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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Valerian Root

aka Valeriana officinalis

GABAergic sedative herb — modest sleep onset benefit.

Sleep QualityAnxiety SupportSleep & Recovery

Overview

GABAergic sedative herb — modest sleep onset benefit.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Valerenic acid binds GABA-A and inhibits GABA reuptake.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Modestly improves subjective sleep

        Limited evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · Headache
        • · AM grogginess
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            No notable interactions reported.

            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)
            Avoid / monitor with these medications
            • ·Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sedating antihistamines (additive CNS depression)

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with

            None listed.

            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            300–600 mg root extract pre-bed
            With food?
            Optional

            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)

            Meta-analysisSleep Med · 2010

            Valerian for insomnia: a meta-analysis

            Fernández-San-Martín MI, et al.

            Meta-analysis of 18 RCTs of valerian.

            Key findings

            Subjective improvement in sleep quality.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Valerian Root — Modestly improves subjective sleep

            Live PubMed search

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

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Valerian Root and "Modestly improves subjective sleep". 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.