Valerian
Valerian is a European and Asian plant whose dried root is taken as a tea or supplement for sleep. It is not a nutrient and no ordinary food supplies it. Sleep trials have mixed results, and a 2017 sleep medicine guideline recommended against it for chronic insomnia.
No set daily amount
Not advised for chronic insomnia, by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 2017
6 weeks · the longest use NCCIH reports as apparently safe, at 300 to 600 mg a day as studied
- Part used Root and the underground stem
- Main compounds Valerenic acid plus valepotriates and oils
- Do not mix with Alcohol or sedatives and sleeping pills
- Evidence Mixed some trials positive, others not
Safety period, studied amount and evidence summary from NCCIH. Not a recommended amount.
Where Valerian Comes From
Diet supplies none. Valerian is not eaten as a food, so teas and supplements are the only source.
- Foodnot part of any ordinary diet
- Valerian teadried root steeped in hot water; often blended with hops, lemon balm or chamomile
- Tablets, capsules and tincturesdried root or extracts, sometimes standardized to valerenic acid
What Is Valerian?
Valerian is a tall plant with sweet-smelling pink or white flowers, but the part used is the root, which smells nothing like them. As it dries it releases isovaleric acid and related compounds with a sharp odor often compared to old socks or strong cheese. Many cats react to it much as they do to catnip.
What Is in Valerian Root
Researchers have looked at valerenic acid, a group of unstable compounds called valepotriates, and the root's essential oils. Lab studies suggest some of these act on GABA, the brain chemical that sleeping pills such as benzodiazepines also target, but no effect in people has been pinned to any of them, and products differ in how much of each they contain.
What Valerian Sleep Trials Found
Many trials have tested valerian for sleep, using different roots, extracts, doses and ways of measuring sleep. NCCIH calls the results mixed and says there is not enough evidence to tell whether valerian helps any health condition. In 2017 the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommended against using it for chronic insomnia in adults.
For anxiety, NCCIH says there is not enough evidence to draw any conclusion. Other calming supplements, such as theanine from tea, face the same problem: small, short trials with mixed results.
Common Valerian Mistakes
Calling it natural Valium. Valium is diazepam, a synthetic drug that is not made from the plant and has far stronger evidence behind it. The names sound alike, but the chemistry is unrelated.
Taking it with a drink at night. NCCIH says valerian should not be taken with alcohol or sedatives, because it may add to their sleep-inducing effect.
Judging all sleep blends by valerian. Many sleep products mix valerian with hops, lemon balm, magnesium or melatonin. A trial of valerian alone says little about a blend, and a blend adds each ingredient's own side effects.
Valerian Supplements
Supplements and teas are the only source. Products range from plain dried root to extracts and multi-herb sleep blends.
Valerian Side Effects
NCCIH says valerian is generally safe for short-term use by most adults, and 300 to 600 mg a day has been used with apparent safety for up to 6 weeks. Side effects can include headache, stomach upset, mental dullness, excitability, uneasiness and vivid dreams, and stopping after long use may cause withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia. Very rare liver injury has been reported, mostly with other herbs. Little is known about its safety in pregnancy, while breastfeeding or over longer periods.
Valerian Drug Interactions
- Alcohol and sedativesincluding benzodiazepines and other sleeping pills; the drowsiness may add up
- Any other medicineask a doctor or pharmacist before combining them
Sources are listed at the end of this page. Not medical advice.
Valerian in Caltide
- Not totaled yetCaltide does not add up valerian yet. The foods and drinks you log, including any alcohol, still count toward your totals, with each one's breakdown in the food library.
Related Nutrients
Valerian Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources.
Questions About Valerian
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a flowering plant native to Europe and Asia. Its dried roots and underground stems are made into teas, tinctures, capsules and tablets, mostly taken for sleep and sometimes for anxiety.
It has not been shown to. NCCIH calls the sleep evidence mixed, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2017 guideline recommended against valerian for chronic insomnia in adults.
No. Valium is the brand name of diazepam, a synthetic drug that is not made from valerian and works in a different, well-proven way. The names sound alike, but the chemistry is unrelated.
Because of compounds such as isovaleric acid, which form as the root dries. The smell is often compared to old socks or cheese, and many cats are drawn to it the way they are to catnip.
NCCIH says it is generally safe for short-term use by most adults; 300 to 600 mg a day has been used with apparent safety for up to 6 weeks. Side effects can include headache, stomach upset, mental dullness, excitability, uneasiness and vivid dreams. Very rare liver injury has been reported, mostly with other herbs, and little is known about safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding.
No. NCCIH says valerian should not be taken with alcohol or sedatives, because it may add to their sleep-inducing effect. Ask a doctor before combining it with any medicine.
No. Valerian is not part of an ordinary diet, so supplements, teas and tinctures made from the root are the only source.
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