What Is Valerian Root Good For?

Benefits

• Medline Plus lists valerian's primary benefit as the reduction of insomnia, stress and anxiety. It also may be useful for anxiety-related conditions such as digestive problems, migraines, headaches and asthma. Women who have issues related to menstruation and menopause, such as cramps and hot flashes, also may benefit from valerian root.

Function

• The Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health believes that valerian works because of the interaction between its constituents. These constituents, which include volatiles oils, valepotriates and volatile sesquiterpenes, act together as a sedative on the brain and the body's nervous system.

Considerations

• Since valerian acts as a sedative, you should not combine it with alcohol or other sedatives. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn't take valerian, nor should anyone undergoing surgery, driving or operating dangerous machinery. For some people, taking valerian root can actually lead to insomnia, headaches and excitability, according to Medline Plus.