What are the side effects or contraindications of Valerian?!
Question:
What are the side effects or contraindications of Valerian?
Why does the label on my Valerian say to discontinue use two weeks before surgery? Are there other contraindications or side effects not generally reported?
Answers:
10 types of cancer?? Give me a break, or at least cite your sources for all these extreme contraindications. If you get it from a poor source, then yes, like everything else, you might get what you pay for. If you get valerian from a reputable, organic source, there are not that many serious contraindications.
"The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) gives valerian a class 1 safety rating, which indicates that it is a safe herb with a wide dosage range. " - University of Maryland Medical Center
Yes, it is a sedative, and therefore by common sense it should be kept away from any other sedative or psychiatric meds or herbs. So no anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, or sedatives of any kind while on valerian. Some psych meds might stay in your system for a long time, so ask a pharmacist if you were on any drugs like that in the past few months.
The one side effect I have found in speaking with other herbalists, is that nightmares result for some people. Out of the 25 or more people I know on valerian, three of the reported this. There are likely studies out there which can reflect a more accurate idea of how many people get this.
According to the American Botanical Council cited below, most people don't have any problems at all with it. They are even recommending it as safe during pregnancy, although I would look into this more before suggesting it.
The other reference I cited below is the University of Maryland Medical Center, and it has more info about some other possible side effects.