Synopsis

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

Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) has a long history of traditional use for promoting relaxation and improving sleep, and it is also commonly used as an herbal remedy to help manage stress and mild anxiety. The scientific evidence for its effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety is modest but not robust.

Several clinical trials and systematic reviews have investigated valerian root’s impact on stress and anxiety. Some studies report mild improvements in subjective feelings of stress and anxiety, likely due to valerian’s potential effects on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission, which plays a role in calming nervous system activity. However, many studies suffer from methodological limitations such as small sample sizes, short duration, or inconsistent dosing and extraction methods.

Meta-analyses generally conclude that while valerian appears safe and may provide minor benefits for stress and anxiety, the overall quality of the evidence is low, and results are mixed. Most clinical guidelines do not strongly recommend valerian for stress or anxiety, citing insufficient high-quality data. Nonetheless, valerian continues to be widely used, supported by centuries of traditional use and favorable safety profile.

In summary, valerian root is used for stress management based on both traditional practices and some scientific studies, but the scientific support is limited and does not clearly establish its efficacy for this purpose.

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