Alprazolam vs Valerian Root for anxiety
Short answer: For anxiety, users rate them about the same: 85% report improvement with Alprazolam (60 reports) and 86% with Valerian Root (36 reports).
Alprazolam has 41 meta-analyses and 402 randomized trials on PubMed; Valerian Root has 2 and 8.
Based on 127 reports about Alprazolam and 233 about Valerian Root. Not medical advice.
| Alprazolam Medication | Valerian Root Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 44%helped77 reports · medium confidence | 57%helped119 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | BResearch: Moderate |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 41 / 402 | 2 / 8 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 94% (16) | 82% (109) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 85% (60) | 86% (36) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 50% (8) | — |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 40% (5) | 100% (2) |
| Memory % reporting improvement | 17% (6) | — |
| Common side effects | dependence, withdrawal, addiction, drowsiness | vivid dreams, drowsiness, brain fog, tolerance |
| Typical dose reported | Not listed | 500 mg / before bed |
Numerous interactions between herbal medicines and conventional drugs have been documented. While the significance of many interactions is uncertain, several interactions, particularly those with St John's wort, may have serious clinical consequences.
Drugs, 2009 ↗“Nope - only Xanax can help me sleep. Which isn’t a good option.”
In conclusion, valerian could be a safe and effective herb to promote sleep and prevent associated disorders. However, due to the presence of multiple active constituents and relatively unstable nature of some of the active constituents, it may be necessary to revise the quality control processes, including standardization methods and shelf life.
J Evid Based Integr Med, 2020 ↗“I really like lemon balm especially if combined with valerian root! Helps me sleep and relax at night.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate