Most of what is known about women's health was not studied in women who look like us. Asé Labs is a small Glasgow research company working to change what we know, and what we're sold, before we make anything.
We are not selling anything yet.
The evidence on Black women's health in the UK is thin, and a lot of the wellness industry fills that gap with confident marketing. We would rather start by finding out what is actually true.
In one large UK Biobank analysis, vitamin D deficiency was found in 38.5% of people of Black African ancestry, compared with 17.5% of people of White European ancestry.
Source: UK Biobank analysis; we are re-checking the exact population and season before we quote it further.
of respondents to the Department of Health and Social Care's 2021–22 women's health call for evidence said they had not felt listened to.
This was a self-selecting consultation, not a prevalence study.
Interviews with Black women in the UK about what they have noticed, what they have tried, and what they were told.
Going through the published evidence to see what is established, what is uncertain and what has never been studied in people like us.
Only then deciding whether there is something worth making. If the evidence doesn't support it, we won't make it.
Earlier this year we announced a liquid collagen supplement. We have stopped that project. When we looked closely, the evidence behind it was not strong enough for us to put our name to it.
If you joined the founding list, thank you. No payment was ever taken, nothing was charged and nothing will be. Your details will be deleted on request, and we will only keep in touch with you if you tell us you want us to.
One email when we publish something, no more. We'll share what we find, including what doesn't work.
Sell you something before we can show it works.
Use "detox", "boost" or "balance" as if they were measurable.
Quote a statistic without saying where it came from.
Treat any group of women as one body.
No. Nothing is for sale and nothing will be until we have evidence we're comfortable standing behind.
No. Asé Labs is not a healthcare provider. If you're worried about your health, speak to your GP.
Asé Labs Ltd, a registered company based in Glasgow, founded by a data analyst.
Yes. Tick the box above and we'll get in touch to arrange a conversation.