Valerian Root
Summary
Valerian is one of the most used herbal sleep aids, but the evidence is weak. Pooled trials show more people report better sleep, yet time to fall asleep did not change, and larger trials missed their main goals (grade C). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises against it for chronic insomnia. Short-term use appears safe for most adults.
Key facts
- Extracts of the root and rhizome of Valeriana officinalis, sometimes standardized to valerenic acid[1][11]
- Self-rated sleep quality: improved more often than with placebo in pooled trials (RR 1.8 and 1.37); the 2006 analysis noted publication bias (C)[3][4]
- No real difference: sleep latency differed from placebo by 0.70 minutes (95% CI −3.44 to 4.83)[4]
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2017) recommends against valerian for chronic insomnia in adults[2][1]
- A 2024 umbrella review of 8 systematic reviews found no evidence of efficacy for insomnia, though safety looked good[8]
- 300–600 mg daily has been used with apparent safety for up to 6 weeks; long-term safety is unknown[1]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 12, 2026
How it works
ProposedHow valerian might affect sleep is not established. Root extracts contain sesquiterpenes such as valerenic acid and iridoids called valepotriates; products are sometimes standardized to valerenic acid content.[11][1]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insomnia | Grade C | Improved | Meta-analysis of 16 trials · n = 1,093 · 2006 | 3 rows |
| Menopause sleep | Grade C | Improved | RCT · n = 100 · 2011 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-rated sleep quality (improved or not) | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 1,093 · 2006 Adults in 16 placebo-controlled trials Form: Valerian root extracts (varied) · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied Across the 6 trials reporting a yes/no outcome, valerian users were 1.8 times as likely to report improved sleep (95% CI 1.2–2.9), but there was evidence of publication bias and most studies had methodological problems. | 17145239 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Sleep quality (PSQI) during cancer treatment | No effect | Grade C | RCT · n = 119 · 2011 People undergoing cancer treatment with sleep problems Form: Valerian extract · Dose: 450 mg 1 hour before bedtime · Duration: 8 weeks No difference from placebo on the primary sleep score (P = 0.70). Exploratory analyses favoured valerian on some fatigue measures. | 21399726 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Sleep quality (PSQI) after menopause | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 100 · 2011 Postmenopausal women aged 50–60 with insomnia in Iran Form: Concentrated valerian extract · Dose: 530 mg twice daily · Duration: 4 weeks Sleep quality improved more than with placebo (P < 0.001); 30% vs 4% showed improvement. | 21775910 (opens PubMed)Source [7] |
| Minimally important improvement in sleep quality | No effect | No effect | RCT · n = 405 · 2007 Norwegian adults aged 18–75 with insomnia recruited via a TV program Form: Valerian extract tablets (200 mg each) · Dose: 600 mg/day of extract (3 tablets nightly, per the PMC full text) · Duration: 2 weeks 29% improved on valerian vs 21% on placebo (P = 0.08), not significant. Slightly more valerian users rated their sleep better on a global question (5.5% difference, P = 0.04). No serious adverse events. | 17940604 (opens PubMed)Source [6] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valerian root extract (tablets or capsules) | Varies[5][6][7] | No human absorption data in our sources.[1] | Headache, stomach upset, mental dullness and vivid dreams are reported; generally safe short term.[1] | Insomnia and sleep quality (450–1,060 mg/day in trials) |
| Dried root, tea or tincture | Varies[1][11] | No human absorption data in our sources.[1] | Dizziness, hangover or headache reported occasionally.[11] | Traditional sleep use; trials mostly used extracts |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 450 mg of extract at bedtime for 8 weeks to 530 mg of concentrated extract twice daily for 4 weeks; the 405-person Norwegian trial used 600 mg/day for 2 weeks.[5][6][7]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Medicines
- Alcohol and sedativesNIH fact sheetBecause valerian may have a sleep-inducing effect, NCCIH advises against combining it with alcohol or sedatives.[1]
- Alprazolam (CYP3A4 substrate)PK studyAfter 1,000 mg of valerian nightly for 14 days, alprazolam peak levels rose modestly (25 to 31 ng/mL) with no change in overall exposure; CYP2D6 activity was unchanged.[9]
- Drugs cleared by CYP1A2, 2D6, 2E1 or 3A4/5PK study28 days of valerian produced no significant change in these enzyme activities in healthy volunteers.[10]
Who should be careful
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Little is known about safety in pregnancy; LactMed notes no published experience during breastfeeding and suggests an alternative may be preferred, especially with a newborn or preterm infant.[1][11]
- Using alcohol or sedatives
- NCCIH advises against combining valerian with alcohol or sedatives.[1]
- Chronic insomnia
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends against valerian for chronic insomnia in adults.[2]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Safety
Generally safe short term; long-term safety and stopping after chronic use need care.
How to read the label
- Label dose vs clinical doseTrials used 450–1,060 mg/day of root extract; NCCIH cites 300–600 mg daily for up to 6 weeks as used safely. A label may list milligrams of raw root instead, which is a much smaller dose: three 200 mg extract tablets equalled 3,600 mg of root in one trial.[1][5][6][7]
- Feeling better vs sleeping fasterPooled trials found more people reported better sleep, but no difference in minutes to fall asleep.[4]
- Short-term use only studiedSafety beyond about 6 weeks is unknown.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Does valerian help you sleep?
Evidence is inconsistent. Pooled trials found more people reported better sleep, but no difference in time to fall asleep, and the largest trials missed their main goals.[3][4][6]
Do sleep experts recommend valerian?
No. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2017 guideline recommends against valerian for chronic insomnia in adults.[2]
What dose was studied?
Trials used 450–1,060 mg/day of root extract for 2–8 weeks. NCCIH notes 300–600 mg daily for up to 6 weeks has been used with apparent safety.[1][5][7]
Does valerian interact with medicines?
Pharmacokinetic studies found little effect on major liver enzymes, with a modest rise in alprazolam peak levels. NCCIH advises against combining it with alcohol or sedatives.[9][10][1]
Is valerian safe for the liver?
LiverTox links valerian to rare cases of clinically apparent liver injury, most often in combination herbal products.[12][1]
Can I use valerian while breastfeeding?
There is no published experience in nursing mothers, and LactMed suggests an alternative may be preferred, especially with a newborn or preterm infant.[11]
Sources
- [1]Valerian: Usefulness and Safety. NCCIH, 2025. fact-sheet
- [2]Clinical Practice Guideline for the Pharmacologic Treatment of Chronic Insomnia in Adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline.. J Clin Sleep Med, 2017. guideline
- [3]Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis.. Am J Med, 2006. meta-analysis
- [4]Effectiveness of Valerian on insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.. Sleep Med, 2010. meta-analysis
- [5]The use of Valeriana officinalis (Valerian) in improving sleep in patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer: a phase III randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study (NCCTG Trial, N01C5).. J Support Oncol, 2011. RCT
- [6]A televised, web-based randomised trial of an herbal remedy (valerian) for insomnia.. PLoS One, 2007. RCT
- [7]Effect of valerian on sleep quality in postmenopausal women: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.. Menopause, 2011. RCT
- [8]Does valerian work for insomnia? An umbrella review of the evidence.. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol, 2024. systematic-review
- [9]Multiple night-time doses of valerian (Valeriana officinalis) had minimal effects on CYP3A4 activity and no effect on CYP2D6 activity in healthy volunteers.. Drug Metab Dispos, 2004. PK-study
- [10]In vivo effects of goldenseal, kava kava, black cohosh, and valerian on human cytochrome P450 1A2, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A4/5 phenotypes.. Clin Pharmacol Ther, 2005. PK-study
- [11]Valerian. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed).. NICHD, 2021. database
- [12]Valerian. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury.. NIDDK, 2020. database
What changed
- First draft (rebuilt after a lost earlier draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year) and the cited abstracts read; no retraction or erratum flagged for any cited PMID. The Norwegian trial dose (600 mg extract) taken from its PMC full text (PMC2002515). No product links.
- Independent adversarial review (PR #201): spot-checked both meta-analyses, the Norwegian, cancer and postmenopausal trials, the umbrella review and the CYP studies against PubMed abstracts. No changes needed.