nothingmatters2222 it went both ways
♬ -
@fitzyelifts Ive been using it for 3 months now, also keep in mind that it does also help with your physical health not just mental health #fyp #foryou #gymtok #fittok #ashwagandha #ashwagandhabenefits
♬ original sound - luke - luke
@goodgutdoc In all the years of being in practice and recommending ashwagandha never have I once come across a patient who’s liver was affected from taking this. Always check with your doc before you take anything new. asashwagandhasashwagandhabenefitsocortisolocortisollevelststressnanxietyninsomniab#ibs
♬ Strawberry Toast :) - Lofi Latte
While the concept of reducing stress and anxiety is always one I’m in favour of, I can’t say I’m overly fond of the idea of feeling indifferent and emotionally stunted. I’m not opposed to the idea of trying out ashwagandha, but I’d definitely proceed with caution.
