Chamomile
What it’s good for
Chamomile for Anxiety
Mixed3 studies · 2 supporting · 1 against
Apigenin, a flavonoid concentrated in chamomile extract, binds benzodiazepine receptor sites in the brain, giving a plausible mild anxiolytic mechanism similar in principle to how anti-anxiety drugs work.
Dose: 500–1500 mg
Tested as: pharmaceutical-grade chamomile (Matricaria recutita) extract, standardized, 500 mg capsule three times daily (1500 mg/day)
Chamomile for Poor Sleep Quality
Evidence3 studies · 3 supporting · 0 against
Same proposed apigenin/GABA-A-adjacent mechanism theorized to ease sleep onset and improve subjective rest quality, distinct from objectively measured insomnia parameters.
Dose: 200–400 mg
Tested as: standardized chamomile extract capsules, 200 mg twice daily (400 mg/day), in the positive elderly trial; chamomile tea (brewed, taken nightly) in a separate positive short-term trial in postpartum women; doses varied across the 12 trials pooled in the meta-analysis below
Chamomile for Low Mood
Evidence2 studies · 2 supporting · 0 against
Proposed via the same apigenin-mediated calming pathway, on the theory that reducing anxious arousal secondarily lifts depressive symptoms in people with mixed anxiety/depression.
Dose: 500–1500 mg
Tested as: pharmaceutical-grade chamomile extract, 500 mg three times daily (1500 mg/day), in an exploratory secondary analysis of an anxiety-trial population; chamomile tea (nightly, brewed) in a separate short-term postpartum trial
Chamomile for Insomnia
No Benefit1 study · 0 supporting · 1 against
How it was tested: 34 adults with DSM-IV primary insomnia (≥6 months), randomized to chamomile extract or placebo for 28 days. No significant between-group differences in total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep quality, or number of awakenings. Non-significant trend favoring chamomile on daytime functioning and Fatigue Severity Scale. Funded by NIH (NCRR), independent of any chamomile manufacturer.
Same proposed apigenin/benzodiazepine-receptor mechanism as for Anxiety, theorized to also promote sleep onset.
Dose: 270–540 mg
Tested as: standardized chamomile extract capsules (6:1 extract, standardized to ≥2.5 mg apigenin and ≥2.5 mg bisabolol per 90 mg capsule), 270 mg twice daily (540 mg/day)