PlainPill

Nigella Sativa

People mainly take Nigella Sativa for anxiety, mood, immunity. Based on 22 first-hand reports and 67 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #456 of 1,974 overall.

28
User score
Mostly positive
27% positive14% mixed0% negative59% unclear

Of reports that state an outcome, 66% are positive.

Clinical research
AStrong research base
67
meta-analyses
86
RCTs
2,519
papers

What Nigella Sativa does, according to users

Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.

What the research says

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.

AStrong research base

3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.

Nutrients · 2023 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
The Influence of Nutritional Intervention in the Treatment of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis-A Systematic Review

Conclusion: Varied outcomes of analyzed dietary interventions may be due to the heterogeneous thyroid condition, high variability between patients, and differences in habitual intake of critical nutrients (e.g., iodine, selenium, and iron) in different populations. Therefore, there is a great need for further experimental studies to determine whether any nutritional interventions are beneficial in Hashimoto's disease.

PubMed 36839399 ↗
Medicina (Kaunas) · 2021 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Ayurvedic Herbal Preparations for Hypercholesterolemia

Conclusion: Conclusion: There is moderate to high level of evidence from randomized controlled trials that the Ayurvedic herbs guggulu, garlic, and black cumin are moderately effective for reducing hypercholesterolemia. In addition, minimal evidence was found for any side effects associated with these herbs, positioning them as safe adjuvants to conventional treatments.

PubMed 34071454 ↗
Pharmacol Res · 2023 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Comparative effects of nutraceuticals on body weight in adults with overweight or obesity: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 111 randomized clinical trials

Conclusion: Supplementations with green tea (MD: -1.25 kg, 95%CI: -1.68, -0.82) and glucomannan (MD: -1.36 kg, 95%CI: -2.17, -0.54) demonstrated small weight loss, also the certainty of evidence was rated low. Based on our findings, supplementations with nutraceuticals can result in a small weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity.

PubMed 37778464 ↗
J Ethnopharmacol · 2018 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
The effects of Nigella sativa L. on obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Conclusion: Supplementation with N. sativa exerts a moderate effect on reduction in body weight, BMI and WC. However, due to the high heterogeneity for body weight and limited high quality studies, the findings should be declared by caution. No serious side effects were also reported following N. sativa supplementation. Further studies are needed to clarify the effects of N. sativa on other anthropometric indices.

PubMed 29559374 ↗

Dosage people report

As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.

400 mgdaily
2-3 gramsdaily
500-700 mg2x daily
30-40 mgdaily
4503x daily
80mg per kg bodyweightdaily

Reported side effects

How often each side effect came up across all reports.

stomach issues ×2abdominal pain ×1pancreatitis ×1cramping ×1anxiety ×1ocd uptick ×1low mood ×1heartburn ×1

What users say

Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.

“Nigella Sativa | 400mg (5% Thymoquinone)”
Source discussion ↗
“plan to buy nigella sativa soon, as I heard it recommended elsewhere.”
Source discussion ↗
“I use it for allergy issues and it works great. Noticed bad moods consistently after consuming it so I stopped”
Source discussion ↗
“the next best thing in my opinion is Nigella Sativa”
Source discussion ↗
“Nigella sativa causes an 15-25% increase in logical memory and 30 minute recall”
Source discussion ↗
Top discussions (5)

Other options for anxiety

User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate