Chamomile, a daisy-family flowering plant used for centuries as a calming tea, shows its strongest human evidence for modestly better sleep quality and meaningfully reduced long-standing worry over a few weeks. Early signals exist for blood sugar, menstrual pain, and digestion. Safety is reassuring; aging and cancer claims remain unproven. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standard Tea

1–4 g dried flowers

Steep 5–10 min, 1–4×/day; evening cup for sleep

Standardized Extract (Anxiety)

220–1100 mg/day

~1.2% apigenin, divided doses, escalated over weeks

Isolated Apigenin (Sleep)

~50 mg before bed

Taken 30–60 min before bed

Time to effect

Sleep

30–60 min

Felt acutely after an evening cup

Anxiety

2–4 weeks

Builds gradually with consistent daily use

Digestion

30–60 min

Felt acutely after an evening cup

Benefits

High: Improved sleep quality

Medium: Reduced generalized anxiety; anti-inflammatory and mucosal healing effects

Low: Improved blood sugar control; relief of menstrual pain; digestive symptom relief

Speculative: Longevity and healthy-aging effects; cancer-protective effects

Contraindications

Allergy to ragweed, daisies, marigolds, or chrysanthemums

History of anaphylaxis

Warfarin with poorly controlled INR

Surgery within two weeks

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Key Interactions

Anticoagulants/antiplatelets (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel)

Sedatives/CNS depressants (benzodiazepines, zolpidem, opioids, alcohol)

OTC sleep aids/antihistamines (diphenhydramine), OTC pain relievers (aspirin, ibuprofen)

Cyclosporine and CYP-metabolized drugs

Sedating supplements (valerian, melatonin, L-theanine, magnesium)

Glucose-lowering supplements (berberine, alpha-lipoic acid, cinnamon extract)

Hormone therapy or estrogen-active agents

Risk & Side Effects

High: Allergic reactions

Medium: Drowsiness and sedation; gastrointestinal upset

Low: Increased bleeding risk with anticoagulants

Speculative: Hormonal effects from apigenin; pregnancy-related concerns

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
INR	Per anticoagulant target (often 2.0–3.0)	Detects additive blood-thinning effect in warfarin users
Fasting blood glucose	75–85 mg/dL	Tracks any glucose-lowering effect
HbA1c	< 5.4%	Reflects average blood sugar over ~3 months
hs-CRP	< 1.0 mg/L	Gauges any systemic anti-inflammatory effect

Cadence: INR within 1–2 weeks of starting, then periodically; glucose and HbA1c every 3–6 months

Qualitative Assessment

Sleep quality, including ease of falling asleep and number of nighttime awakenings
Daytime energy and absence of next-day grogginess
Subjective anxiety and sense of calm over a 2–4 week period
Digestive comfort after meals
Absence of allergic symptoms (rash, itching, nasal symptoms)

Chamomile for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment