Evidence supporting the use of: Lemon balm
For the health condition: Anxiety Disorders

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) for Anxiety Disorders: Evidence Synopsis

Lemon balm has a long history of traditional use as a calming herb for nervousness and insomnia, but in recent years, several scientific studies have evaluated its efficacy for anxiety. The active compounds in lemon balm, such as rosmarinic acid, are believed to exert anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects, possibly via modulation of GABA receptors in the brain.

Several small randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have explored the effects of lemon balm extracts or preparations on anxiety and mood. For example, a 2004 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Kennedy et al., 2004) reported that a single dose of a standardized lemon balm extract reduced experimentally induced laboratory anxiety in healthy volunteers. Other studies have evaluated combinations of lemon balm with valerian, but these make it difficult to attribute effects solely to lemon balm. There is also limited evidence from studies in people with mild-to-moderate anxiety symptoms showing positive effects on subjective anxiety ratings.

However, these studies tend to be small in size, short in duration, and often focus on acute rather than chronic anxiety or clinical anxiety disorders. Systematic reviews conclude that while there is promising preliminary evidence, larger and more rigorous trials are needed to firmly establish efficacy for anxiety disorders. Overall, the scientific evidence is modest (rated 2/5), supporting lemon balm as a possible adjunct for mild anxiety but not as a primary treatment for diagnosed anxiety disorders.

More about lemon balm
More about Anxiety Disorders

Other ingredients used for Anxiety Disorders

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
7,8-Dihydroxyflavone
Aconite
Albizia
amino acids
apigenin
ashwagandha
Bacopa
Bacopin
bacoside
Baikal Skullcap
beta caryophyllene
Bifidobacterium adolescentis
Bifidobacterium infantis
Bifidobacterium longum
brahmi
cannabidiol
Cannabis sativa oil
Capitate Valerian
catnip
Centella asiatica
chamomile
Clary sage
cocoa
Convolvulus pluricaulis
Convolvulus prostratus
cowslip
curcumin
Cymbopogon martini
essential oil blend
gastrodin
Gelsemium
ginkgo biloba
Ginkgoside
ginseng
gotu kola
green tea
Griffonia simplicifolia
hemp
hemp oil
herbal blend (proprietary)
hericium mushroom
Honokiol
hyperforin
Hypericum
inositol
jujubosides
kava
kavalactones
Kefir
L-glycine
L-taurine
L-theanine
L-tryptophan
lactium casein decapeptide
Lactobacillus
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus paracasei
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactococcus rhamnosus
Large-leaved linden
Lavandin
lavender
lemon balm
linalool
linden
lion's mane
lithium orotate
magnesium
magnolia
magnolol
Matcha
Melatonin
Mesembrine
Mimulus
Monoterpenes
Motherwort
Muira puama
Mulungu
N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC)
omega-3 fatty acids
passionflower
Passionfruit
phosphatidylserine
phytocannabinoids
Polygala
polygala root
prebiotic blend (proprietary)
pregnenolone
probiotics
Pulsatilla
Purple Monkeyflower
pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P)
reishi mushroom
relora® (proprietary)
Rhodiola
rosavins
rosmarinic acid
Safranal
SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine disulfate p-toluensulfate)
Sandalwood
sceletium
Scleranthus annus
Shankhpushpi
shen-chu
skullcap
Spikenard
St. John's Wort
star of Bethlehem
Tea
Terpenoids
Tetrahydropalmatine
Trichilia catigua
Valerenic acid
Valerian root
velvet bean
Vervain
vitamin B
vitamin B12
vitamin B6
Vitexin
Waterhyssop
Wogonin
Yohimbine
Zinc

Products containing lemon balm

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.