Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Evidence

Evidence posture

Evidence for sleep problems is inconsistent; authoritative guidance does not support presenting valerian as an established insomnia treatment.

What the evidence supports

A 2024 umbrella review found no convincing evidence that valerian treats insomnia, although some reviews report subjective sleep-quality improvement. Objective sleep outcomes, preparations, and study quality remain inconsistent.

Studied context

Short-term studies commonly use valerian root preparations at roughly 300–600 mg/day, but extracts and preparations vary.

Safety context

Short-term use appears generally tolerated in many adults, but long-term safety is unknown. Sedative effects, withdrawal after chronic use, and rare liver injury reports warrant caution.

Product directness

V-ITALAY lists valerian but does not publish a valerian dose or standardized extract. A sleep or insomnia efficacy claim cannot be assigned to the finished product.

Products that list this ingredient/category

Primary and authoritative sources

Review-level evidence highlights

Does valerian work for insomnia? An umbrella review of the evidence (Umbrella review of systematic reviews; PMID 38359657)

Population/scope: 8 eligible systematic reviews of valerian for sleep disturbances/insomnia

Evidence scope: Insomnia and sleep quality

Finding: The review found no convincing evidence that valerian treats insomnia, though subjective sleep-quality improvement was reported in some analyses.

Limitations: Existing studies are heterogeneous, often low quality, and use variable valerian preparations; objective sleep measures are not consistently improved.

Directness: Relevant human evidence · verified 2026-10-02

Important: Ingredient-level evidence is not proof that a finished product has the same effect. Dose, form, population, duration, and formulation must match.