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

Proven Benefits

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

Chemical Forms

Recommended
  • Standardized extract (apigenin/flavonoids)
  • Chamomile tea (dried flowers)
Avoid
  • Oral essential oil (concentrated and not interchangeable with tea/extract)
  • Products without species or dose disclosure (hard to verify actives)
Expert Note

Extracts deliver more consistent apigenin and flavonoid exposure than tea, which varies by cultivar, storage, and steeping time. Apigenin is poorly water soluble, so standardized extracts are more reliable for trial-like doses; essential oil is not equivalent for oral use.

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.

Condition-Based Dosing

Generalized anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 > 7)
1500 mg daily of standardized extract, divided into two doses
Mild insomnia or sleep difficulty
400-800 mg extract or 2-3 cups of strong tea in the evening
Primary dysmenorrhea
500-1000 mg extract or chamomile tea, twice daily for 5 days prior to menses through day 2

Safety & Limits

Upper Safe Limit
No established UL; up to 1600 mg/day of standardized extract studied without serious adverse events
Cycling
Safe for continuous use

Contraindications

Ragweed/daisy family allergy — higher risk of cross-reactive allergic reaction
Pregnancy — limited safety data for medicinal doses; use only if clinician advises
Scheduled surgery — stop 2 weeks prior because of theoretical bleeding risk

Avoid Combining With

  • ✕Sedative medications or alcohol (additive drowsiness — use caution)
  • ✕Warfarin or other anticoagulants (theoretical bleeding risk)
  • ✕Caffeine near bedtime (opposes sleep benefits)
Updated Invalid Date