Ah, there’s nothing like a cup of hot chamomile tea to soothe the nerves. Chamomile has been used medicinally for thousands of years and was known by ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures. It is usually made into a tisane or an herbal tea without actual caffeinated leaves from a tea plant. Therefore, chamomile is an herbal infusion of sorts.
Research has shown chamomile to have meaningful benefits when it comes to reducing anxiety. The first controlled clinical trial of chamomile extract found it to have a modest anti-anxiety effect in people with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), one of the most common anxiety disorders. Sixty-one people with mild to moderate GAD were enrolled in the study.[1] The participants took 200 milligrams to 1,100 milligrams of chamomile a day for eight weeks. In a longer study, participants were taking 500 milligrams of chamomile extract three times a day for twelve weeks. Moderate to severe symptoms of generalized anxiety disorders reduced significantly.[2]
Chamomile is generally considered safe. However, The National Institutes of Health suggests that people with allergies to the chamomile plant family such as marigolds, daisies, and mums, are at a greater risk of an allergic reaction. Definitely consult with a clinician if anxiety is interfering with your life. For the occasional treat to soothe frazzled nerves, maybe a warm cup of chamomile will work.
Sources:
[1] Amsterdam JD, Li Y, Soeller I, Rockwell K, Mao JJ, Shults J. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2009 Aug;29(4):378-82. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e3181ac935c. PMID: 19593179; PMCID: PMC3600416.
[2] Mao JJ, Xie SX, Keefe JR, Soeller I, Li QS, Amsterdam JD. Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine. 2016 Dec 15;23(14):1735-1742. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2016.10.012. Epub 2016 Oct 24. PMID: 27912875; PMCID: PMC5646235.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2020). Retrieved 10 December 2020, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chamomile