Does valerian root help with anxiety? What the research does and doesn't show

The evidence doesn't support valerian root as a treatment for a diagnosed anxiety disorder. The only trial that specifically enrolled people with generalized anxiety disorder found no significant difference from placebo, and a broader set of trials on situational anxiety was too inconsistent, with signs of publication bias, to draw a conclusion from.

What the evidence doesn't support

It doesn't support valerian root, in any form or dose, as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, or any other diagnosed anxiety condition. It doesn't support using valerian in place of an anxiety evaluation, therapy, or a treatment a doctor prescribes. Nothing in the research below shows a confirmed, reliable anti-anxiety effect in people.

What the trials found

A Cochrane systematic review searched specifically for randomized trials of valerian in people with a diagnosed anxiety disorder and found exactly one eligible trial: 36 people with generalized anxiety disorder, over 4 weeks, in a design that also included a prescription anxiety medication arm. On the main anxiety rating scale used in that trial, valerian showed no significant difference from placebo. The reviewers concluded there wasn't enough evidence to draw any conclusion about valerian for anxiety disorders, in either direction (PMID 17054208).

A 2020 systematic review separately pooled 8 trials (535 people) using a broader definition of anxiety that included situational anxiety, such as the stress of a medical or dental procedure, not only diagnosed anxiety disorders. That pooled analysis showed high heterogeneity between trials (I²=93%) and clear evidence of publication bias. Results split by preparation: outcomes were more consistently positive in the two trials using whole root, and more variable across the trials using extract. With only two whole-root trials, the reviewers themselves called that too little data to draw a conclusion from (PMID 33086877).

The mechanism sometimes cited for valerian's calming reputation comes from laboratory research: valerenic acid, one of valerian's compounds, has been shown in lab studies to slow the breakdown of GABA, a calming brain chemical. That's a proposed biochemical pathway, identified through laboratory and animal research, not proof that it produces a measurable anti-anxiety effect in a person who takes a capsule or drinks a cup of tea (PMID 10411208).

A 2007 systematic review of 37 valerian studies, titled "safe but not effective," found the most rigorous, recent trials showed no significant effect over placebo across the sleep and anxiety research it covered, while confirming a generally well-tolerated safety profile. Drowsiness was the effect most consistently reported across the trials it reviewed — more consistently than any anti-anxiety benefit (PMID 17517355).

Questions people ask

Does valerian root help with anxiety?

Only one trial has tested valerian in people with a diagnosed anxiety disorder, and it found no significant difference from placebo. Trials on broader, situational anxiety were too inconsistent, with signs of publication bias, to support a conclusion either way.

How much valerian root should I take for anxiety?

No anxiety-specific dose has been established. The one trial in diagnosed anxiety didn't report a specific dose in its published abstract, and the dose ranges from valerian's sleep research (225-1,215 mg/day) measured a different outcome. See how much valerian root should you take a day? for what dosing research does exist.

When should I take valerian root for anxiety?

No trial has tested a timing protocol specific to anxiety. The timing data that exists comes from sleep trials, which typically dosed valerian 30 minutes to an hour before bed — a different use case from daytime anxiety, and not a tested answer to this question. See when is the best time to take valerian root?

Can I take valerian root for anxiety during the day?

Drowsiness is valerian's best-documented effect. One trial comparing 300 mg and 600 mg doses against placebo found drowsiness reported by 12 of the 300 mg group, 4 of the 600 mg group, and 8 of the placebo group — inconsistent by dose, but present at both, and a real consideration for daytime use (PMID 33086877), separate from whether it does anything for anxiety itself.

Is valerian root tea good for anxiety?

None of the trials above tested brewed tea specifically; they used extract or whole-root capsules. There's no dedicated research answer for tea as its own preparation.

Can valerian root help with anxiety in dogs?

This page and its citations cover valerian as a human supplement, studied in human trials. None of the research here applies to dogs — ask a veterinarian for animal-specific guidance.

Is lemon balm or valerian root better for anxiety?

No trial identified for this page directly compares the two for anxiety. There's no head-to-head research to answer that question.

Which valerian root supplement is best for anxiety?

The research above doesn't support recommending valerian for anxiety at all, so there's no "best" product to point to for that specific use.

When to talk to a doctor

Anxiety that interferes with daily life, work, or relationships is worth raising with a doctor, especially if it's persistent or getting worse. Valerian root is not a treatment for a diagnosed anxiety disorder, and nothing in the research above supports using it as a substitute for an evaluation, therapy, or a treatment a doctor prescribes. If you take a prescription medication, especially anything sedating, or are pregnant or nursing, talk to a doctor before adding valerian in any form.

Related reading: valerian root benefits: what the research does and doesn't show, does valerian root help with sleep?, and how much valerian root should you take a day?