Valerian is a medicinal herb used to treat a variety of conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, depression and headaches. The capsule form of valerian is composed of the roots and stems of valerian. Although studies have found valerian to be safe when used for four to six weeks, side effects may still occur, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The use of valerian should be approved by your doctor.
Sedation
Although valerian is used to help calm you, its sedative effect may impair your ability to drive. Your risk of excessive sedation is increased if you take other herbal supplements or medications with sedative effects while you are taking valerian. Specifically, the University of Maryland Medical Center has identified lemon balm and chamomile as two herbal supplements that should be taken with caution while taking valerian. UMMC adds that valerian may significantly increase the sedative effects of medications such as alprazolam, or Xanax; zolpidem, or Ambien; and andvalproic acid, or Depakote.
Irritability
Valerian root is supposed to reduce irritability since it has a high concentration of gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABA. GABA is a neurotransmitter that works to inhibit excitability and irritability. It has a calming effect on your body and helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Steadyhealth.com explains that valerian is believed to increase the amount of GABA in the brain, thus triggering its calming effect. Irritability may occur as a result of not taking valerian at bedtime as indicated.
Insomnia
Insomnia is an interesting side effect of valerian since it is a popular herb for the treatment of sleeping disorders. This suggests that the use of valerian may actually exacerbate the condition for which you are taking it. That is why it is important to keep in mind that valerian is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and that the FDA has not evaluated valerian's effectiveness or safety, according to Drugs.com.
Liver Damage
The development of liver damage as a result of valerian use is extremely rare. According to eMedTV, the reported cases involve the use of valerian root along with other herbs. As a result, it is unknown whether the liver damage can be attributed to valerian, another herb or a combination of herbs. Therefore, if you have a pre-existing liver disease, notify your doctor of this prior to taking valerian.
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