Valerian Supplements Review
Choose the Best Valerian
Supplement. Strength and Contamination Vary Widely Among Popular Valerian
Brands.
Medically reviewed and
edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D. 
Initially Posted:
05/25/2018
Recent Reviews
·
Aloe Juices, Gels, and Supplements
Review
·
NAD Booster Supplements Review
(NAD+/NADH, Nicotinamide Riboside, and NMN)
·
PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)
Supplements Review
Table of Contents
Summary
·
Does it work? Valerian root powders, extracts, and
tinctures are commonly used to aid sleep and reduce anxiety and stress. While
some studies have shown a sleep benefit, more rigorous studies have not, and
the evidence regarding anxiety and stress is similarly weak. (See What It Is and What It Does).
·
How to choose? The activity of valerian may depend on
its valerenic acids. It may be best to choose a
supplement that provides at least 2 mg of valerenic
acids per dose. Also choose one that is not contaminated with heavy metals
(such as lead or cadmium).
·
What did testing find? Unfortunately, three of the valerian
supplements we selected for testing did not contain even the minimum amounts of
valerenic acids we expected based on their listed
ingredients (one contained only 3% of what we expected) and/or were
contaminated with lead. These, as well as three others, provided less than 2 mg
of valerenic acids per dose. (See What CL Found and use the Results table to compare the amounts of valerenic acids found in products).
·
Best products? Among products that met our basic
criteria for quality, two emerged as our Top Picks.
·
How much to take? To aid sleep, valerian is typically
taken about 1 hour before bedtime at a dose of about 600 mg of valerian extract
or 2,000 to 3,000 mg of valerian root powder. (See ConsumerTips™: Dosage)
·
Safety: Valerian has generally been found to be safe, but minor
gastrointestinal or allergic reactions can occur. For more details, see Concerns and Cautions.
What It Is:
Valerian
is a popular herb used as a sedative to promote sleep and as a calmative agent.
The roots (or rhizomes) of the plant, Valeriana
officinalis, are the parts used medicinally.
Like other herbal remedies, valerian root has many chemical components. While
it is not clear which of these are most important to its possible
effectiveness, certain "valerenic acids"
are characteristic of Valeriana
officinalis, the species used in most clinical studies.
There are three main valerenic acids found in valerian
products: valerenic acid (VA), acetoxyvalerenic
acid (ACA), and hydroxyvalerenic acid (HCA). (Note:
Although imprecise, some products appear to use the term valerenic
"acid" to refer to all three forms.) Valerenic
acid (VA) has been shown to modulate GABA receptors in the brain, which can
cause an anti-anxiety effect. A study in mice suggested that VA may be most
important for reducing anxiety while AVA may block this effect. HVA, may
enhance the activity of valerenic acid even though it
appears to be formed by the degradation of AVA (Felgentreff, Phytomedicine 2012).
What It Does:
Valerian is commonly used as a sleep aid, although the evidence
behind this use is mixed. Older studies suggested a benefit, but some of the
recent and better designed studies have failed to find valerian more helpful
than placebo. A 2007 review of valerian studies concluded that conventional
valerian extracts are probably not effective for treating insomnia (Taibi, Sleep Med Rev 2007).
A study among people with Parkinson's disease, who often
have sleep disturbances, also failed to show benefit, although further analyses
of the results suggested a possible benefit in male participants (Bliwise,
SLEEP 2007 Abstract Supplement page A41 and personal
communication in 2010 with Dr. Bliwise).
ConsumerLab.com confirmed the quality of the product used in this trial, both
prior to the start and at the end of the trial. It should be noted that many
conventional sedative hypnotic drugs also do not work in Parkinson's disease
patients.
A study in Iran evaluated the effect of valerian on
postmenopausal women aged 50 to 60 years who were generally healthy but
suffered from insomnia. Among those who took a capsule of valerian root extract
(530 mg) twice daily for 4 weeks, 30% reported an improvement in their sleep
compared to only 4% in a placebo group (Taavoni, Menopause 2011). No adverse events
were reported by participants. The quality of sleep was judged according to
factors such as how long it took to fall asleep at night, how often a person
woke up overnight, and daytime dysfunction. The valerian capsules were
standardized to 0.5% to 1% valerenic acids
[correspondence by ConsumerLab.com with Dr. Taavoni,
lead investigator].
Beside insomnia, valerian also has been advocated for reducing daytime anxiety
and stress. One small study failed to find statistically significant
differences in overall anxiety among groups receiving valerian extract, Valium,
or placebo (Andreatini, Phytother Res 2002), but suggested that valerian
may have a potential effect in reducing the psychic symptoms of anxiety (i.e.,
mental agitation). Other small studies have found weak evidence that valerian
may produce calming effects in stressful situations.
Quality Concerns and
Tests Performed:
Valerenic acids:
Unfortunately tests conducted by ConsumerLab.com in prior years have found
several products with no detectable levels of valerenic
acids or with amounts lower than expected from label claims.
Heavy metals:
Prior testing by ConsumerLab.com has found the heavy metals lead and cadmium in
some valerian supplements. Cadmium is a carcinogen and kidney toxin. Lead can
impair mental functioning and may affect blood pressure. Arsenic is a
carcinogen and can damage organs.
Neither the FDA nor any other federal or state agency routinely tests valerian
products or other supplements for their quality. ConsumerLab.com, as part of
its mission to independently evaluate products that affect health, wellness,
and nutrition, purchased valerian dietary supplements sold in the U.S.
The products were tested to determine the amounts and types of valerenic acids they contained, potential contamination
with the heavy metals lead, cadmium, and arsenic, and the ability of products
in tablet or caplet form to break apart (disintegrate) properly for absorption.
Labels were also checked to be sure the correct valerian species was indicated
and that they complied with FDA labeling requirements.
What CL Found:
Only five of eight valerian supplements selected for review
passed testing, along with two products tested through ConsumerLab.com's
voluntary Quality Certification Program (indicated
in the Results table with
a CL flask).
Quality problems
Tests revealed problems with three valerian supplements selected for review.
These three contained significantly lower amounts of valerenic acids than expected and/or
contained lead at levels not allowed by ConsumerLab.
The results were confirmed in a second independent laboratory. These products,
described below, are designated as "Not Approved" in the Results table:
·
Nature's Answer Valerian Root contained only half the
valerenic acids expected by ConsumerLab.
A daily serving of three capsules is listed to contain 1,500 mg of valerian
root from which, at a minimum, ConsumerLab.com would expect 0.1%, or 1.5 mg, to
be valerenic acids. However, testing found just 0.75
mg, which is also a lower dose than typically used clinically. A daily serving
was also found to contain 2.8 mcg of lead. While this is not a large amount of
lead, it exceeds CL's limit for supplements containing herb powders (see How Products Were Evaluated)
and it is best to avoid unnecessary lead exposure.
·
Swanson Valerian Root exceeded ConsumerLab.com's
limit for lead contamination, having 1.6 mcg of lead when the daily serving is
two capsules. Again, while this is not a large amount of lead, it is best to
avoid unnecessary exposure. It contained the amount of valerenic
acids expected from its label, although a relatively low dose (0.75 mg to 1.5
mg in one to two capsules).
·
Douglas Laboratories Valsed provided only an
extremely small amount of valerenic acids — just
0.035 mg per daily serving of two tablets. This was just 3.1% of the amount
expected based on the 290 mg of valerian extract claimed on its label.
Low amounts of valerenic acids
An additional issue with all three of the products that were Not Approved as
well as three others that were Approved (NOW, Gaia,
and Herb Pharm), is that, at their suggested serving sizes, the
total amount of valerenic acids per suggested daily
serving (shown in the 4th column of the Results table below)
was lower than the 2 mg to 5 mg in valerian products typically
used in clinical trials. This suggests that these products may be less potent
than other products. Be aware that Herbal Secrets and Nature's
Way are also just under this threshold at their lowest suggested dose
of one capsule, but they each suggest a dosing range and exceed this level at
doses of two or more capsules.
The Results table also
shows the ratios of the three main valerenic acids in
each product. Interestingly, our tests found that while amounts of valerenic acid (VA) in products were similar to amounts
found in previous years (representing about 50% of total valerenic
acids), amounts of HVA and AVA were quite different. For example, in 2013 we
found HVA represented approximately 40% to 50% of total valerenic
acids while the percentage that was AVA was in the single digits. This year we
found the opposite: Most products contained significantly more AVA
(representing from about 20% to 50% of total valerenic
acids) and, in general, lower amounts of HVA (about 4% to 7% of total valerenic acids). Because HVA is a degradation product of
VA, this may signify that the quality of valerian has improved in recent years.
On the other hand, the clinical significance is not clear.
Top Picks:
It
would be nice if we could point out which products contained the type and
amount of valerian known to work. Unfortunately, this cannot be done because
many studies of valerian have failed to show benefits and even those which
showed benefits often did not fully describe the chemical composition of the
tested products. However, if you want to try valerian, you can begin to narrow
down your selection by avoiding products with lead contamination or that didn't
provide the amounts of valerenic acids we expected
based on their claimed ingredients, i.e., those products noted in "Quality
Problems" above. Next, look for a product that will provide a daily dose
of about 600 mg of extract or 2 to 3 grams (2,000 to 3,000 mg) of root powder,
with either form yielding 2 to 5 mg of valerenic
acids, the amount typically noted in clinically tested products. As noted
above, several products that were Approved for the quality of their ingredients
did not provide this amount of valerenic acids at any
of their suggested serving sizes. This leaves four good choices:
·
GNC Herbal Plus Valerian Root Extract
·
Herbal Secrets Valerian Root
·
Nature's Sunshine Valerian
·
Nature's Way Standardized Valerian
All four of these provide
approximately the same ratios of the three valerenic
acids. However, only GNC Herbal Plus Valerian Root Extract and Nature's
Way® Standardized Valerian guarantee specific levels of valerenic acids on their labels, providing some assurance
as to the quality of the valerian in the supplements. This advantage makes them
our Top Picks for valerian.
Between these two products, Nature's Way is a little less
expensive (2 capsules provide 3.4 mg of valerenic
acids for 15 cents), while 2 capsules of GNC provide an extra
milligram of valerenic acids (4.3 mg) but cost 30
cents. GNC is an extract, while Nature's Way include
extract plus root powder, so it's possible it provides some compounds found in
root powder that would not be GNC's extract.
Interestingly, among products that were Approved, liquid extracts and tinctures
were by far, the most expensive way to get valerenic
acids, costing from $2.54 (Gaia Organics Valerian Root) to $4.31 (Herb
Pharm Rhizome With Root Valerian) to get the equivalent of 2.4 mg of total valerenic acids (as calculated and shown in the last column
of the Results table),
compared to a cost of about 11 cents to 20 cents for the same amount of valerenic acids from root powders and extracts.
Test Results by Product:
Listed
below are the test results for ten valerian supplements: three root powders,
four extracts, two liquids, and one combination product (root powder and
extract). They are listed alphabetically within each category. ConsumerLab.com
selected eight of the products. Two others (each indicated with a CL flask)
were tested at the request of their manufacturers/distributors through ConsumerLab.com's voluntary Quality Certification Program and
are included for having passed testing.
Shown for each product is the daily serving size recommended on its label,
claimed form and amount of valerian, and claimed amount of valerenic
acids (or minimum expected amount if no claim was made or if the minimum was
greater than the amount claimed). The full list of ingredients is available for
each product by clicking on the word "Ingredients" in the first
column. Products listed as "Approved" met their label claim and ConsumerLab.com's standards for valerian: They did not
exceed the contamination limits for lead, cadmium, and arsenic, contained
expected amounts of valerenic acids, met FDA labeling
requirements, and, if regular tablets or caplets, were able to break apart
properly.
|
RESULTS OF CONSUMERLAB.COM TESTING OF VALERIAN SUPPLEMENTS |
||||||
|
Product Name, Listed
Amount of Valerian per Unit, Serving Size, and Suggested Daily Serving on
Label |
Claimed Amount and
Form of Valerian Per Labeled Daily Serving |
—TEST RESULTS— |
Cost For Daily
Suggested Serving On Label |
|||
|
OVERALL RESULTS: |
Contained Labeled
Amount of Expected Amount of Valerenic Acids |
Did Not Exceed
Contamination Limits for Lead, Cadmium and Arsenic3 |
Disinte-grated Properly |
|||
|
Root Powders: |
||||||
|
|
1,500 mg root powder |
NOT |
Total VAs: 0.75 mg |
Found 2.8 mcg lead per
daily serving (1.8 mcg per g) |
NA |
$0.16 |
|
|
1,000 mg root powder |
APPROVED |
|
|
NA |
$0.12 |
|
|
475 mg to 950 mg root
powder |
NOT |
|
Found 1.6 mcg lead per
daily serving of 2 capsules (1.5 mcg per g) |
NA |
$0.03-$0.06 |
|
Extracts: |
||||||
|
|
290 mg extract |
NOT |
Total VAs: 0.035 mg |
NA |
|
$0.27 |
|
|
500 mg to 1,000 mg
extract |
APPROVED |
|
NA |
NA |
$0.30-$0.60 |
|
|
500 mg to 2,500 mg
extract |
APPROVED |
|
NA |
NA |
$0.08-$0.42 |
|
|
520 mg to 1,040 mg
extract |
APPROVED |
|
NA |
NA |
$0.34-$0.68 |
|
Liquid Extracts/Tinctures: |
||||||
|
|
2.0 ml to 2.66 ml
valerian root extract (from 666 mg to 886 mg herb) |
APPROVED |
|
NA |
NA |
$1.26-$1.69 |
|
|
0.7 ml to 2.4 ml
valerian root extract (from 560 mg to 2,240 mg fresh herb) |
APPROVED |
|
NA |
NA |
$0.27-$1.07 |
|
Combination (Extract + Root Powder): |
||||||
|
|
400 mg to 1,200 mg
root powder |
APPROVED |
|
|
NA |
$0.08-$0.23 |
|
|
||||||
|
Unless otherwise noted, information about the products
listed above is based on the samples purchased by ConsumerLab.com (CL) for
this Product Review. Manufacturers may change ingredients and label
information at any time, so be sure to check labels carefully when evaluating
the products you use or buy. If a product's ingredients differ from what is
listed above, it may not necessarily be of the same quality as what was
tested. |
||||||
|
Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2018. All rights reserved.
Not to be reproduced, excerpted, or cited in any fashion without the express
written permission of ConsumerLab.com LLC. |
||||||
ConsumerTips™:
Consumers
should look for the following information on valerian product labels:
·
Species of valerian (look for Valeriana
officinalis, although the claim of "valerian" should denote this
species alone)
·
Part of the plant used (should be "root" and may also
state "rhizome")
·
Form of valerian used (e.g., root powder, extract, or tincture)
·
Amount of valerian per pill or dose in grams (g) or milligrams
(mg) [1 gram = 1,000 milligrams]
All of the above information
is required by the FDA to appear on labels. It is preferable that the
concentration of total valerenic acids also be
indicated for extracts.
Appropriate doses depend on the form and concentration of
valerian used in the supplement. To treat insomnia, 600 mg of valerian extract
up to two hours before bedtime is often used, although doses of extracts for
various sleep disorders have ranged from 400 to 900 mg. You may need to take
valerian every night for several weeks to achieve full sleep-enhancing benefits.
Powdered extracts are typically standardized to contain 0.4% to 0.8% valerenic acids; so a common daily dose of 600 mg provides
roughly 2 mg to 5 mg of valerenic acids. The standard
dose of valerian root powder (non-extract) is 2 to 3 grams -- also yielding
about 2 to 5 mg of valerenic acids, since good
quality root powders contain at least 0.1% valerenic
acids. Keep in mind, however, that root powder products may provide greater
amounts of contaminants, such as lead, as noted it in the What CL Found section above.
Many of the products in this review suggest lower doses of valerian (with lower
amounts of valerenic acids) than those shown to work in
clinical trials for insomnia. Such products may be less effective than higher
dose products. Theoretically, lower doses of valerian may possibly suffice for
products containing other ingredients believed to have tranquilizing or
sedative effects, such as hops and lemon balm. But unless the product has been
clinically tested, it is difficult to know whether such products are effective.
For the very speculative use of valerian as a treatment for anxiety, it is
given two to three times per day. An anti-anxiety effect has also been found
using a combination of valerian extract and lemon balm extract. In a study of
the valerian/lemon balm combination, 120 mg, 240 mg, or 360 mg of valerian
extract was given three times a day (Kennedy, Phytother Res 2006).
The lower dose decreased anxiety during stress tests although the highest dose
increased anxiety. Cognitive function, unfortunately, decreased with all three
doses.
Valerian extracts and powders typically have a characteristic strong, musty
odor. It is common for products to have flavors added such as spearmint,
peppermint and vanilla to help mask the odor.
Concerns and Cautions:
·
Single ingredient valerian products made from the species Valeriana officinalis are believed to be
very safe at recommended doses. In most studies, few side effects have been
seen beyond occasional, minor gastrointestinal symptoms or allergic reactions.
Poorly documented anecdotal evidence suggests that valerian may sometimes cause
a stimulant effect — headache, restlessness, or dilation of the pupils.
·
Some valerian products may contain other herbs with potential
sedative effects such as kava kava, lemon balm,
skullcap and hops. Be aware that there have been reports of liver toxicity with
some valerian-skullcap combination products — possibly due to inadvertent
substitution of the liver-toxic herb germander in place of skullcap. Kava kava also has shown a worrisome potential to damage the
liver.
·
According to most studies, valerian doesn't have an adverse
effect on mental function. However, one study did find slightly impaired
attention immediately after using the herb. This could mean that it is unsafe
to drive or operate machinery within six or eight hours after using the herb.
·
Valerian does not seem to cause drowsiness upon waking when used
for insomnia.
·
Valerian could possibly have an additive effect when used with
other tranquilizers, such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates, because it is
thought to affect the central nervous system. Therefore it should not be taken
in combination with these drugs. Also valerian should not be used with alcohol.
·
Although studies have not found any withdrawal symptoms upon
discontinuation of valerian, there is one case report that weakly suggests
withdrawal symptoms could occur under some circumstances, so it may be prudent
to taper doses after extended use.
·
Species of valerian (other than Valeriana
officinalis, the species typically used in supplements) may contain
excessive levels of valtrate, a compound shown in
laboratory tests to be toxic to cells.
·
The safety of valerian has not been well evaluated for children
or for women who are pregnant or nursing. Therefore, it is not recommended for
use by such individuals or by women who have a chance of becoming pregnant.
Information on this site
is provided for informational purposes only. It is not an endorsement of any
product nor is it meant to substitute for the advice provided by physicians or
other healthcare professionals. The information contained herein should not be
used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Consumers should
inform their healthcare providers of the dietary supplements they take.
Latest Clinical Research Updates for Valerian
9/11/2011
A recent study evaluated
the effect of valerian extract on postmenopausal women with insomnia. Among
those women who took valerian, 30% reported an improvement in their sleep
compared to only 4% in the placebo group. More details, including the dosage and
type of valerian used in the study, is found in an update to the Valerian
Supplements Review -- which includes our quality ratings of valerian
products. More >>
Related CL Answers (4)