Valerian Root for Stress Resilience
Valerian is used for daytime anxiety, but controlled evidence for stress or anxiety outcomes is very limited.
Overview
Verdict
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- Studied at 300-1,800 mg/day of valerian extract for anxiety; results have not separated from placebo
- Expected timeframe
- Not established
Protocol
- form
- Valeriana officinalis root extract standardised to valerenic acid; many trials used combinations with lemon balm or passionflower
- duration
- Trials ran 4 weeks
- co factor
- Evidence is insufficient. Valerian acts on GABA-A receptors, the same broad target as benzodiazepines, which makes an anxiolytic effect plausible, and it has long traditional use as a calmative. The trial evidence does not support it: a Cochrane review of valerian for anxiety disorders found only one small eligible trial and concluded there was insufficient evidence to draw any conclusion, and subsequent studies have been small, short and inconsistent, frequently using multi-herb combinations that prevent attribution. Daytime dosing also brings sedation and grogginess, which limits practical use for stress.
- titration
- Not applicable - no dose has shown reliable anxiolytic benefit
- starting dose
- Not established for this outcome. Anxiety trials used 300-1,800 mg/day of valerian extract in divided doses
Evidence
What the studies say
No studies are yet linked to both Valerian Root and Stress Resilience.
Safety
Caveats
Valerian evidence, such as it is, concerns sleep rather than daytime stress or anxiety, and the Cochrane review on anxiety could not reach a conclusion at all. For anxiety disorders, CBT and SSRIs have strong evidence; for general life stress, workload management, exercise, sleep and social support do more than any supplement, with mindfulness-based stress reduction the best-evidenced structured programme. Safety of valerian: generally well tolerated, but sedation and morning or daytime grogginess are common and directly relevant if taken during the day - do not drive if affected. Headache, dizziness, gastrointestinal upset and paradoxical excitation occur. It must not be combined with alcohol, benzodiazepines, z-drugs, opioids, antihistamines or other sedatives, where effects are additive. Rare hepatotoxicity has been reported, mostly with multi-herb products. Stop at least two weeks before surgery given anaesthetic interaction. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Taper after prolonged high-dose use, since withdrawal symptoms have been described. Persistent anxiety with panic attacks, avoidance or functional impairment warrants professional assessment rather than self-treatment.
Less likely to help if
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