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Ingredient guide

Valerian root for women: what the trials found

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Two small trials tested valerian in women around menopause. With about 675 to 1,060 mg a day for 8 weeks, hot flashes were less severe and less frequent than with placebo. NCCIH says there is not enough evidence to know for certain, and pregnant or breastfeeding women should ask a doctor first.1,2,3,4

Key facts

  • One trial enrolled 68 women and the other 60, all aged 45 to 55.1,2
  • Both trials were run in Iran and compared valerian capsules with starch capsules.1,2
  • A third trial mixed valerian with fennel, so its result cannot be credited to valerian alone.5
  • NIH says pregnant or nursing women should not take valerian without medical advice.4

Hot flashes around menopause

May ease the severity and frequency of hot flashes around menopause*1,2,3

Early evidence

Two small placebo-controlled trials in Iran found less severe and less frequent hot flashes after 8 weeks: one in 68 women aged 45 to 55 taking capsules of ground root three times a day (225 or 255 mg each; the paper gives both figures), and one in 60 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 55 taking 530 mg twice a day. NCCIH says small studies suggest valerian might be helpful around menopause, but there is not enough evidence to know for certain.

Amount studied: About 675 to 1,060 mg a day, split into two or three doses, for 8 weeks

Both trials asked women to rate their hot flashes on questionnaires before and during the study period. One used capsules of ground root and reported its capsule size two different ways, which is a mark against it. They were small, short and from one country, so the result needs repeating in larger trials before much weight is put on it.1,2

Valerian in blends

In a trial in 76 postmenopausal women, a fennel and valerian extract, 500 mg twice a day for 8 weeks, gave fewer and milder hot flashes and better scores on a sleep questionnaire than placebo. Because it combined two herbs, the result cannot be credited to valerian alone.5

A good result for a blend does not show what each herb in it does, which is why the grade on this page rests only on the trials of valerian by itself.5

Sleep

The sleep trials enrolled both women and men. In one 4-week comparison with a prescription sedative, 70% of the 75 people were women, with an average age of 52, and sleep quality scores rose about equally with valerian and with the medicine.6

Across all the sleep trials, the evidence is graded early: people often rated their sleep as better, but sleep measured objectively did not change. The valerian guide explains that grade.7,8

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

NIH says women who are pregnant or nursing should not take valerian without medical advice, because the possible risks to the baby have not been evaluated. NCCIH adds that little is known about whether it is safe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.3,4

NIH's lactation database says valerian is often not recommended while breastfeeding, because some of its compounds damaged cells and genes in laboratory tests. It suggests choosing something else, especially when nursing a newborn or premature baby.9

Our Sleep formula is not for use in pregnancy. Besides valerian it contains passion flower, which NCCIH says should not be used during pregnancy.10

What's in ours

What’s in ours

  • Sleep: Valerian Extract, 150 mg per serving, from the label

Our Sleep formula has 150 mg of valerian extract per serving, well below the daily amounts used in the hot flash trials, and no claim is made for it at that amount.1,2

Questions people ask

Is valerian safe while breastfeeding?

There are no data on its safety for nursing mothers or their babies. NIH's lactation database says it is often not recommended, and NIH's fact sheet says not to take it without medical advice.4,9

How much valerian did the hot flash trials use?

One gave capsules of ground root three times a day, reported as 225 or 255 mg each, and the other gave 530 mg twice a day. Both ran for 8 weeks. NCCIH's range for apparent safety is lower, 300 to 600 mg a day for up to 6 weeks, so ask a doctor first.1,2,3

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Sources

  1. Mirabi P, Mojab F. The effects of valerian root on hot flashes in menopausal women. Iran J Pharm Res. 2013;12(1):217-222. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Jenabi E, Shobeiri F, Hazavehei SMM, Roshanaei G. The effect of Valerian on the severity and frequency of hot flashes: A triple-blind randomized clinical trial. Women Health. 2018;58(3):297-304. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Valerian. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health. Last updated May 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Valerian: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated March 15, 2013. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Jenabi E, Khazaei S, Aghababaei S, Moradkhani S. Effect of Fennel-Valerian Extract on Hot Flashes and Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Trial. J Menopausal Med. 2023;29(1):21-28. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. Dorn M. Efficacy and tolerability of Baldrian versus oxazepam in non-organic and non-psychiatric insomniacs: a randomised, double-blind, clinical, comparative study. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2000;7(2):79-84. Article in German, English abstract. Opened 2026-10-07.
  7. Fernández-San-Martín MI, Masa-Font R, Palacios-Soler L, et al. Effectiveness of Valerian on insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Sleep Med. 2010;11(6):505-511. Opened 2026-10-07.
  8. Valente V, Machado D, Jorge S, Drake CL, Marques DR. Does valerian work for insomnia? An umbrella review of the evidence. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2024;82:6-28. Opened 2026-10-07.
  9. Valerian. In: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006 onward. Updated May 17, 2021. Read through PubMed. Opened 2026-10-07.
  10. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Passionflower. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health. Last updated April 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.

*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.