Chamomile
Herb ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Chamomile flower is widely used as a tea or extract for relaxation, mild anxiety, digestive comfort, and sleep. Small randomized trials suggest benefit for generalized anxiety symptoms, while insomnia data are mixed and generally modest. People with ragweed or daisy-family allergy, anticoagulant use, pregnancy, or heavy sedative use need caution.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
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This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Chamomile is a herb most often used for may reduce mild generalized anxiety symptoms, may support relaxation before sleep, may soothe stress-related digestive discomfort. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate. A typical adult dose is Tea from 1-3 g dried flower up to several times daily, or 220-1,500 mg/day standardized extract in divided doses in anxiety studies, commonly taken as dried matricaria recutita flower tea for mild use or standardized extract for clinical dosing. This profile indexes 3 sources.
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Allergic reaction
- Known allergy to ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold, daisy, or Asteraceae plants
- Pregnancy in medicinal doses unless clinician-approved
The bottom line
Evidence rating moderate. Most-documented uses: may reduce mild generalized anxiety symptoms, may support relaxation before sleep, may soothe stress-related digestive discomfort. 3 sources indexed (2009–2016), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Chamomile contains apigenin, luteolin, bisabolol, chamazulene-related compounds, and other flavonoids that may interact with benzodiazepine receptor sites, inflammatory pathways, and smooth muscle tone. Tea provides lower and more variable exposure than standardized extract, but may have sensory relaxation benefits. Coumarin-like constituents and allergy potential drive the main safety concerns.1,2
Dosing & protocol.
Tea can be taken between meals or before bed. Extract can be taken with food if nausea occurs.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Chamomile tea or extract capsule.
Tea is cheapest; standardized extracts are more suitable for clinical dosing. Updated 2026-06-04.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Allergic reaction
- Contact dermatitis
- Rare vomiting with very strong tea
- Possible bleeding concern with anticoagulants
Contraindications
- Known allergy to ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold, daisy, or Asteraceae plants
- Pregnancy in medicinal doses unless clinician-approved
- Use with anticoagulants or before surgery without clinician review
- Use with sedatives or alcohol without caution
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Randomized controlled trials
3- 1Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trialMao JJ et al. · Phytomedicine · 2016
Long-term extract use was studied for GAD symptom control and relapse outcomes.
- 2Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: A randomized placebo-controlled pilot studyZick SM et al. · BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine · 2011
The small insomnia trial found no significant differences in most sleep diary outcomes.
- 3A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorderAmsterdam JD et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology · 2009
Chamomile extract produced greater reduction in anxiety scores than placebo in mild to moderate GAD.
Common questions.
Quick answers about Chamomile, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Chamomile?
Chamomile flower is widely used as a tea or extract for relaxation, mild anxiety, digestive comfort, and sleep. Small randomized trials suggest benefit for generalized anxiety symptoms, while insomnia data are mixed and generally modest. People with ragweed or daisy-family allergy, anticoagulant use, pregnancy, or heavy sedative use need caution.
What is Chamomile used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Chamomile include: May reduce mild generalized anxiety symptoms; May support relaxation before sleep; May soothe stress-related digestive discomfort; Provides a caffeine-free evening beverage. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate.
What is a typical dose of Chamomile?
A typical adult dose of Chamomile is Tea from 1-3 g dried flower up to several times daily, or 220-1,500 mg/day standardized extract in divided doses in anxiety studies. The commonly recommended form is Dried Matricaria recutita flower tea for mild use or standardized extract for clinical dosing. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Chamomile?
Reported side effects include drowsiness, nausea, allergic reaction, contact dermatitis, rare vomiting with very strong tea, possible bleeding concern with anticoagulants. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Chamomile?
NutriStack rates this as Moderate, meaning several aligned RCTs or one large RCT plus supporting reviews. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Chamomile in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.