Although valerian is thought to be fairly safe, side effects such as
headache, dizziness, stomach problems or sleeplessness
may occur. Valerian may not be safe if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
When should you not take valerian root?
- Women who are pregnant or nursing. The risk to the developing baby hasn't been evaluated, though a 2007 study in rats determined that valerian root most likely doesn't affect the developing baby.
- Children younger than 3 years of age.
What medications should not be taken with valerian root?
Taking valerian along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness. Some of these sedative medications include alprazolam (
Xanax
), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), midazolam (Versed), temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion), and others.
Is valerian root good for anxiety?
People use
valerian to relieve anxiety, depression
, and poor sleep, and also to ease menstrual and stomach cramps. Valerian has a mild calming effect that does not usually result in sleepiness the next day.
What are the benefits of valerian root?
Valerian is an herb that may
help improve sleep, promote relaxation and reduce anxiety
. It appears to be safe and non-habit forming when taken at the recommended dosage. In some cases, it may be able to replace benzodiazepines and similar drugs.
How long does valerian last in your body?
Various compounds present in valerian are metabolized through different mechanisms and at different rates, further complicating its use. However, it is apparent that clinical effects generally wear off after
about 4–6 hours
.
How long does it take for valerian to kick in?
For insomnia, valerian may be taken 1 to 2 hours before bedtime, or up to 3 times in the course of the day, with the last dose near bedtime. It may take
a few weeks before
the effects are felt.
Is valerian bad for your liver?
Hepatotoxicity. Valerian has been implicated in a small number of cases of clinically apparent liver injury, but usually in combination with other botanicals such as skullcap or black cohosh. In view of its wide scale use, valerian has to be
considered a very rare cause of hepatic injury
.
Can valerian be harmful?
Although valerian is thought to be
fairly safe
, side effects such as headache, dizziness, stomach problems or sleeplessness may occur. Valerian may not be safe if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
Does valerian make you gain weight?
We all know how important it is to get enough sleep.
The potential value for valerian in treating mood disorders is particularly intriguing, as side effects from standard mood-disorder medications, such as drowsiness, dizziness,
weight gain
, constipation, nausea and vomiting, can be very unpleasant.
Does Valerian cause depression?
Valerian root should not be taken in high doses or in tandem with substances used for similar reasons, such as sedatives or sleep aids. Using this herb with some of these substances
may cause excessive sleepiness or worsen depression
.
Is valerian root good for your skin?
Valerian can also be applied to skin as a wash or bath, to
treat minor skin infections
and for its calming effect. Valerian root may be helpful in persons with mild sleeping disorders, but its value is reduced in cases of chronic insomnia.
Is 1000 mg valerian root too much?
The amount of valerian a person should take varies, but the dose typically ranges from
400-900
milligrams (mg) at bedtime. The dosage may also depend on how much valerenic acid the supplement contains. Valerenic acid is considered to be one valerian's most powerful sedative components.
Is valerian root bad for your heart?
While the effects of valerian in people with heart rhythm disorders hasn't been evaluated, the
supplement has been shown to slow the heart rate in some people
and may cause certain abnormal rhythms. For this reason, you should be very cautious about taking valerian if you have an abnormal heart rhythm.
Is valerian root an anti inflammatory?
The extracts of valerian root and turnip had
anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties
that can be due to presence of flavonoid compounds in these plants, the influence of prostaglandins as well as cyclooxygenase enzyme and the decline in intracellular calcium.
Does valerian tea make you high?
Long-term use of the herb has been shown to have addictive properties, but there
is no evidence
that its use — whether in tea or capsule form — would cause someone to return to drug addiction.
