- 01Apigenin's sleep evidence comes from chamomile extract trials
Every human sleep and anxiety trial behind apigenin's reputation tested chamomile extract, a mix of many plant compounds, at roughly 220 to 1,500 mg a day. No published randomised trial has given people isolated apigenin for sleep 4. So a 50 mg apigenin capsule borrows its reputation from a different product, and even chamomile improved how people rated their sleep without improving insomnia severity 2.
Apigenin is a flavone, one of the yellow pigment compounds plants make, and it is often credited with chamomile's calming reputation, though that link has not been proven in people. In the lab it binds the same brain receptor that benzodiazepine drugs use, far more weakly 8. No trial has tested apigenin capsules for sleep in people 4; chamomile extract, the product that was trialled, improved self-rated sleep quality but not insomnia severity 2. The NAD+ and longevity claims rest on mouse and cell studies.
Where apigenin comes from: food, tea or capsule
Apigenin sits in many plants, mostly bound to a sugar. In chamomile flowers it occurs mainly as apigenin-7-glucoside, and gut enzymes and bacteria cut the sugar off before the free apigenin is absorbed. In parsley and celery it is bound as apiin. Supplements usually sell the free, isolated form, typically 50 mg per capsule, often extracted from chamomile or grapefruit.
The amounts below come from the USDA flavonoid database 7. Food values swing widely with variety, growing conditions and how long the herb sat on a shelf, so treat them as orders of magnitude.
| Source | Typical serving | Approximate apigenin |
|---|---|---|
| Dried parsley | 1 tablespoon (about 0.5 g) | About 20 mg |
| Fresh parsley | A quarter cup chopped (about 15 g) | About 30 mg |
| Celery, raw | 1 medium stalk (about 40 g) | Under 2 mg |
| Chamomile tea, brewed | 1 cup | A few mg, varies with brew strength and time |
| Apigenin capsule | 1 capsule | Usually 50 mg |
| Chamomile extract (trial products) | About 220 to 1,500 mg extract a day | Often standardised to about 1.2% apigenin, so roughly 3 to 18 mg a day |
A generous parsley-heavy meal such as tabbouleh can match a capsule, while the chamomile extracts used in human trials delivered well under 50 mg of apigenin a day, so no human trial has tested the capsule dose.
How apigenin works, and how little reaches your blood
In 1995 Argentine researchers isolated apigenin from chamomile flowers and showed it binds the benzodiazepine site on the GABA-A receptor, the brain's main calming switch. In mice it reduced anxiety-like behaviour without the muscle relaxation of diazepam, and caused sedation only at much higher doses 8. Its pull on that receptor is much weaker than a prescription benzodiazepine's 8.
A second mechanism drives the longevity interest. Apigenin blocks CD38, an enzyme that breaks down NAD+, a molecule cells use to make energy and repair DNA. In obese mice, apigenin raised NAD+ in tissue and improved glucose and fat handling 9. Nobody has measured that effect in people 4.
Both mechanisms depend on enough apigenin reaching the brain or tissues, and that is the weak link. Apigenin dissolves poorly in water, and the liver and gut wall quickly attach glucuronide and sulfate groups that tag it for excretion. In the main human study, 11 adults ate a large portion of parsley (2 g per kg of body weight): blood apigenin peaked about 7 hours later at around 127 nanomoles per litre on average, a very small amount, and only about 0.6% of the apigenin eaten was recovered in urine, with big differences between people 3. Many cell studies use concentrations in the micromolar range, far above that.
Does apigenin help you sleep?
| Study | Who | What was given | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zick 2011, pilot randomised controlled trial 1 | 34 adults with chronic insomnia | Chamomile extract 270 mg twice daily, 28 days | No significant difference from placebo on sleep diary measures (total sleep, time to fall asleep, waking); small gains in daytime functioning |
| Adib-Hajbaghery 2017, controlled trial 10 | 77 older nursing-home residents | Chamomile extract 200 mg twice daily, 4 weeks | Better scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a standard questionnaire on how well you slept over the past month, than the control group |
| Hieu 2019, meta-analysis 2 | 12 randomised trials pooled | Various chamomile preparations | Improved sleep quality and generalised anxiety; no significant improvement in insomnia severity |
Sleep quality scores ask how well you feel you slept, and a mild calming effect can shift them. Insomnia severity measures the disorder itself: trouble falling or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months, with daytime harm. Chamomile moved the first and not the second 2. In the one trial that recruited people with chronic insomnia, sleep diaries did not beat placebo 1. For how sleep stages work and how much you need, see <a href="/learn/deep-sleep">deep sleep</a>, <a href="/learn/is-5-hours-of-sleep-enough">is 5 hours of sleep enough</a> and our <a href="/for/sleep">sleep guide</a>.
There's very little information on chamomile's effect on insomnia.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Chamomile fact sheet 5
Which one has human sleep data: an apigenin capsule or chamomile extract?
Apigenin for anxiety
Anxiety is the stronger human case, again for chamomile extract. In an 8-week randomised trial of 57 adults with mild to moderate generalised anxiety disorder, chamomile extract at 220 to 1,100 mg a day lowered anxiety scores more than placebo 6. A longer follow-up trial found chamomile extract at 1,500 mg a day for 26 weeks was well tolerated and kept symptoms lower, but did not significantly cut relapse compared with placebo 12. The 2019 meta-analysis pooled the trials into a benefit for generalised anxiety 2.
None of these trials tested isolated apigenin, none enrolled people with severe anxiety, and none compared chamomile with standard treatment. Chamomile extract is a reasonable thing to discuss with a clinician for mild anxiety; it does not replace therapy or medication someone already relies on.
Longevity, NAD+ and the other claims
Apigenin's newer fame comes from longevity podcasts, mostly on the CD38 and NAD+ story. Each claim, graded by the best evidence behind it:
| Claim | Best evidence | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Raises NAD+ by blocking CD38 | Obese mice and cell studies 9 | Animal only |
| Boosts NMN or NR when stacked | No study of the combination in people or animals | Untested |
| Improves blood sugar and weight | Rodent studies 9 | Animal only |
| Lowers inflammation | Cell and animal studies 4 | Animal only |
| Fights cancer | Cell lines and mouse tumour models | Lab only |
| Raises testosterone or blocks estrogen (aromatase) | Test-tube enzyme studies; no human hormone data | Lab only |
Apigenin capsules have not been shown to raise NAD+ in a single person, and given how little apigenin reaches the blood 3, the mouse result may not carry over at all. <a href="/compounds/nicotinamide-riboside">Nicotinamide riboside</a> has the opposite profile: a human trial showed it raises blood NAD+ 13, while whether that improves health is still open. For the wider picture, see our <a href="/for/longevity">longevity guide</a>.
How much apigenin for sleep, and when: what was studied
Retail apigenin is almost always 50 mg, a number that spread from podcast sleep stacks, usually paired with magnesium and L-theanine. That combination has not been tested as a stack. The sleep trials gave chamomile extract twice a day rather than only at bedtime, and no trial has set a time of day for a 50 mg apigenin capsule. The table sets the amounts used in human trials beside what sells.
| Product | Amount used or sold | Human evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Chamomile extract, sleep trials | 200 mg twice daily 10 or 270 mg twice daily 1, about 4 weeks | Better sleep quality in older adults; no sleep-diary gain in insomnia |
| Chamomile extract, anxiety trials | 220 to 1,500 mg a day, 8 to 26 weeks 612 | Lower anxiety scores in mild to moderate generalised anxiety disorder |
| Apigenin capsule | Usually 50 mg | None published |
| 50 mg apigenin with magnesium and L-theanine | Sold as a sleep stack | Never tested together |
If you compare labels, a chamomile extract product should state its standardisation (several trials used extracts standardised to about 1.2% apigenin), and any supplement is easier to trust with a third-party seal such as USP or NSF, which checks that the capsule holds what the label says. US supplements are not approved by the FDA before sale; the maker is responsible for safety and labelling. Our guide to <a href="/learn/supplements-explained">choosing a supplement</a> covers the label checks in more detail.
The usual sleep-stack partners
Side effects and who should avoid apigenin
In the chamomile trials, side effects were uncommon and similar to placebo 1. NCCIH lists nausea, dizziness and allergic reactions as the ones to know about, and says chamomile is likely safe in the amounts found in teas and foods 5. Concentrated isolated apigenin has far less safety data than tea.
- Drowsiness the next morning, especially when combined with alcohol or other sedating products.
- Stomach upset or nausea.
- Allergy: more likely if you react to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies, the same plant family as chamomile 5. Hives, wheezing or swelling of the lips, face or throat needs emergency care; call 911.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: little is known about safety 5, so avoid concentrated apigenin unless your clinician agrees.
- Children: no studies of isolated apigenin.
- Surgery: tell your surgical team you take it; they may ask you to stop beforehand because of the bleeding interaction below and added sedation with anaesthesia.
Drug interactions
Most of apigenin's interaction risk comes from two routes: stacking sedation on top of other calming drugs, and slowing the liver enzymes that clear many medicines. Lab studies suggest apigenin can slow CYP3A4 and CYP2C9, enzymes that break down drugs such as warfarin, some statins and many others; whether a 50 mg capsule does this in people is unknown. NCCIH notes that interactions between chamomile and some drugs processed by the liver, and warfarin, have been reported 5.
| Drug or substance | Why it matters | How strong the evidence is |
|---|---|---|
| Warfarin and other blood thinners | A woman on warfarin developed a high <a href="/biomarkers/inr">INR</a> (blood clotting too slowly) and internal bleeding after chamomile tea and lotion; the exact mechanism is not settled | Case report in people 14; NCCIH flags the warfarin interaction 5 |
| Benzodiazepines, Z-drugs (zolpidem), opioids, sedating antihistamines | Added drowsiness at the same GABA-A receptor or through combined sedation | Theoretical, from mechanism |
| Alcohol | Added sedation | Theoretical, from mechanism |
| Drugs cleared by CYP3A4, such as cyclosporine, tacrolimus and some statins | Apigenin slows CYP3A4 in the lab, which could raise drug levels | Lab studies; NCCIH notes interactions with drugs metabolised by the liver 5 |
Apigenin and other sleep supplements
Each neighbour has its own page with the full evidence, so this page does not restate it: <a href="/compounds/magnesium">magnesium</a> (forms compared in <a href="/compounds/magnesium/types">magnesium types</a>), <a href="/compounds/glycine">glycine</a>, <a href="/compounds/l-theanine">L-theanine</a> and <a href="/compounds/valerian">valerian</a>. What sets apigenin apart is the gap above: its best human data belongs to chamomile extract 2, and the isolate has none for sleep 4. For chronic insomnia, CBT-I remains the first-line treatment 11.
What your labs can and cannot tell you
No routine blood test measures apigenin, and no blood test measures sleep quality. A sleep diary or a sleep-quality score kept for four weeks is how you can see whether apigenin or chamomile changes anything for you. Lab work helps find medical reasons for poor sleep, which our page on <a href="/symptoms/cant-sleep">why you can't sleep</a> walks through, and in <a href="/learn/liver-enzymes-explained">checking the liver</a> if you take several medicines alongside supplements.
Markers worth reading if sleep is the problem
While you track a supplement, keeping bed and wake times fixed makes any change easier to see.
CalculatorSleep calculatorWork out a bedtime that fits your wake time, and keep it fixed while you track whether a supplement changes anything.Work it out 
Citations
- Zick SM, Wright BD, Sen A, Arnedt JT. Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011;11:78.
- Hieu TH et al. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of chamomile for state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and quasi-randomized trials. Phytotherapy Research, 2019;33(6):1604-1615.
- Meyer H, Bolarinwa A, Wolfram G, Linseisen J. Bioavailability of apigenin from apiin-rich parsley in humans. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2006;50(3):167-172.
- Kramer DJ, Johnson AA. Apigenin: a natural molecule at the intersection of sleep and aging. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2024;11:1359176.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Chamomile.
- Amsterdam JD et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2009;29(4):378-382.
- Bhagwat S, Haytowitz DB, Holden JM. USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods, Release 3.1. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2014.
- Viola H, Wasowski C, Levi de Stein M, et al. Apigenin, a component of Matricaria recutita flowers, is a central benzodiazepine receptors-ligand with anxiolytic effects. Planta Medica, 1995;61(3):213-216.
- Escande C, Nin V, Price NL, et al. Flavonoid apigenin is an inhibitor of the NAD+ase CD38: implications for cellular NAD+ metabolism, protein acetylation, and treatment of metabolic syndrome. Diabetes, 2013;62(4):1084-1093.
- Adib-Hajbaghery M, Mousavi SN. The effects of chamomile extract on sleep quality among elderly people: a clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2017;35:109-114.
- Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, et al. Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016;165(2):125-133.
- Mao JJ, Xie SX, Keefe JR, et al. Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine, 2016;23(14):1735-1742.
- Martens CR, Denman BA, Mazzo MR, et al. Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nature Communications, 2018;9:1286.
- Segal R, Pilote L. Warfarin interaction with Matricaria chamomilla. CMAJ, 2006;174(9):1281-1282.
Educational context only, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Always discuss your results with a clinician.
