If you suffer from an anxiety disorder or just need a relaxant after the stress of work, you may want to try natural remedies before taking prescription drugs. Valerian root and kava have both been used to treat symptoms associated with anxiety and nervous-related disorders. The roots of both herbs are used for their psychological effects, although the effects and the risks are not exactly the same.
Valerian Root Benefits
Valerian is mentioned by MayoClinic.com as an alternative medicine to treat anxiety as well as insomnia because of its sedating effect. Valerian has a calming and relaxing effect on the nervous system and mood. The University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, reports valerian may increase the amount of gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABA, your brain produces. GABA is a brain chemical that helps regulate nerve cells, which has a calming effect on your state of mind.
Kava Benefits
Kava, like valerian, helps calm the nervous system. However, kava does is not sedating, so it won't make you feel drowsy. Kava has been historically used as a celebratory drink because it can have an effect similar to that of alcohol. It is used to treat symptoms of anxiety and depression because it relaxes the body and lifts mood and sense of well-being. Since it is not sedating, kava may have more of an impact on mood than valerian. The two herbs have effects similar to those of anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines; however, a 2004 study cited by the UMMC showed that kava, unlike valerian and many anxiety medications, increased cognitive function.
Dosages
If you use the roots for tea, valerian and kava are similar in dosage. The standard doses are approximately 3 g or less of dried valerian roots up to three times per day in tea for insomnia and not more than 4 g of dried kava roots in tea for anxiety. The dosage of supplemental valerian for treating anxiety is typically 200 mg three or four times per day. The standard dosage for supplemental kava for anxiety or nervousness is 150 mg to 300 mg, one to three times a day. Kava should not be used for more than three months without at least a two-week break. Talk with your doctor before adding either herb to your regimen.
Risks
Kava carries higher risks than valerian. The UMMC warns kava may be harmful to the liver. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D., reports on MayoClinic.com that in 2002 the Food and Drug Administration issued a consumer warning about the safety of kava for the liver. Many countries have actually outlawed the use of kava because of potential liver damage. Other potential side effects of kava include allergic skin reactions, dizziness, drowsiness, restlessness, upset stomach and tremors. Valerian is deemed safe with relatively few side effects; one of these is a potential "paradoxical reaction" that triggers anxiousness and restlessness rather than calm and sleepiness, according to UMMC.
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