Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution
Prakriti (Sanskrit for “nature” or “natural form”) is the idea, from Ayurveda (the traditional medicine system of India, whose name means “knowledge of life”), that each person has a basic pattern of body and mind they are born with. For a personal assessment, see our Prakriti assessment.
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In traditional texts, Prakriti stays broadly stable through life. It is described through three doshas (a Sanskrit word often translated as ‘body energies’ or ‘humours’) that govern body function: Vata (movement and nerve activity), Pitta (heat, digestion and metabolism) and Kapha (structure and lubrication). These are traditional descriptions, not diagnoses.
How We Help
At a personal consultation, our team looks at your current state (Vikriti), your digestion, sleep and history, then suggests diet, lifestyle and, where suitable, therapies. Our Chief Ayurvedic Consultant is Dr. Hemlata Soni.
Precautions & When to See a Doctor
Prakriti is a traditional idea, not a diagnosis, and it does not replace medical care. Do not stop prescribed medicines for any reason without talking to your doctor first. Ayurvedic care here is complementary to medical, gynaecological and specialist care. Herbs can interact with some medicines and are not suitable for everyone. Tell us about everything you take. Tell us and your doctor before taking any herb if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have liver or kidney disease. Call 112 at once for:
- chest pain or pressure, breathlessness or fainting
- sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, slurred speech or sudden confusion
- vomiting blood, or passing black, tarry stools
See a doctor promptly for:
- a change in bowel habit that does not settle, or blood in your stool
- severe or persistent abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss
- bleeding between periods, heavy bleeding, or any bleeding after menopause
- any change in your periods that worries you
Learn More
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Prakriti and Vikriti: How They Differ
Prakriti is your baseline. Vikriti (Sanskrit for “change” or “disturbance”) is your state right now. In traditional texts, it is shaped by season, food, sleep, stress and illness. A Vata person who feels dry and restless after a cold, windy spell may be seen as Vata-disturbed, and traditional practice aims to bring them back towards their own baseline.
Why Online Quizzes Are Limited
A quiz can start a conversation, but it has clear limits:
- It relies only on your answers, which can change with mood.
- It cannot check your pulse, tongue, skin, speech or digestion, as a traditional examination does.
- A 2016 paper on Prakriti research set out reporting checks, including the scoring method and the rule for the final type, and said the full tool should be published [1].
- A 2025 critical review found that no Prakriti tool fully met the standard criteria for developing a measurement scale. Two showed partial readiness and could be refined [2].
What the Research Shows
These studies show links, not proof that a Prakriti type causes or predicts a condition.
- Measuring the types: A 2017 machine-learning study of multiple interrelated phenotypic traits (observable characteristics) found three natural clusters that corresponded to three extreme Prakriti classes. Computer models could classify individuals into these classes in training and validation sets [3]. Because the classes studied were extreme, this does not yet show how cleanly the types separate people across the full range, and it does not show that they predict illness.
- Genes: A 2015 genome-wide study found that small DNA differences grouped people into the three types regardless of ancestry [4]. PGM1 correlated with the Pitta traits described in a classical Ayurvedic text. The authors suggest a genetic basis, but this early finding needs confirmation.
- Digestive health: A 2015 study of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) found that most patients with a Vata pattern had the constipation type (IBS-C), and patients with a Pitta pattern had the diarrhoea type (IBS-D). Quality of life was better in people with a Pitta pattern. The authors suggest that Prakriti examination may help detect proneness to an IBS subtype and predict quality of life [5]. This comes from one study and shows an association, not proof that Prakriti causes or predicts IBS.
Prepared by the AyurSoul Healthcare team from the published research listed below. Medical review by Dr. Hemlata Soni, BAMS is in progress. This page is for education and does not replace individual medical advice. Medical disclaimer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Prakriti the same for life?
Traditional texts describe Prakriti as broadly stable. Traditional texts describe Vikriti as changing with season, diet, stress and illness, which is why we look at both together.
Can an online quiz tell me my Prakriti?
A quiz can start a conversation about your habits. It cannot replace an examination, and we cannot say how accurate any particular quiz is.
Does Prakriti decide my diet?
It can shape advice on food and routine, but your current state, digestion and any medical conditions matter too. Check with your doctor before major dietary changes.
Does research show that Prakriti predicts disease?
Not yet established. Some studies report links. One IBS study’s authors suggest that a Prakriti examination may help detect proneness to a particular IBS subtype [5], but this needs confirmation. A 2025 review found that more work is needed before Prakriti can be treated as a validated, measurable concept [2].
Clinical Research
5 studies: 1 review article, 2 laboratory studies, 2 narrative articles.
Show the 5 studies
Numbers in the text refer to this list. Each study is labelled by type: systematic reviews and randomised trials are stronger evidence than pilot studies or single case reports.
- Bhalerao S, Patwardhan K. Prakriti-based research: Good reporting practices. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine, 2016. Perspective / narrative article PubMed
- Venkatesh A, Johansson L, Sivanandan PV, et al.. Prakriti (constitutional typology) in Ayurveda: a critical review of Prakriti assessment tools and their scientific validity. Frontiers in medicine, 2025. Review article PubMed
- Tiwari P, Kutum R, Sethi T, et al.. Recapitulation of Ayurveda constitution types by machine learning of phenotypic traits. PloS one, 2017. Laboratory / observational research PubMed
- Govindaraj P, Nizamuddin S, Sharath A, et al.. Genome-wide analysis correlates Ayurveda Prakriti. Scientific reports, 2015. Laboratory / observational research PubMed
- Shirolkar SG, Tripathi RK, Rege NN. Evaluation of prakṛti and quality-of-life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Ancient science of life, 2015. Perspective / narrative article PubMed