howtosupplement
Sleep/Mood/Women

Chamomile

Gentle herbal tea or extract from chamomile flowers that may ease mild anxiety and improve sleep in adults with stress or insomnia.

Chamomile

Chamomile

52
score
C
evidence
Caution
risk
Quick Take

Worth trying for mild calming or sleep support, especially as tea — benefits are modest but it is usually well tolerated.

Chamomile is a flowering herb usually taken as tea or capsules made from the dried flowers of Matricaria recutita (German chamomile). Its main active compounds, especially apigenin and related flavonoids, interact with GABA_A receptors and may also have mild antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects. The best human evidence is for mild anxiety, subjective sleep quality, and menstrual cramps/PMS. People with mild stress, insomnia, or menstrual discomfort are most likely to notice a benefit.

Proven Benefits

01
Reduces anxiety symptoms
02
Improves sleep quality
03
May reduce menstrual pain
04
May reduce PMS symptoms

Protocol

Amount
400-1600 mg extract
Frequency
Once or twice daily
When
Evening, 30-60 minutes before bed for sleep; any time of day for calm.

Onset Time

Acute calming within 30-60 minutes; sleep benefits may take 2-4 weeks

Who Should Consider

Adults with mild anxiety or nervous tension
People who have trouble falling asleep
Women with menstrual cramps or PMS
Postpartum women with disrupted sleep

How It Works

Apigenin and other chamomile flavonoids bind the benzodiazepine site on GABA_A receptors, reducing neuronal excitability and producing a mild calming effect. Volatile oils and other plant compounds may also contribute antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory activity, but human evidence for those pathways is weaker.

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