Ashwagandha is everywhere in perimenopause circles. But what does the clinical evidence actually say? Cathy reads the primary RCTs — including a 2021 double-blind trial showing significant reductions in perimenopausal symptom scores, increased estradiol, and decreased FSH — and breaks down the cortisol science, the sleep data, and the safety concerns nobody in the supplement industry wants to talk about. If you're considering it, this is where to start.