Lemon Balm
Research reviewed: up until 05/2023
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is a dietary supplement with 13 published peer-reviewed studies involving 660 participants, researched for Stress, and anxiety, Sleep, Premenstrual syndrome and 3 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Stress, and anxiety
ModerateSleep
StrongPremenstrual syndrome
ModerateSexual Function
ModerateCognitive health
StrongMood and sleep
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Stress, and anxiety
To evaluate the effects of a lemon balm extract on stressed volunteers with mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances.
Study Type
Open-label pilot trial
Purpose
To evaluate the effects of a lemon balm extract on stressed volunteers with mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances.
Dose
600 mg/day of lemon balm extract (2 x 300 mg tablets; 300mg in the morning and 300 mg before bed) or placebo
Participants
20 stressed male and female volunteers aged 18-70 years
Duration
15 days
Results
The study found an association between 600 mg of lemon balm extract significant reductions in anxiety symptoms, with a 15% decrease in anxiety-related symptoms, an 18% reduction in anxiety manifestations, and a 42% improvement in insomnia. Additionally, there was a decrease in agitation, hyper-excitation, and other anxiety-related issues, including eating problems, guilt, and fatigue.
How They Measured It
Anxiety and insomnia was assessed using questionnaires which measure anxiety manifestations, anxiety-associated symptoms and insomnia.
To investigate the effects of Lemon Balm on participants exposed to laboratory-induced stress
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced crossover trial
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Lemon Balm on participants exposed to laboratory-induced stress
Dose
300 mg of lemon balm (2 x 150 mg capsules), 600 mg (4 x 150 mg capsules) of lemon balm, and placebo
Participants
10 males and 18 females with an average age of 29 years
Duration
300 mg lemon balm or 600 mg lemon balm or a placebo, with a 7-day interval between each dose.
Results
The study found an association between a single 600 mg dose of lemon balm and a significant increase in self-reported calmness and a significant reduction in self-reported alertness after exposure to stress compared to a placebo. The study also found that a single 300 mg dose of lemon balm is associated with the significant increase in the speed and accuracy of mathematical processing compared to placebo.
Sleep
To assess the effects of lemon balm on sleep quality of postmenopausal women. Research has shown that sleep disorder is one of the most common problems in menopausal women.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial
Purpose
To assess the effects of lemon balm on sleep quality of postmenopausal women. Research has shown that sleep disorder is one of the most common problems in menopausal women.
Dose
500 mg/day lemon balm extract (2 x 250 mg capsules) or placebo
Participants
110 postmenopausal women with an average age of 53 years
Duration
1 month
Results
The researchers observed a significant improvement in sleep quality in the lemon balm group compared to the control group after 1 month of intervention. These results suggest that lemon balm may be a beneficial, natural option for enhancing sleep quality over a relatively short period of time. *lower score indicates better sleep quality
How They Measured It
Sleep quality was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire called the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, which measures seven areas: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction.
To determine the effects of lemon balm supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbances in patients with chronic stable angina, a type of chest pain that happens during physical activity or stress due to reduced blood flow to the heart.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial
Purpose
To determine the effects of lemon balm supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbances in patients with chronic stable angina, a type of chest pain that happens during physical activity or stress due to reduced blood flow to the heart.
Dose
3,000 mg/day of lemon balm (3 x 1,000 mg capsules) or placebo
Participants
73 men and women with an average age of 58 years
Duration
8 weeks
Results
The researchers observed a significant decrease in the total sleep disorder score in the intervention group compared to the control group after treatment. Specifically, the intervention group demonstrated better sleep quality, longer sleep duration, and improved sleep efficiency compared to the control group.
How They Measured It
Sleep quality was assessed before and after the intervention using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a self-reported questionnaire which measures seven areas: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction.
To evaluate the effects of lemon balm on anxiety and sleep quality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Studies have shown that anxiety and sleep disorders are common following surgery, often affecting recovery and overall well-being.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate the effects of lemon balm on anxiety and sleep quality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Studies have shown that anxiety and sleep disorders are common following surgery, often affecting recovery and overall well-being.
Dose
1500 mg/day lemon balm (3 x 500 mg capsules) or placebo
Participants
80 men and women with an average age of 58 years
Duration
7 days
Results
The participants in the lemon balm group showed a significantly greater improvement in sleep quality and lower anxiety scores compared to the placebo group. Overall, the researchers observed that lemon balm improved sleep quality by 54% and reduced anxiety by 49% in patients after coronary artery bypass surgery.
How They Measured It
Sleep quality was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire called St. Mary’s Hospital Sleep Questionnaire, which measures the severity of sleep disorder.
To evaluate the effects of a lemon balm extract on stressed volunteers with mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances.
Study Type
Open-label pilot trial (uncontrolled)
Purpose
To evaluate the effects of a lemon balm extract on stressed volunteers with mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances.
Dose
600 mg/day of lemon balm extract (2 x 300 mg tablets; 300mg in the morning and 300 mg before bed)
Participants
20 stressed male and female volunteers aged 18-70 years
Duration
15 days
Results
The study found an association between 600 mg of lemon balm and significant reductions in anxiety symptoms, with a 15% decrease in anxiety-related symptoms, an 18% reduction in anxiety manifestations, and a 42% improvement in insomnia. Additionally, there was a decrease in agitation, hyper-excitation, and other anxiety-related issues, including eating problems, guilt, and fatigue.
How They Measured It
Anxiety and insomnia was assessed using questionnaires which measure anxiety manifestations, anxiety-associated symptoms and insomnia.
Premenstrual syndrome
To examine the effects of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) on the psychological health of female adolescents with premenstrual syndrome
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To examine the effects of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) on the psychological health of female adolescents with premenstrual syndrome
Dose
1200 mg/day of Lemon balm essence (2 x 600 mg capsules) or placebo
Participants
100 females with premenstrual syndrome (aged 16 on average)
Duration
3 menstrual period cycles (7 days a month for 3 months)
Results
The researchers observed significantly lower scores for anxiety, sleep disturbances, social function disturbance, psychosomatic symptoms and depression in participants who took 1,200 mg/day of Lemon balm during their menstrual period for 3 cycles compared to the placebo group.
How They Measured It
Psychological health was self-assessed using the General Health Questionnaire, which included questions related to depression, anxiety, sleeping and social function disorder, and somatoform symptoms.
Sexual Function
To evaluate the effects of lemon balm extract on women with sexual dysfunction.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate the effects of lemon balm extract on women with sexual dysfunction.
Dose
1000 mg/day of Lemon balm extract (2 x 500 mg tablet; 500 mg an hour after breakfast and 500 mg an hour before dinner) or placebo
Participants
43 women with an average age of 35 years
Duration
4 weeks
Results
The study found an association between 1000 mg/day lemon balm extract and significant improvements in all sexual domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) after a month of intake. The average amount of sexual intercourse in a month increased by 9.0 in people receiving 1000 mg/day lemon balm, nearly twice as much as the placebo group (4.3). In addition, 90% in the Lemon balm treatment group were significantly more willing to continue treatment as compared to those in the placebo group.
How They Measured It
Sexual function was self-reported using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire, which evaluated their sexual function in terms of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.
Cognitive health
To examine the effect of yamabushitake (Lion’s Mane) on patients with mild-cognitive impairments.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To examine the effect of yamabushitake (Lion’s Mane) on patients with mild-cognitive impairments.
Dose
1000 mg/day (4 x 250 mg containing 96% lion’s mane) or placebo
Participants
29 men and women aged 50 to 80 years old
Duration
16 weeks
Results
The study found an association between 1000mg of lion’s mane intake and a significant increase in cognitive function at weeks 8, 12, and 16 of the trial. The researchers also observed that the cognitive function of 71.4% of participants in the lion's mane group improved significantly, compared to only 6.7% in the placebo group.
How They Measured It
Cognitive impairment was evaluated using the researchers’ self-developed cognitive assessment tool. It consisted of verbal questions and tasks that assess memory, attention, language, and visual-motor skills, providing a score that helps identify potential cognitive impairments.
To investigate the effects of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s mane) capsules on patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s mane) capsules on patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease
Dose
3 x 350 mg capsules (1,050 mg/day) of lion’s mane (each containing 5 mg/g of erinacine A) or placebo. Note that erinacine A is one of the key components of lion’s mane responsible for the neurotrophic effects (promoting the growth and survival potential of neurons) and neuroprotective effects (shielding neurons from damage or degeneration).
Participants
41 male and female participants aged 50 years and above
Duration
49 weeks
Results
The placebo group showed a significant decline in their CASI scores, indicating a deterioration in cognitive abilities. The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) is a tool that assesses key mental functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. In contrast, the lion’s mane group did not show this decline, suggesting that the treatment may help preserve the cognitive functions measured by CASI. The lion's mane group also showed a significant improvement in their Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE scores) over the study period, indicating enhanced overall cognitive function. Higher MMSE scores reflect better abilities in areas like orientation, attention, recall, and language. There was also a significant difference in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scores between the lion's mane and placebo groups, with the lion’s mane group performing better. This suggests that the treatment may help individuals maintain their independence longer. The lion’s mane group also showed improvements in their ability to see fine details, known as contrast sensitivity, compared to placebo. Reduced contrast sensitivity has been found to be associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment. Overall, lion's mane supplementation for 49 weeks achieved a better contrast sensitivity in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.
How They Measured It
Treatment effects in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia were measured using four cognitive assessment questionnaires. Researchers also assessed participants' vision, as multiple studies have found a correlation between visual problems and various degrees of cognitive decline. Vision was assessed using a Pelli-Robson chart and a Snellen eye chart (a chart with different-sized letters that helps measure how well you can see from a distance). Researchers also used magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate brain white matter, as brain white matter plays a crucial role in brain function, and changes in white matter integrity (the condition of nerve fibres) have been associated with various cognitive disorders, including dementia. An increase in white matter fibre means that the brain's communication network is improving, which can lead to better cognitive abilities and a greater ability to learn and adapt.
To evaluate the effects of Lion’s mane supplementation on cognitive function.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Purpose
To evaluate the effects of Lion’s mane supplementation on cognitive function.
Dose
3.2 g/day of lion’s mane powder (4 x 0.8 g supplements) or placebo. Specifically, the fruiting body of lion’s mane was used.
Participants
31 healthy adults aged over 50 years
Duration
12 weeks
Results
The study found an association between oral lion's mane supplementation and improved cognitive function after 12 weeks of treatment. The researchers observed acin both the treatment and placebo groups, but only the lion's mane treatment group showed statistically significant improvement. An increase in the questionnaire score indicates an improvement in cognitive function. However, the study did not find significant differences in visual cognition and memory. Overall, the study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the potential cognitive benefits of lion's mane.
How They Measured It
Cognitive function, impairment and memory were assessed and scored using a series of questions and tasks. Visual cognition was assessed by measuring the ability of participants to accurately recall and reproduce the details of presented drawings.
Mood and sleep
To investigate the effect of lion’s mane supplementation in overweight or obese individuals.
Study Type
Pilot study (uncontrolled)
Purpose
To investigate the effect of lion’s mane supplementation in overweight or obese individuals.
Dose
1500 mg/day of lion’s mane (3 x 400 mg of lion’s mane mycelium + 100 mg of lion’s mane fruiting body extract)
Participants
77 overweight or obese volunteers with an average age of 53 years
Duration
8 weeks
Results
The study found an association between 8 weeks of lion's mane supplementation and a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, along with an improvement in the quality of nighttime rest. When the results from the questionnaires were combined, the researchers observed an approximate 30% decrease in depression questionnaire scores and over 40% in anxiety symptoms. These findings suggest that lion's mane supplementation holds promise as a potential intervention for improving the mental well-being of overweight and obese individuals.
How They Measured It
Depression, anxiety, and binge eating disorders were assessed using self-reported questionnaires.
To investigate the effects of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s mane) on women with menopause, depression, sleep quality, and various complaints such as such as cognitive dysfunction, thinning of hair, low back pain, back pain, irritation, anxiety and apathy.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s mane) on women with menopause, depression, sleep quality, and various complaints such as such as cognitive dysfunction, thinning of hair, low back pain, back pain, irritation, anxiety and apathy.
Dose
2 g/day of lion’s mane powder (4 cookies x 0.50 g of powdered lion’s mane fruiting bud) or placebo
Participants
26 females with an average age of 41 years
Duration
4 weeks
Results
The researchers found an association between 4 weeks of lion's mane ingestion and significantly lower scores on questionnaires for depression and complaints such as cognitive dysfunction, thinning of hair, low back pain, back pain, irritation, anxiety and apathy. There was also a trend toward an improvement in sleep quality although the results were not statistically significant.
How They Measured It
The participants were asked about the severity of their menopausal symptoms, such as depressive moods, vertigo, headache, heart palpitation, hot flashes, joint pain, loss of concentration, nervousness, excessive perspiration and sleep disturbances. Depressive symptoms and sleep quality were self-assessed using questionnaires. Participants were asked to rate their subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Lemon Balm research
There are currently 13 peer-reviewed studies on Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), involving 660 total participants. Research covers Stress, and anxiety, Sleep, Premenstrual syndrome and 3 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Very Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Very Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (13 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Lemon Balm has been researched for: Stress, and anxiety, Sleep, Premenstrual syndrome, Sexual Function, Cognitive health, Mood and sleep. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 13 out of 13 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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