How we rate
“Strong” = several concordant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. “Moderate” = one synthesis, or several controlled trials. “Limited” = early trials only. The rating is about the quality of the studies, not about how useful the supplement is.
Lavender (Silexan)
Lavender essential oil in capsules, studied in the form of a specific preparation, Silexan. In anxious adults, 80 to 160 mg per day reduce anxiety better than placebo, and sleep improves with it, with no measured sedation or dependence.
Benefits
- Reduces anxiety: in a meta-analysis of five placebo-controlled trials on 1,213 adults suffering from anxiety disorders, 80 mg per day decreased psychic and physical symptoms of anxiety more, and improved quality of life
- As effective as lorazepam, an anxiolytic from the benzodiazepine family, against generalized anxiety in a double-blind trial
- In 539 adults with generalized anxiety, 80 or 160 mg per day performed better than placebo, with an adverse event rate comparable to that of placebo
- Improves the sleep of anxious individuals: in 221 adults, better sleep quality than with placebo after 10 weeks; in 212 patients, this effect comes almost entirely from the reduction in anxiety, not from sedation
- Reduces depression symptoms: in 498 patients with mild to moderate depression, 80 mg per day performed better than placebo in 8 weeks, as did sertraline
- In 318 adults suffering from a mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, reduced both anxiety and depression better than placebo
Precautions
No trial in this file finds more adverse effects than with placebo, and a network meta-analysis of 100 trials on anxiolytics even finds fewer. No measured sedation: driving is not impaired, up to 320 mg in a single dose and at 80 mg per day in repeated doses, and in recreational drug users, no abuse potential up to 640 mg in a single dose. No measured interaction with the main enzymes that eliminate drugs (cytochromes P450) in 16 volunteers, nor with the combined contraceptive pill (ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel) in 24 women. If you are undergoing treatment for anxiety or depression, talk to your doctor: the trials compare Silexan to these treatments, none test switching from one to the other. The limitations: all studies involve anxious or depressed individuals, and only the Silexan preparation. For lavender oil inhalation or massage, the 2019 meta-analysis rates the quality of the studies as low. And 80 mg per day, the most tested dose, would be the lower limit of effectiveness.
Recommended dosage
80 mg per day of Silexan (lavender essential oil in capsules) in most trials; 160 mg per day performed better on all criteria in an analysis of 925 adults.
How to take it
- For whom: the studies in this file involve adults suffering from an anxiety disorder, subthreshold anxiety, or depression, not healthy people who are simply stressed.
- Which form: all studies involve the same oral preparation, Silexan, in a capsule. A result obtained with it does not necessarily apply to another lavender oil; inhalation and massage only have indices of effect, from low-quality studies.
- Dose: 80 mg per day in most trials. An analysis of two trials on 925 adults places 80 mg at the lower limit of efficacy, and 160 mg per day performed better than placebo on all criteria.
- How long: the trials in this file that state their duration range from 8 to 10 weeks, and the 2019 meta-analysis includes intakes of at least 6 weeks.
- Discontinuation: no withdrawal symptoms measured after abrupt cessation, at both 80 and 160 mg per day.
- Timing and meals: no study in this file compares morning versus evening, nor intake during or between meals.
Did you know?
In a double-blind trial, Silexan performed as well as lorazepam, a benzodiazepine, against generalized anxiety; and in another, stopped overnight, it caused no withdrawal symptoms.
What the studies say
This network meta-analysis, including 100 trials and 28,637 participants, compared the efficacy and acceptability of various anxiolytics. Silexan, the only herbal medicinal product included, proved very effective in reducing anxiety and showed an acceptability comparable to that of placebo. It was also one of the few treatments to result in fewer adverse effects than placebo, offering a well-tolerated treatment option.
Müller TJ, Künzi A, Heitlinger E, Krämer B, von Känel R, Hättenschwiler J, Hilpert M, Imboden C, Holsboer-Trachsler E, Hatzinger M, Kasper S, Bandelow B, Seifritz E. — European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience (2026) — View the source study
For information only: not a substitute for medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a replacement for a varied, balanced diet. Learn more