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Posted by: | Posted on: May 18, 2022

Two Remarkable Stress Relief Supplements; Take Them Together


Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2022/05/17/magnesium-and-vitamin-b6.aspx
The original Mercola article may not remain on the original site, but I will endeavor to keep it on this site as long as I deem it to be appropriate, and will not be bullied into removing it.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola     Fact Checked     May 17, 2022

magnesium and vitamin b6

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Vitamin B6 escorts magnesium to the cells that need it most, thus ensuring that the magnesium you’re getting, whether from foods or supplements, is being used as efficiently as possible. Vitamin B6 thus helps augment the many benefits of magnesium
  • Research shows a combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 can lower perceived stress to a greater degree than magnesium alone in those with severe or extremely severe stress. Those taking magnesium and B6 in combination also experienced fewer side effects
  • Magnesium and vitamin B6 are two nutrients commonly recommended for women with premenstrual syndrome. Magnesium deficiency may cause and intensify PMS symptoms, and magnesium appears to work because it has a calming effect on the neuromuscular system
  • Researchers have found vitamin B6 and magnesium are most effective for lowering rates of depression, water retention and anxiety in women with PMS
  • The recommended dietary allowance for magnesium ranges from 310 mg to 420 mg for adults over the age of 19, depending on age, gender and pregnancy status, and the adult RDA for vitamin B6 is between 1.2 mg and 2 mg per day, depending on age and gender; both nutrients are abundant in whole foods

This article was previously published June 10, 2019, and has been updated with new information.

You may be familiar with the connection between magnesium, calcium and vitamins K2 and D and how they work in tandem. But are you aware of the crucial link between magnesium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)? Individually, magnesium and vitamin B6 are both essential for heart and brain health. Both also play roles in the regulation of your blood sugar level.1,2

When you get insufficient amounts of magnesium from your diet, your body will leach magnesium from your bones, muscles and internal organs, which can lead to osteoporosis, kidney problems and liver damage.

Vitamin B6 can help ameliorate this by escorting magnesium to the cells that need it most, thus ensuring that the magnesium you’re getting, whether from foods or supplements, is being used as efficiently as possible. In so doing, vitamin B6 also helps augment the many benefits of magnesium.

Magnesium-B6 Combo Is Superior for Severe Stress

The importance of magnesium in combination with vitamin B6 was presented in a 2018 study3 in the journal PLOS ONE. Taken together, these two nutrients have been shown to have a complementary effect on stress reduction in animal studies.

In this randomized trial, they evaluated whether the combination of magnesium and B6 would improve perceived stress levels in 264 human subjects who also had low magnesium to start. Healthy adults with a depression anxiety stress scale score above 18 and a serum level of magnesium between 0.45 nanomoles per liter (mmol/L) and 0.85 mmol/L were randomized to receive either:

  1. 300 milligrams (mg) of magnesium in combination with 30 mg of vitamin B6
  2. 300 mg of magnesium only

The primary endpoint was a reduction in stress score from baseline to Week 8. While both treatment groups experienced similar reductions in their stress scores — the magnesium-B6 combo group reporting a 44.9% reduction in perceived stress and the magnesium-only group a 42.4% reduction — a more significant impact was shown in those with severe and/or extremely severe stress.

According to the authors, adults with a stress score at or above 25 had a 24% greater improvement with magnesium-vitamin B6 versus magnesium only at Week 8. Those taking magnesium and B6 in combination also experienced fewer side effects: 12.1% of those taking magnesium-vitamin B6 versus 17.4% of those taking magnesium only experienced some form of adverse event. As noted by the authors:4

“These findings suggest oral Mg supplementation alleviated stress in healthy adults with low magnesemia and the addition of vitamin B6 to Mg was not superior to Mg supplementation alone. With regard to subjects with severe/extremely severe stress, this study provides clinical support for greater benefit of Mg combined with vitamin B6.”

Magnesium and B6 May Ease Premenstrual Syndrome

Magnesium and vitamin B6 are two nutrients commonly recommended for women struggling with premenstrual syndrome. According to a research paper5 published in the Journal of Caring Sciences, magnesium deficiency has been proposed “as one of the factors causing and intensifying premenstrual syndrome symptoms,” and magnesium appears to work because it has a calming effect on the neuromuscular system.

“Vitamin B6 is another proposed treatment for this syndrome,” the paper notes.6 “On the one hand vitamin B6 increases serotonin and dopamine levels and improves premenstrual syndrome symptoms, and on the other, it has an essential role in the synthesis of prostaglandin and fatty acids, which are reduced in etiologies causing premenstrual syndrome.

Moreover, researchers believe that vitamin B6 deficiency decreases dopamine in the kidneys and therefore increase sodium excretion, which in turn causes water accumulation in the body and induces symptoms such as swelling in extremities, edema, and abdominal and chest discomfort. The administration of vitamin B6 can thus decrease these symptoms and improve premenstrual acne.”

To evaluate the effects of these two nutrients on premenstrual syndrome, 126 women diagnosed with premenstrual syndrome, based on American Psychiatric Association criteria, were divided into three groups, which received either 250 mg of magnesium oxide, 250 mg of vitamin B6, or a placebo, taken from the first day of the menstrual cycle until the beginning of the next cycle.

Magnesium and B6 Have Similar Rates of Effectiveness

Overall, magnesium and B6 had similar rates of effectiveness for premenstrual syndrome in this Journal of Caring Sciences study. Mean scores of premenstrual syndrome before and after intervention in the three groups were as follows:

Magnesium Vitamin B6 Placebo
Before intervention 36.89% 36.51% 35.8%
After intervention 22.22% 22.84% 28.41%

As you can see, while the placebo also helped reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms, magnesium and B6 did so more effectively, and at similar rates. When looking at specific symptoms, B6 and magnesium were found to be the most effective for lowering rates of depression, water retention and anxiety. In conclusion, the authors noted:7

“Considering the importance of premenstrual syndrome and the numerous effects it has on society and the lives of women, health groups should prioritize the diagnosis and treatment of this syndrome. Since there is no definitive etiology and treatment for this syndrome, many researchers have tried to find the best and most effective drug with the least side effects to prevent the occurrence of the syndrome …

The current study was also undertaken with the goal of finding an effective compound with no side effects to reduce the symptoms of this syndrome and its direct and indirect economic and social effects. All compounds used in the current study had no side effects, were effective, non-chemical, and acceptable by most groups of women in the society.

Hence, health groups, especially midwives, can compare the effectiveness the compound on their specific patients and select the most appropriate treatment for each individual. Moreover, in cases where the patient is prohibited from using chemical drugs to treat premenstrual syndrome, such as oral contraceptive pills and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, the use of these compounds seems effective …”

Unfortunately, a combination of magnesium and B6 was not evaluated in this study. It would have been interesting to see what their combined effect would have been. Considering the importance of both of these nutrients for health, I see no risk in combining them, though, should you struggle with premenstrual syndrome.

The Importance of Magnesium for Optimal Health

Magnesium8 is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body and the second most common intracellular cation9 (positively charged ion) after potassium. It’s required for the healthy function of most cells in your body, but is especially important for your heart, kidneys and muscles.

Low magnesium will impede your cellular metabolic function and deteriorate mitochondrial function, which can have far-reaching health consequences, seeing how loss of mitochondrial function is a foundational factor in most chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

According to one scientific review,10 which included studies dating as far back as 1937, low magnesium actually appears to be the greatest predictor of heart disease, and other recent research shows even subclinical magnesium deficiency can compromise your cardiovascular health.11

Being one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, it’s not surprising that it has several hundred biological functions. To list just a few, magnesium helps:

  • Relax your muscles as well as your blood vessels — Being deficient in it can cause muscle cramps and weakness
  • Promote mental and physical relaxation — It’s a stress antidote that works by boosting GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that relaxes your nervous system. Magnesium also helps boost your melatonin production
  • Detoxification and reduces damage from electromagnetic fields
  • Regulate blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, potentially protecting against Type 2 diabetes

Magnesium Is Required for Activation of Vitamin D

Magnesium is also a component necessary for the activation of vitamin D,12,13,14 and deficiency may hamper your ability to convert vitamin D from sun exposure and/or oral supplementation.

According to Mohammed Razzaque, professor of pathology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania, coauthor of a study published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) in March 2018,15 “By consuming an optimal amount of magnesium, one may be able to lower the risks of vitamin D deficiency, and reduce the dependency on vitamin D supplements.”

Interestingly, the first paper I ever had published, back in 1985, was also in the JAOA. My paper was about the use of calcium to control hypertension, but if I had written the paper this century, it most certainly would have been about the use of magnesium for that purpose.16

A second study,17 published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in December 2018 also concluded that your magnesium status plays an important role in your vitamin D status. Overall, people with high magnesium intake were less likely to have low vitamin D. They also had a lower mortality risk from cardiovascular disease and bowel cancer.

As explained by Dr. Qi Dai, professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the lead author of this study, “Magnesium deficiency shuts down the vitamin D synthesis and metabolism pathway.” What’s more, magnesium was found to have a regulating effect, raising and lowering vitamin D based on baseline levels.

In people who had a baseline vitamin D level of 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) or below, magnesium supplementation raised their vitamin D level. However, in those who started out with higher vitamin D levels (50 ng/mL or 125 nmol/L), magnesium supplementation lowered their vitamin D.

Magnesium for Brain Health and Neurological Functioning

Magnesium is also crucial for optimal brain function, and is a common culprit in neurological ailments, including:

• Migraines18,19,20 — Researchers have noted that empiric treatment with a magnesium supplement is justified for all migraine sufferers.21

• Depression — Magnesium plays an important role in depression as it acts as a catalyst for mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin. Research22 published in 2015 found a significant association between very low magnesium intake and depression, especially in younger adults.

Research23 published in PLOS ONE demonstrated magnesium supplementation improved mild-to-moderate depression in adults, with beneficial effects occurring within two weeks of treatment. In fact, the effects of magnesium were comparable to prescription SSRIs in terms of effectiveness, but without any of the side effects associated with these drugs.

Participants in the treatment group received a daily dose of 248 milligrams (mg) of elemental magnesium for six weeks, while controls received no treatment. According to the authors, “It works quickly and is well tolerated without the need for close monitoring for toxicity.”

• Memory problems and loss of brain plasticity — Memory impairment occurs when the connections (synapses) between brain cells diminish. While many factors can come into play, magnesium is an important one.

According to Dr. David Perlmutter, a neurologist and fellow of the American College of Nutrition, “magnesium is a critical player in the activation of nerve channels that are involved in synaptic plasticity.”24 Magnesium threonate, which most effectively permeates the blood-brain-barrier, is likely your best choice here.

The specific brain benefits of magnesium threonate were demonstrated in a 2010 study25 published in the journal Neuron, which found this form of magnesium enhanced “learning abilities, working memory, and short- and long-term memory in rats.”

Health Benefits of Vitamin B6

Like magnesium, vitamin B6 (as well as several other B vitamins) also plays an important role in heart and brain health. It is used in the creation of neurotransmitters, and is required for proper brain development during pregnancy and infancy.26

Vitamins B6, B9 (folate, or folic acid in its synthetic form) and B12 may be particularly important for supporting cognitive function as you age, and have been shown to play a major role in the development of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most serious and lethal form.

A primary mechanism of action here is the suppression of homocysteine,27 which tends to be elevated when you have brain degeneration. High homocysteine has also been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis.28,29

The good news is your body can eliminate homocysteine naturally, provided you’re getting enough B9 (folate), B6 and B12. One study confirming this was published in 2010.30 Participants received either a placebo or 800 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid (the synthetic form of B9), 500 mcg of B12 and 20 mg of B6.

The study was based on the presumption that by controlling homocysteine levels you might be able to reduce brain atrophy, thereby slowing the onset of Alzheimer’s. Indeed, after two years those who received the vitamin-B regimen had significantly less brain shrinkage compared to the placebo group.

A 2013 study31 took this research a step further, showing that not only do B vitamins slow brain shrinkage, but they specifically slow shrinkage in brain regions known to be most severely impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.

As in the previous study, participants taking high doses of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 lowered their blood levels of homocysteine, decreasing brain shrinkage by as much as 90%. High doses of vitamins B6, B8 (inositol) and B12 have also been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of schizophrenia, more so than standard drug treatments alone.32 Vitamin B6 is also important for healthy:

  • Metabolism, by helping break down amino acids in the muscles to be used as energy and by converting lactic acid to glucose in your liver
  • Immune system, as it helps create white blood cells that fight infections
  • Hair and skin health, by reducing hair loss and alleviating dermatitis

How to Improve Your Magnesium and Vitamin B6 Status

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium ranges from 310 mg to 420 mg for adults over the age of 19, depending on age, gender and pregnancy status,33 and the adult RDA for vitamin B6 is between 1.2 mg and 2 mg per day, depending on age and gender.34

Both magnesium and vitamin B6 are abundant in whole foods. Good sources of magnesium include leafy greens, berries, avocado, seeds, nuts and raw cacao nibs. Eating a primarily processed food diet is the primary culprit in magnesium deficiency, and if you fall into this group, you’d be wise to take a magnesium supplement.

Vitamin B6 is abundant in animal foods such as beef and wild-caught salmon, as well as dark leafy greens, papaya, oranges, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, avocados, bananas, spinach, pistachios and sunflower seeds.35 Nutritional yeast is another excellent source.

Posted in Alzheimer's, Brain, Depression, Migraine, Minerals, Nutrition, PMS, Pregnancy, Stress, Supplements, Vitamins, Women | One Comment »

Posted by: | Posted on: December 5, 2019

Black Cohosh Better Than Prozac for Menopause

© 27th November 2019 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter
Reproduced from original article:
https://www.greenmedinfo.health/blog/black-cohosh-better-prozac-menopause

Posted on: Wednesday, November 27th 2019 at 4:45 pm

Written By: GreenMedInfo Research Group
This article is copyrighted by GreenMedInfo LLC, 2019

Do you feel fear or worry regarding the onset of menopause, either for yourself or someone you love? Antidepressants and hormone treatments may be the popular prescriptions, but before you take medications with serious risks, learn about the incredible results of black cohosh for those pesky, sweaty, hot flashy nights

Even in the modern day, there are abundant myths and mysteries surrounding menopause, the period in a woman’s life that occurs 12 months after her last menstrual cycle.[1] Perimenopause, the transition period before menopause, is marked by hormonal changes leading to the cessation of menses.[2]

Both phases, hereafter collectively referred to as menopause, are characterized by physical and psycho-social changes that lend to the stories surrounding women’s behaviors, thoughts, and feelings during this time of transition.

Menopause can range from a few months to several years in duration and is spurred by decreased estrogen production in the ovaries. These hormonal shifts can have associated and, at times, unpleasant side-effects, which may be managed through holistic or pharmacological interventions, or a combination of the two modalities.

Historically, some have prescribed to the belief that “the change” brings about an unwelcome and inevitable reality, both for women and the men in their lives. Is it any wonder that the “fix” has become to prescribe mood-altering drugs, or to attempt to “put back” the hormones that the passage of time is depleting? In truth, this natural cessation of fertility need not be synonymous with a distressing or unpleasant experience.

Antidepressants are widely prescribed for menopause symptoms ranging from depression and low libido, to anxiety and social isolation. Instead of directly addressing the emotional aspects of aging, empty-nesting, and our physiological need for strong social bonds, modern medical dogma is to simply prescribe a “magic pill” in hopes that these uncomfortable feelings will disappear.

Beyond the emotional and psychological impacts, vasomotor symptoms are commonly experienced during perimenopause up to full menopause. Changes in body temperature such as flushing and night sweats are frequently reported, and the condition known as “hot flashes” can onset. According to a 2008 study,[3] nearly 80% of peri- and postmenopausal women reported experiencing some or all of these symptoms.

Medicating Menopause: A Risky Prescription

A popular treatment administered to menopausal women in the U.S. is ERT, or estrogen replacement therapy. While it may seem natural to replace fading endogenous hormones with an exogenous supply,  warning bell has been sounded regarding potentially harmful side effects.[4] ERT has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke, among other concerning outcomes.[5]

Another prescribed treatment for vasomotor symptoms is gabapentin, known by the brand name Neurontin, an anti-seizure drug used to treat nerve pain and conditions such as restless leg syndrome. Also prescribed for anxiety, gabapentin has a high potential for addiction and misuse,[6] and can have undesirable side effects such as slurred speech, blurred vision and impaired motor function.[7] Even worse, Neurontin has been linked to cases of suicidal ideation[8] and respiratory failure,[9] among other serious side effects.[10]

Another option frequently prescribed are the broad spectrum of mood-altering and antidepressant drugs. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, SNRIs are often the first course of treatment when a menopausal patient complains of depression, lethargy, or hormonal issues.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women are 2.5 times more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant than men.[11] Nearly 23% of woman ages 40 to 59 are taking antidepressant medication in the U.S., more than any other age-sex group.[12]

Validated by Science: Natural Options for Hormonal Balance

While natural options for managing menopause may not be routinely prescribed by allopathic physicians, science has validated that black cohosh is a viable treatment for several discomforting symptoms of this life-changing transition.

This double-blind placebo-controlled study, found that black cohosh (scientific name: Cimicifuga Racemosa) was “equipotent” to mixed-estrogen drugs for relief from vasomotor symptoms, and for improving markers of bone metabolism, a factor related to osteoporosis.

What’s not equal when comparing most plant medicines to pharmaceuticals are potential adverse effects. Premarin®, a popular mixed-estrogen drug, has a warning label that cites increased risks of heart attack, cancer, blood clots and stroke,[13] while studies involving a 12-month course of treatment with black cohosh root (the part of the plant used in herbal formulations) show it was administered with no known adverse effects.[14]

Another impressive study pitting black cohosh against a popular prescription involves Prozac® for treatment of postmenopausal symptoms. The 2007 study, published in Advances in Therapy, compared questionnaires from 120 healthy women with menopausal symptoms who rated such factors as quality of life, depression scores, and frequency and severity of vasomotor symptoms like flushing and night sweats.[15]

Women in this study were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups, with one group receiving fluoxetine (generic form of Prozac®) and the other group receiving black cohosh. The women were surveyed before, during and after the study, for a period of six months. They kept daily diaries recording the number and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats, as well as completing several standardized questionnaires.

Results of this study showed that black cohosh reduced overall scores for hot flushes and night sweats better than Prozac®. At the end of the sixth month of treatment, black cohosh reduced the hot flush score by 85%, compared with a 62% result for fluoxetine.

By the study’s end, 40 women taking the prescription drug had discontinued the study, while only 20 women in the black cohosh group discontinued, potentially speaking to benefits gained from long-term use of herbs, the reverse of which is true for many pharmaceutical drugs, which are contraindicated for longer periods of use.

Managing Change Gracefully

Placebo effect dictates that the beliefs we hold about our health and treatment options have significant impact on our experiences. Be aware of any negative beliefs you might hold about menopause; despite popular opinions and superstitions,[1] there is no mandate that this phase of life must be a difficult one.

With improved psycho-social awareness of the stressors women experience mid-life, and better understanding of naturally effective treatment options, we can begin to view menopause as a celebration of life rather than the death of fertility. It’s the dawning of a new cycle, a time ripe for giving of your experience and wisdom. Protect your vitality with naturally effective plant medicine and enjoy all the seasons of your life.

To learn more about black cohosh and other natural treatment options for menopause, explore the 79 abstracts and 38 natural substances that are compiled on GreenMedInfo’s Research Database.

References

[1] Menopause and Hormone Replacement February 25, 2015 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279050/

[2] The North American Menopause Society, Menopause 101 https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/menopause-symptoms-and-treatments/menopause-101-a-primer-for-the-perimenopausal

[3] Frequency and severity of vasomotor symptoms among peri- and postmenopausal women in the United States. Williams RE, Kalilani L, DiBenedetti DB, Zhou X, Granger AL, Fehnel SE, Levine KB, Jordan J, Clark RV. Climacteric. 2008 Feb; 11(1):32-43. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18202963/

[4] Project Aware https://www.project-aware.org/Managing/Hrt/benefits-risks.shtml

[5] Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Sep;173(3 Pt 2):982-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7573295

[6] J Exp Pharmacol. 2017; 9: 13-21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5308580/

[7] Toxnet, Gabapentin https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7364

[8] Pregabalin-induced self-harm behavior. Tandon VR, Mahajan V, Gillani ZH, Mahajan A. Indian J Pharmacol. 2013 Nov-Dec; 45(6):638-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24347781/

[9] Recurrent hypoventilation and respiratory failure during gabapentin therapy. Batoon SB, Vela AT, Dave D, Wahid Z, Conetta R, Iakovou C, Banzuela M. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001 Apr; 49(4):498. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11347805/

[10] Pfizer, Neurontin https://www.pfizermedicalinformation.com/en-us/neurontin/adverse-reactions

[11] U.S. CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 76, October 2011 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db76.htm

[12] U.S. CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 76, October 2011 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db76.htm

[13] Pfizer, Premarin https://www.pfizermedicalinformation.com/en-us/patient/premarin

[14] National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Black Cohosh https://nccih.nih.gov/health/blackcohosh/ataglance.htm

[15] Adv Ther. 2007 Mar-Apr;24(2):448-61.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17565936

GMI Research Group

The GMI Research Group (GMIRG) is dedicated to investigating the most important health and environmental issues of the day.  Special emphasis will be placed on environmental health.  Our focused and deep research will explore the many ways in which the present condition of the human body directly reflects the true state of the ambient environment.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Posted in Cancer, Cardiovascular, Depression, Herbs, Hormones, Menopause, Nutrition, PMS, Stroke, Women | No Comments »

Posted by: | Posted on: November 27, 2019

Valerian: Everything You Knew and Everything You Didn’t

© 6th November 2019 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter
Reproduced from original article:
www.greenmedinfo.health/blog/valerian-everything-you-knew-and-everything-you-didnt
Posted on: Wednesday, November 6th 2019 at 10:30 am

Written By: Linda Woolven & Ted Snider
This article is copyrighted by GreenMedInfo LLC, 2019

Insomnia: Everything You Knew

Valerian is the herbal superstar for insomnia. Several studies prove that valerian safely helps you fall asleep faster and enjoy a better sleep. Double-blind research shows that valerian improves sleep in 89% of people and that 44% of them report perfect sleep.

How good is valerian? Valerian is better than the best drugs for insomnia. In one double-blind study, 600mg of valerian extract equalled the benzodiazepine oxazepam while being safer, and in another it beat it: while both treatments significantly improved sleep quality, the valerian was safer, and 82.2% of people with insomnia felt they had very good results with valerian while only 73.4% felt they did with oxazepam. A review of controlled studies of insomniacs found that nine out of twelve studies of valerian found improvement in at least one measure of sleep. According to the authors, there were severe design flaws in the three studies that didn’t find a benefit.

Another reason valerian is the treatment of choice over drugs is that valerian doesn’t cause the morning hangover that is so common with pharmaceutical sleeping pills.

The usual dose for valerian pills is 1.5-2g as a dried root or 150-300mg of valerian extract standardized for .8% valeric acid.

Valerian Combinations

Valerian combines really well with other relaxing herbs. One great herbal partner is hops. This potent combination will help you to fall asleep significantly faster, to wake up in the night last often and to feel more refreshed in the morning. The valerian/hops combination has not only proven itself against a placebo: it is as effective as benzodiazepines without leading to their withdrawal symptoms. Other studies have also shown the benefit of this herbal combo.

Valerian and hops can also be combined with passionflower. A double-blind study compared the three herb combo to the drug zolpidem in 78 adults with insomnia. The herbal dose was 300mg valerian extract standardized to .8% valerenic acid, 80 mg passionflower extract standardized to 4% isovitexin and 30 mg hops extract standardized to 0.35% rutin. Each person took one dose at bedtime. In both groups, time to fall asleep improved significantly and comparably. The two treatments both also significantly and comparably improved the amount of time they slept: the drug group improved from 3.5 to 5.7 hours, and the herb group had a slightly better improvement from 3.4 to 5.9 hours. The two treatments were also equally effective for significantly improving night time awakenings and quality of life.

Another good herb to combine with valerian is lemon balm. Double-blind studies prove that this combination works (1). It works as well as the drug Halcion without the daytime drowsiness and trouble concentrating that the drug causes (2).

More than Insomnia: Everything You Didn’t Know

Insomnia & Menopause

Women going through menopause often struggle with insomnia: about 50% of menopausal women experience sleep disturbances. But a four week triple-blind study of 100 postmenopausal women with insomnia found that quality of sleep improved significantly more with valerian than with placebo. 30% of women in the valerian group had improved sleep versus only 4% in the placebo group. The dose was 530mg concentrated valerian extract twice a day.

When 100 menopausal women with sleep disturbances were given a placebo or a combination of valerian and lemon balm, there was significantly better improvement in sleep in the herbal group.

It may not come as much of a surprise that the greatest herb for insomnia can help menopausal women with insomnia. What is much more surprising is that valerian doesn’t just help the insomnia of menopause, it helps the menopause.

A new triple-blind study gave a placebo or 530mg of valerian twice a day for two months to sixty postmenopausal women. Both the frequency and severity of hot flashes improved significantly more in the valerian group.

This is not the first study to show that valerian helps hot flashes. An earlier study of 68 women found that, when compared to placebo, 225mg of valerian given three times a day significantly reduces the frequency and severity of hot flashes. Hot flash severity dropped from 9.82 to 5.23 after eight weeks on valerian, while the placebo group only changed from 9.96 to 9.86. As for frequency, the valerian group improved from 7.91 hot flashes a day to only 4.83 while the women on the placebo went from 7.73 to 7.75.

PMS

And menopause is not the only problem that valerian can solve for women. A recent double-blind study gave women with PMS valerian extract or placebo. There was significant improvement on valerian but no improvement on placebo. Valerian was significantly better at improving PMS symptom severity. It significantly improved both emotional and physical symptoms.

Painful Periods

And that’s not all. A double-blind study gave either a placebo or 255mg of valerian three times a day to 100 students. The valerian was given for three days beginning at the start of menstruation for two consecutive cycles. The valerian was significantly more effective at reducing menstrual pain.

Anxiety

The great sleep herb valerian is also as good as drugs for anxiety. When researchers compared valerian to benzodiazepines for insomnia, they found an unexpected result: it not only equalled the drug for insomnia, it also equalled it for anxiety and with fewer side effects. Combining valerian and passionflower is also effective (3).

Social Stress

Anxiety down, stress to go. Valerian, passionflower and lemon balm are all great herbs for relaxing. This double-blind study gave seventy men either a placebo or a combination of 90mg valerian, 90mg of passionflower, 60mg of lemon balm and 90mg of butterbur or no treatment for four days. The men were then subjected to a social stress test, consisting of a five minute oral presentation and a five minute mental subtraction activity while being taped in front of a live audience. Tests for self reported levels of stress revealed that the group on the herbs suffered significantly less stress than the other two groups.

OCD

Valerian may even be able to help people struggling with OCD. An eight week double-blind pilot study of 31 adults with OCD found that 765mg a day of valerian was significantly better than placebo at treating OCD (J Complement Integr Med 2011;8).

If you found this article interesting, join Linda and Ted’s newsletter and get The Natural Path delivered to your in-box every month. The Natural Path is Your Guide to Good Health & Vitality: Cutting Edge Research Made Easy. Subscribe today, and get the latest research to keep you and your family healthy.

To learn more about ways Valerian may benefit your health, visit the GreenMedInfo database on the subject. 

References

1. Dressing H, Köhler S, Müller WE. Improvement of sleep quality with a high-dose valerian/lemon balm preparation: A placebo-controlled double-blind study. Psychopharmakotherapie 1996;6:32-40.

2. Dressing H, Riemann D, Low H, et al. Insomnia: Are valerian/balm combination of equal value to benzodiazepine? Therapiewoche 1992;42:726-36.

3. Brown D. Valerian root: Non-addictive alternative for insomnia and anxiety. Quart Rev Nat Med 1994;Fall:221-4 [review]

Linda Woolven and Ted Snider

Linda Woolven and Ted Snider are the authors of several books on natural health and of the natural health newsletter, The Natural Path. Their latest book, Chocolate: Superfood of the Gods, clearly lays out the science that dark chocolate is nature’s perfect superfood.

You can see their books and subscribe to their newsletter on their website.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

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