Quick answer

Two small trials have tested chamomile in women. In 80 postmenopausal women, 100 mg of extract four times a day for 12 weeks lowered menopause checklist scores, and in 80 new mothers, two weeks of tea gave better sleep scores that later faded. Both are early evidence. Ask first about birth control, pregnancy and breastfeeding.^1,2,3

Key facts

The menopause trial used capsules standardized to 1.2% apigenin, one of chamomile's flavonoids.¹
Side effects ended that trial early for two of the women taking chamomile.¹
Chamomile might have some of the same effects as estrogen, and it may make birth control pills less effective.³
There are no data on chamomile's safety for nursing mothers or their babies.⁴

Menopause

May ease hot flashes and other common complaints of menopause*¹

Early evidence

One triple-blind trial in 80 postmenopausal women aged 47 to 62 found that 100 mg chamomile capsules taken four times a day for 12 weeks lowered scores on a menopause checklist more than placebo, including the vasomotor score, the part that covers hot flashes. It is a single trial from one center, and two women taking chamomile stopped because of mouth sores, skin spots and itching.

Amount studied: 400 mg a day of extract, as 100 mg four times a day, for 12 weeks

The women were aged 47 to 62 and took the capsules or a placebo for 12 weeks, with side effects checked every four weeks. Besides hot flashes, scores fell on the checklist's mood, joint and muscle, and urinary items. It is a single trial from one health center, so the result needs repeating before much weight is put on it.¹

Sleep after childbirth

May modestly improve self-rated sleep quality in adults who sleep poorly*^2,5,6,7

Early evidence

A 2024 review of 10 trials with 772 people found that chamomile lowered scores on a standard sleep quality questionnaire by about 1.9 points in pooled data from five trials, but results varied widely between trials. Night waking was better in two of three trials, while sleep length, sleep efficiency and daytime functioning did not change. In a double-blind US pilot trial in 34 adults who had slept poorly for at least six months, 270 mg twice a day for 28 days did not differ significantly from placebo on sleep diaries. Only one trial in the review checked the product it used.

Amount studied: Extract capsules of 400 to 540 mg a day for four weeks; chamomile tea for two weeks in one trial

One of the trials behind that grade was in women. In Taiwan, 80 new mothers who slept poorly were assigned to chamomile tea for two weeks or to usual care. After two weeks the tea group scored better on sleep problems tied to physical discomfort. Four weeks later the two groups no longer differed. The comparison group drank no tea at all, rather than a placebo tea.²

Hormones and birth control

Ask your pharmacist or doctor first

Chamomile might have some of the same effects as estrogen. NCCIH says preliminary studies suggest that taking chamomile with birth control pills might make the pills less effective.³

Reported in studies

NCCIH's caution reaches past birth control. Anyone who has had a cancer that responds to estrogen, such as breast or uterine cancer, should ask a doctor first, because chamomile might worsen it.³

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

NCCIH says little is known about whether chamomile is safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so ask your doctor or midwife before using it as a supplement.³

NIH's lactation database adds that chamomile has been used to try to raise milk supply, but no valid clinical trials back that use. It holds no safety data for mothers who breastfeed, and it considers the small, unmeasured amounts likely to pass into milk unlikely to cause harm at usual doses.⁴

Ointments carry their own risk. Nursing mothers have reacted to a Roman chamomile ointment put on cracked nipples.⁴

One more point about our own product: the Sleep formula also contains passion flower, which NCCIH says should not be used during pregnancy.⁸

What's in ours

What’s in ours

Sleep: Chamomile Extract, 100 mg per serving, from the label

Our Sleep formula has 100 mg of chamomile extract per serving, a quarter of the daily amount used in the menopause trial.¹

Questions people ask

Is chamomile tea safe during pregnancy?

Little is known. NCCIH says there is not enough information on chamomile in pregnancy, so ask your doctor or midwife first.³

Can chamomile tea increase breast milk?

It has been used for that, but NIH's lactation database says no scientifically valid clinical trials back the use. If you are breastfeeding, ask your doctor or a lactation consultant before taking chamomile supplements.⁴

Does chamomile affect estrogen?

It might. NCCIH says chamomile might have some of the same effects as estrogen, which is why it may weaken birth control pills and why people who have had estrogen-sensitive cancers should ask first.³

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Sources

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.