The list of gotu kola’s healing properties is impressively long. For one thing, it’s got some pretty profound mental health benefits when consumed orally. Studies show that gotu kola promotes cerebral circulation, which helps with focus, concentration, and memory. It also has a sedating quality, so it’s really helpful in calming the mind.
Gotu kola is also anti-inflammatory, it’s particularly good for promoting healthy veins and capillaries. It has a specific affinity for vasculature, so it can be really helpful for folks who have varicose veins—it’ll bring the inflammation down, which reduces the appearance of them.
But perhaps its most well-known superpower pertains to the skin: It modulates the production of collagen. And unlike those buzzy collagen supplements that come from animals and fish, it’s suitable for vegans.
Gotu kola protects our existing collagen and helps create the building blocks for new collagen. If you’re having joint problems, it can be great when taken internally, but it’s also wonderful for supporting the collagen in our skin. It’s also got antimicrobial properties, which means it’s appropriate for acne-prone skin.