Skip to main content

Valerian User Reviews & Ratings

Brand names: Valerian Root

Valerian has an average rating of 6.8 out of 10 from a total of 26 reviews on Drugs.com. 60% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 20% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Valerian

  • Ladyr...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 23, 2019

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "Well, I only tried taking it once since I suffer from anxiety, panic attacks and depression, I’ve heard that valerian root capsules are supposedly helpful with all these conditions. So I took one 350mg capsule even though the prescribed dose on the box was 2 capsules at once twice a day, so 4 capsules a day taken two times but since I didn’t know how I’d react I chose to take only one capsule and boy was I right not to take two :) it made me extremely nauseous, sick, I threw up, I felt dizzy, got a headache, I felt weird, couldn’t walk right and at the same time it didn’t really calm me down but it actually made me more agitated, and I read that that can happen only with bigger doses so to me it happened with one capsule. It also gave me pressure in my chest and tightness in my head."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
84 Report
  • Pradip
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • October 11, 2019

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "I have always had issues with falling a sleep. I take two capsules of a name brand valerian supplement before bed. It helps me. I notice it when I don't take it, I take longer to fall a sleep. I have had no side effects. No tummy issues."

8 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
60 Report
  • CindyM
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • June 5, 2018

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "Recently, my panic attacks have gotten very severe (near fainting, sudden sweating, shaking, vision going blurry, body going weak, intense fear etc), due to my friend suddenly dying, and so I tried Valerian root. I have to say, amazingly, that it really does work. It stops panic attacks, it calms you, it improves your mood. However, it also makes you feel sick to your stomach. What a shame. I thought I found the perfect med for my anxiety, but I hate feeling sick. So I won't take these anymore. It's worth trying them, though. They work, and they are FAR cheaper than benzos. You may not have the same stomach upset as me."

5 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
73 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • Leona...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 14, 2020

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "I drink Valerin tea and I usually fall asleep quickly but I saw Valerian root in the store and thought I'd try it. I took 2 capsules with food. I fell asleep 20 min later. I was very sleepy but was able to wake to use the toilet when my bladder was full. I fell back to sleep quickly. I normally need white noise to sleep. That was not needed. I'm happy with the results."

9 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
44 Report
  • Patti
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • January 16, 2020

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "Take as needed. No addictive. Doesn’t have the harmful and potentially life threatening side effects of Valium. Works great to calm you down and relieve tension without making you foggy or cloudy at all."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
46 Report

Are you taking this medicine?

  • Tami
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 31, 2019

For Insomnia "A doctor recommended trying Valerian 400 mg to help with sleep. Normally I fall asleep reasonably well but have trouble staying asleep. The first night I took this, an hour before my normal bedtime and it took me an extra 1 1/2 hours to fall asleep. Okay, maybe it wasn’t the Valerian and just coincidental. I took it a second night and was awake for half the night. Fell asleep almost 5 hours after going to bed! So this may work for some people, but for me it had the opposite effect. I think it’s worth mentioning in case someone else has a similar experience."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
43 Report
  • Tony
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 21, 2018

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "I drink the tea and it works fine helps me sleep and slows my racing mind (ADD) or ADHD whichever you say I have. But it works (minus the putrid smell). This is the bees knees again this is the loose leaf tea not the pill"

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
47 Report
  • Longi...
  • September 30, 2019

For Insomnia "I suffer from insomnia, I took 500mg of Valerian at 8 PM before bedtime, I was laying in bed until 3 AM still awake, and from 9-PM to 3-AM my blood pressure rose very high and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, finally at around 3 AM this effect toned down and I fell into a deep sleep where I had a vivid dream for about 40 minutes, I woke up feeling refreshed but was not able to get back to sleep. My blood pressure returned to normal after that. I was taking Vraylar at the time so the pounding heart could have been an interaction, Overall Valerian did not seem to help with sleep onset or sleep duration. I stopped using it after that one night."

2 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
25 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • October 8, 2019

For Anxiety "Valerian root extract. 1,000mg of alcohol free 30 drop dose. Relieves anxiety with a noticeable calming effect when not over stimulated by drinking coffee or tea in excess. Does not help with sleep. I use for anxiety alone."

Was this helpful?YesNo
23 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 9, 2023

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "My daughter took this at the recommendation of her medical provider. Turns out Valerian Root has a drug interaction with antidepressants, which her medical provider knew she was taking because she had prescribed them herself. She got huge blisters on her stomach and the side of her foot, headaches, exhaustion, and loss of appetite. Valerian root also has drug interactions with anxiety medications, pain medications, even benadryl. I do not recommend at all!"

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
8 Report
  • Rolle...
  • May 13, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "I have been going through SNRI withdrawals (AKA discontinuation syndrome) and to counteract the panic attacks and insomnia I will be trying generic valerian root gel caps. After one panic attack and 500mg later, I can say I have calmed down quite a bit. Here’s to hoping I don’t deal with possible side effects"

9 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
19 Report
  • Steph...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 12, 2021

For Insomnia "I have never been a great sleeper. A really good night would be six hours but regularly got less. Things got worse recently because of the current situation and I was taking so long to finally get to sleep it was horrible, then I’d waken early and couldn’t get back to sleep. It affected my whole life. I picked up Kalms Night a few days ago out of desperation. (I was a bit cynical) oh my goodness this stuff works!! As long as you remember to take it about an hour before you want to sleep. Every night since I started it I've got to sleep so easily and slept so so well, last night I slept 8 hours! And woke feeling so calm and rested.... this has been a God-send"

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
16 Report
  • Anxious...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • February 4, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "I take Valerian in form of Kalms tablets (day time). It says take two but one actually works better for me. It stops feelings of anxiety and sends me off to sleep at night. If I do wake after about 4 or 5 hours I can get back to sleep as I still feel calm. Two are good but I just feel one tablet is enough for the job. I have been taking them on and off for some months. Not addictive. I agree with comments on here that Valerian is better than Valium. I don't need to take every day and have never taken more than 2 tablets a day so far! I am not on any other medication but if you are I suggest checking for contraindications as herbs can interfere with certain meds and vice versa so do check. Hope this helps."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
15 Report
  • Delta
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • March 10, 2021

For Anxiety "Have taken standardised root extract valarian tablets on and off for over seven months for chronic anxiety. I use a low dose for anxiety only, not for insomnia. Within half an hour I notice a calming effect. On rare occasions valerian has made my anxiety worse, not better. I don't know why this is. Overall I'm glad I found valerian. There are no bad side effects and it definitely works. Some people complain of the bad smell but that doesn't matter to me. I recommend purchasing a standardised product so that you know what you're getting. Low doses work better than high doses for me."

8 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
13 Report
  • Carmen
  • November 13, 2017

For Insomnia "I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, an auto-immune disease. Valerian was recommended to me for insomnia and so I took one. Because of my compromised auto-immune system, the pill had the opposite effect. I felt as if I had been given epinephrine and was in a 'run' mode all night long. By morning, I was exhausted and my head felt like it was about to explode. People with auto-immune disorder should definitely stay away from this herbal pill."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
17 Report
  • Eddy...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 12, 2021

For Insomnia "For years I have very occasionally used a low dose of a benzodiazepine Brotilozam to sleep for many years. It worked fairly well without developing a tolerance, however recently I had a medical condition and began to take the medication nightly. Very soon I was up to a full dose and even that began to lose effect. Since I was worried about drug tolerance and addiction I looked for an alternative that would help me wean off from Brotilozam, after doing a lot of research on the internet I decided to try a valerian/hops mixture but was fairly skeptical. I was happily surprised find that the valerian/hops extract was very effective for me; after experimenting I found that if I take a 650 mg dose about an hour before desired sleep time I would fall asleep easily, sleep well and wake up refreshed. In fact, if I didn't have to get up to pee I am pretty sure that I would sleep the whole night. For me it worked wonderfully, now I sleep well every night and I am also complete off the benzodiazapine!"

9 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
7 Report
  • Ted
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 23, 2020

For Insomnia "I am being treated for severe depression. So far the treatment has been successful. I was having trouble sleeping and "decided" to get this OTC medication to help me sleep. Trust me, this stuff is powerful, it feels stronger than Valium. The problem is the severe hangover effects the next day and it worsens your depression! Do not add this without your doctors advice."

4 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
8 Report
  • Stormy
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • March 5, 2017

For Insomnia "I have used valerian off and on for 26 years, no major side effect, at low doses. Usually I used this herb for insomnia which it works well. Also can be used for anxiety and stress; again at a low dosage. I would recommend on line information for your questions plus herbal specialists in your community. Do not exclude your doctor a MD or equally qualified professional. I am now adding valerian at night in conjunction with Zyprexa and Klonapin. Zyprexa at 15 mg on e pill, Klonapin at 0.50 or 1 mg dose. Do not recommend this combination yet to anybody. I am in the experimental phase. Stormy1959"

7 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
10 Report
  • Ian
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 29, 2022

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "I took Valerian capsules 337mg 2 - 3 a day for approx 11 weeks for anxiety. They did seem to take the edge off my anxiety. However, I recently experienced a sharp pain in my upper stomach, so looked online (Drugs.com) who advised if you suffered this after taking Valerian, to contact your doctor immediately, but did not explain why. I already have issues with oesophagitis and have a hiatus hernia which may explain my reaction to taking Valerian for this length of time"

4 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
3 Report
  • Super...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • September 14, 2022

For Anxiety and Stress "What is this Witchcraft herb!!?! I use a brand valerian herbal tea plus and my gosh they work a treat for relaxing and helping set you off into a deep sleep. I haven't dreamed like this so much since I was a child! The dreams are intense and pleasurable but some are also nightmares. I feel refreshed after a deep sleep. The effect of the tea is relaxing and seems to calm anxiety. I have sometimes noted a bad belly as a side effects but this was only after drinking 2-3 cups and not with just one cup. Fantastic herb. Magical!"

8 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
3 Report
  • Queen...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 8, 2021

For Insomnia "Took valerian for insomnia. Helps stay asleep and you feel MUCH better rested. I sleep 6 hours with VR or 10 hours without it. Only side effect is lucid dreams. I assume the other side effects (nausea, vomiting, etc) will only happen if you OD / are allergic. I weigh 150lbs and I take 650mg of high strength VR extract. 2 pill capsules."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
2 Report
  • Diana...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 6, 2024

Valerian Root (valerian) "Been drinking Valerian Root Tea for a couple of weeks now, which has significantly reduced my high blood pressure and insomnia. The smell is awful and takes a little getting used to but the results for me are worth it."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
0 Report
  • Bread...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 25, 2019

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "I suffer from bad anxiety, ADHD, and racing thoughts and if I take one 500mg capsule of valerian root within 30 minutes I am calm. Worth trying. "

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
56 Report
  • Tom
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • May 13, 2020

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "Its incredible. Absolute life saver. Taper valium. Throw them away. Buy valerian and live a happy life."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
43 Report
  • Fomar
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • May 13, 2020

Valerian Root (valerian) for Herbal Supplementation "This is way better for anxiety than diazepam. I take 500mg twice per day and it does the job for me SAD and GAD. Side effects might make stomach a bit crampy but oh well."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
37 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.