Valerian

[soren_grey]

I just started taking a "mood-boosting" supplement with Valerian root in it. The dosage says it's 55mg and I've been taking it twice a day like the bottle says. I'm not sure if it's the placebo effect or not, but I definitely feel something. I'm definitely more relaxed and a bit sleepy. But what I want to know is if this is actually a

Comments

[beauty_forashes]

I use capsules that contain 500mg each, and I often use two of those for better sleep, in combination with hops extract. So 250mg isn't much. I haven't heard of valerian being that effective as a mood enhancer, but it does have a calming and mildly sedative effect.

[ivorywitch]

<>

Yeah, so flawed 'they' decided to synthesize the active constituents in Valerian and call it "Valium". Most of what you will read about herbs citing research done in the US will be some sort of debunking. Look for the REAL research that isn't funded by major drug companies. Look for research originating in Germany or France or Switzerland.

Your dose is low by itself, but coupled with the synergistic effects of other herbs like hops or skullcap, the effect is enhanced.

Over time, you will also notice that 'effect' to be less, like being less sleepy. The needed dose for the same effect will build over time. So it's a good idea to do three months on and then a month off. When you notice NO difference between being on or off it, then you've reached the point where the dosage will need to be increased to produce the same effect.

Herbs ARE drugs; slower acting and less invasive and less side effects sure, but they are STILL not something one should be taking ALL THE TIME.

[soren_grey]

Actually Valium is created synthetically and is unrelated to Valerian completely.

[shadows_wolf06]

Valerian is a natural tranquilizer. I generally use it when I get my migraines as two caps make it easy to fall asleep and thus help the body reset the mis-firing neurons in the brain causing said migraine.

I believe the caps I take are 250mg each and I generally take two to four, depending on whether it's simply for a backache/muscle relaxant (one cap) or a raging migraine (that would be the four caps dosage, lol).

Valerian is one of the rare things that actually kicks my ass, too. When taking IB Profen, I have to take at least 800mg at a time or I might as well just drink water for all the good it's going to do me.

But then, the Valerian caps I take are chopped up Valerian root with very little processing if any, while the IB Profen is a bunch of processed crap that apparently my body takes to mean that it needs more of it in order to work. *shrugs*

[liveonearth]

I use valerian for sleep and also for anxiety. It increases the neurotransmitter GABA in your brain. If you take a larger dose of valerian in the evening, you may have a hangover in the morning. I don't like taking it during the day because I feel too dopey. My caps are 500mg and I have taken four of them in a night when I really needed to sleep. I was definitely slow the whole next day. As for the science, if they've proved anything, they've proved that their science is no good. Valerian definitely does something.