Lavender

Effects and Benefits

Core Identification

Common Names:
- Lavender
- True Lavender
- English Lavender
- Garden Lavender

Latin Name: Lavandula angustifolia (syn. L. officinalis)

Category: Herb

Uses

Traditional Uses

• Calming nervousness, restlessness, and promoting sleep - European folk medicine, medieval period onward
• Digestive support for colic, gas, and nervous stomach - Traditional Western herbalism
• Headache relief and migraine prevention - European herbalism, referenced by Hildegard von Bingen (12th century)
• Bathing and wound care - Ancient Greek and Roman use

Modern Uses

• Anxiety and stress relief - Reduces feelings of anxiety and promotes relaxation | Research quality: Strong
• Key findings: Clinical trials show lavender oil (taken internally as standardized preparation) more effective than placebo and comparable to conventional tranquilizers for generalized anxiety; inhalation studies demonstrate reduced anxiety scores in hemodialysis patients and dental office settings

• Source citations: Chevallier - Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine; Bone - Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs

• Sleep support - Promotes faster sleep onset and improved sleep quality | Research quality: Moderate

• Key findings: Inhalation studies show lavender lengthens sleep time and reduces restlessness; randomized trials show mild improvement in sleep quality with lavender baths; University of Leicester study found lavender as effective as sedative drugs for elderly patients

• Source citations: Bone - Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs; Keville - Aromatherapy

• Headache and migraine - Relieves tension headaches, especially stress-related | Research quality: Moderate

• Key findings: Diluted essential oil applied to temples and forehead relieves tension; combines well with feverfew for cluster headache prevention

• Source citations: Miele - Runes for the Green Witch; Stein - Healing Herbs A to Z

• Digestive comfort - Relieves gas, bloating, and nervous stomach | Research quality: Moderate

• Key findings: German Commission E approved for functional abdominal complaints including nervous stomach irritation and intestinal discomfort; carminative properties well-documented

• Source citations: Bone - Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs; Chevallier - Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine

• Skin healing and burns - Promotes wound healing, soothes burns and minor skin irritations | Research quality: Moderate

• Key findings: Essential oil demonstrates antibacterial and antifungal activity; widely documented for first aid treatment of burns; promotes healing of wounds, sores, and skin irritations
• Source citations: Chevallier - Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine; Schnaubelt - The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils

Active Compounds

Primary Active Ingredients:
- Linalyl acetate (30-60%) - Primary component responsible for calming and antispasmodic effects
- Linalool (20-40%) - Sedative compound; inhibits caffeine stimulation; antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi
- Cineole (up to 10%) - Contributes to respiratory benefits
- Borneol and nerol - Supporting aromatic compounds
- Flavonoids - Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support
- Rosmarinic acid derivatives - Antioxidant phenolic compounds

Dosage Information

Standard Dosage:
- Form: Dried flower tea
- Amount: ½ teaspoon (1-2g) dried herb per cup
- Frequency: 1-3 cups daily

Therapeutic Dosage:
- Form: Tincture (fresh 1:2 in 95% alcohol or dried 1:5 in 50-60% alcohol)
- Amount: 0.5-1 ml (10-20 drops)
- Purpose: Anxiety, headaches, digestive support
- Duration: As needed or for ongoing support

• Form: Liquid extract (1:2)
• Amount: 2.0-4.5 ml per day
• Purpose: Therapeutic internal use

Maximum Safe Dosage:
- Daily maximum (tea): 3g dried herb
- Essential oil internally: Only with professional guidance; standardized capsule preparations (80mg) studied in clinical trials
- Warning threshold: Large doses of essential oil can cause narcotic effects

Bioavailability Notes:
- Percutaneous absorption from massage: Main constituents detected in blood within 5 minutes, mostly excreted within 90 minutes
- Approximately 30% of essential oil extracted by 45% ethanol tincture preparations
- Inhalation provides rapid access to nervous system effects

How to Take It

Timing:
- For sleep: Take tea or use aromatherapy 30-60 minutes before bedtime
- For anxiety: Use as needed throughout the day
- For digestion: Take after meals
- With food or on empty stomach: Either acceptable; with food may enhance digestive benefits

Synergies - What It Works Well With

Complementary Supplements:
1. Chamomile - Both nervines; combined effect enhances relaxation and digestive soothing
2. Valerian - Stronger sedative combined with lavender's gentle calming; effective for headaches and sleep
3. Lemon Balm - Fellow mint-family nervine; synergistic for anxiety and stress
4. Feverfew - Combined for migraine prevention protocol
5. Rosemary - Traditional pairing in Herbes de Provence; complementary for depression when stimulation also needed

Avoidance - What NOT to Combine With

Supplement Interactions:
1. Other strong sedative herbs (high doses) - May cause excessive drowsiness | Additive sedation

Drug Interactions:
1. Sedative medications (benzodiazepines, sleep aids) - May increase sedative effects | Potential consequence: Excessive drowsiness | Severity level: Moderate
2. Anti-anxiety medications - May enhance effects | Potential consequence: Increased sedation | Severity level: Moderate
3. CNS depressants - Additive central nervous system depression | Potential consequence: Drowsiness, impaired coordination | Severity level: Moderate

Food Interactions:
- Alcohol: May enhance sedative effects; use caution if combining

Safety Information

Contraindications:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding (avoid internal use of essential oil; tea in moderation generally considered acceptable)
- Children (do not use undiluted essential oil internally)
- Known allergy to lavender or Lamiaceae family plants

Side Effects:
- Common: None at recommended doses
- Uncommon: Drowsiness, headache (paradoxical in some individuals)
- Rare: Allergic skin reactions, nausea, vomiting, changes in appetite, constipation
- Essential oil specific: Potential hormonal effects reported (case reports of prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oil products, though evidence disputed)

Long-Term Use:
- Safety of prolonged use: Generally considered safe for extended use at recommended doses
- Monitoring recommendations: None required for tea or tincture forms
- Cycle recommendations: Not typically necessary; some practitioners suggest periodic breaks

Special Precautions:
- Surgery: Discontinue 2 weeks before scheduled surgery due to potential sedative interactions with anesthesia
- Pregnancy: Avoid essential oil internally; external/aromatherapy use in moderation generally acceptable
- Lavandin (hybrid variety): Higher in camphor; avoid during pregnancy and with epilepsy

Primary Uses At-a-Glance

Primary: Anxiety, Sleep/Insomnia, Stress, Headaches, Nervous Stomach

Secondary: Burns and skin healing, Digestive gas and bloating, Mood support, Muscle tension

Sources

Local Library:
- Bone, Kerry - A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs
- Chevallier, Andrew - Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine
- DeBaggio, Thomas - The Encyclopedia of Herbs
- Duke, James A. - Handbook of Medicinal Herbs
- Edwards, Victoria H. - The Aromatherapy Companion
- Gillis, Bonnie Louise - Lavender
- Groves, Maria Noel - Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies
- Hoffman, David - An Herbal Guide to Stress Relief
- Keville, Kathi - Aromatherapy
- Lawless, Julia - The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils
- Lavabre, Marcel - Aromatherapy Workbook
- Miele, Nicolette - Runes for the Green Witch
- Schnaubelt, Kurt - The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils
- Stein, Diane - Healing Herbs A to Z
- Tierra, Michael - The Way of Herbs
- Waller, Pip - The Herbal Handbook for Home and Health

General Knowledge:
- German Commission E Monographs
- American Herbal Products Association safety classification