distributed, or duplicated... each server potentially making that DB request... depending on load adding at least 2-3ms, potentially more. If a given request to a single endpoint needs to touch a dozen more, not including resource lookups and when not everything is parallel... or across datacenters, from the colocated to aws, etc.. it all adds up.

Very short lived JWT mitigates this as the window for replay is reduced, over HTTPS by the time you can crack it, that window is effectively gone. The server can verify a signature on a JWT in a fraction of a second... far faster than a DB call... Not including replication issues.