Is Valerian safe?

Introduction

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a popular herbal remedy commonly used for its sedative and sleep-inducing properties. Despite its widespread use, questions about its safety and efficacy remain. This synthesis aims to evaluate the safety of valerian based on multiple research studies.

Key Insights

General Safety and Adverse Events:
- Valerian is generally considered safe with rare adverse events reported in most studies .
- No significant negative effects on male fertility parameters were observed, indicating safety in terms of reproductive health.
- No clinically relevant interactions with anticancer drugs or other medications were found, suggesting a low interaction potential.
Safety in Specific Populations:
- In children with intellectual deficits, valerian was found to be safe and effective in improving sleep quality without significant adverse effects.
- During pregnancy, high doses of valerian did not show adverse reproductive outcomes in rats, although caution is advised due to the lack of human studies.
- In postpartum rats, high doses of valerian altered milk composition and impaired long-term memory in female offspring, indicating potential risks during breastfeeding.
Efficacy and Safety in Sleep Disorders:
- Most studies found no significant differences between valerian and placebo in improving sleep quality in adults, although it is considered safe .
- A valerian-hops combination showed modest improvements in sleep parameters and was deemed safe without serious adverse events.

Conclusion

Valerian is generally safe for use in various populations, including children with intellectual deficits and adults with sleep disorders. It has a low potential for adverse interactions with other medications and does not significantly affect male fertility. However, caution is advised during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to potential risks observed in animal studies. While valerian is safe, its efficacy in improving sleep quality remains inconclusive.

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

A systematic review of valerian as a sleep aid: safe but not effective.

Valerian is a safe herb with rare adverse events, but its clinical efficacy as a sleep aid for insomnia remains inconclusive.

Effect of valerian, Valeriana edulis, on sleep difficulties in children with intellectual deficits: randomised trial.

Valerian may be a safe and effective long-term treatment for intransigent sleep difficulties in children with intellectual deficits, particularly in those with hyperactivity-related deficits.

Valerian: No Evidence for Clinically Relevant Interactions

Valerian preparations show low interaction potential with anticancer drugs, indicating their safety for cancer patients.

A Televised, Web-Based Randomised Trial of an Herbal Remedy (Valerian) for Insomnia

Valerian appears to be safe and have modest beneficial effects on insomnia compared to placebo, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Valerian root may be a safe and effective herb for promoting sleep and preventing associated disorders, but quality control processes may need revision due to multiple active constituents and unstable active constituents.

A phase I clinical study of Andrographis paniculata fixed combination Kan Jang versus ginseng and valerian on the semen quality of healthy male subjects.

Kan Jang, ginseng, and valerian are safe for use at doses corresponding to approximately 3 times the human daily dose, without causing male sterility.

Valerian-hops combination and diphenhydramine for treating insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.

A valerian-hops combination and diphenhydramine both show modest hypnotic effects and improve sleep quality and quality of life for mild insomnia patients, with no rebound insomnia after discontinuation.

Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Valerian root extract may improve sleep quality without causing side effects, but more standardized studies are needed to confirm this.

A developmental toxicity-screening test of valerian.

Valerian consumption up to 65 times the human dose did not have adverse reproductive effects in rats, possibly due to low pH removing potentially cytotoxic epoxide moieties.

Valerian treatment during the postpartum period alters breast milk composition and impairs long-term memory in female rat offspring.

High doses of valerian during the postpartum period can alter maternal milk composition and impair long-term memory in female rat offspring, making it not safe for breastfeeding Wistar rat mothers.

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