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Supplements/Herb

Valerian Root

aka Valeriana officinalis

Sedative herb traditionally used for sleep onset and mild anxiety.

Sleep & RecoveryMood & Anxiety

Overview

Sedative herb traditionally used for sleep onset and mild anxiety.

Natural sources
  • Valeriana officinalis root
Common forms
  • Standardized valerenic acid

Forms & variants of Valerian Root

Different chemical forms of Valerian Root behave differently. Browse each form's mechanism, bioavailability, and best-use context.

Sleep dose
Valerian (Sleep)

Valeriana officinalis root extract for sleep latency.

Mechanism of action

Valerenic acid is positive allosteric modulator of GABA-A receptor.

Pathways
  • · GABA-A modulation
Neurotransmitters
  • · GABA

Effects on the body

Supports
Sleep onset
Decreases
Anxiety

Organ system effects

Brain & CNS

Modest improvement in sleep quality.

Evidence-based benefits

Improves subjective sleep quality (mixed data)

Limited evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · Headache
  • · Vivid dreams
Rare
  • · Paradoxical excitation
Serious

    Drug interactions

    Benzos / alcohol / opioids
    Additive sedation.
    moderate

    Safety & non-supplemental interactions

    Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

    Avoid if you are
    • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
    • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
    • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding
    • ·Children under 3
    Avoid / monitor with these medications
    • ·Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sedating antihistamines (additive CNS depression)
    • ·Alcohol
    • ·Benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, antihistamines (additive sedation)
    • ·Other CNS depressants
    Before surgery
    • ·Taper before surgery — abrupt withdrawal in chronic users mimics benzodiazepine withdrawal.

    Supplement interactions

    Pairs well with

    None listed.

    Avoid combining with

    No specific avoidances listed.

    Dosing & bioavailability

    Typical dose
    300–600 mg standardized, 30–60 min before bed

    Where to buy

    Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

    Herb
    Valerian Root
    Amazon
    Wide selection · fast shipping
    Herb
    Valerian Root
    iHerb
    Global delivery · curated brands
    Herb
    Valerian Root
    Thorne
    Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

    Scientific evidence (8)

    Systematic reviewExamine.com Supplement Database · 2023

    Valerian Root: pharmacology, clinical evidence, and safety — narrative review

    Examine.com Research Team

    Curated narrative review of human and preclinical evidence for Valerian Root, including mechanism, typical dosing, and safety considerations.

    Key findings

    Best-supported outcome: Improves subjective sleep quality (mixed data) (evidence: limited). Additional outcomes and limitations summarized in the full profile.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Valerian Root — Improves subjective sleep quality

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Valerian Root Improves subjective sleep quality" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Valerian Root and "Improves subjective sleep quality". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Valerian Root — randomized controlled trial

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Valerian Root randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Valerian Root and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Valerian Root — meta-analysis

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Valerian Root meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Valerian Root and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Valerian Root — pharmacokinetics

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Valerian Root pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Valerian Root and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Valerian Root — safety adverse events

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Valerian Root safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Valerian Root and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Valerian Root — dose response

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Valerian Root dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Valerian Root and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

    Google Scholar: Valerian Root — clinical evidence

    Live Scholar search

    Cross-database citation index for Valerian Root as it relates to "clinical evidence".

    Key findings

    Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

    Open study
    Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.