Apigenin For Sleep: Benefits, Dosage, Chamomile And What The Research Shows

Apigenin is a plant flavone found in chamomile, parsley and celery that is sold as a sleep supplement, usually at 50 mg before bed. The honest answer on apigenin for sleep is that the human evidence comes from chamomile products, which contain apigenin among many other compounds, and those trials show small, inconsistent benefits.^[3][5] We could not find a published placebo-controlled trial of isolated apigenin for sleep in people.

Disclosure: nootropic.org/ may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, including as an Amazon Associate. This never affects which products we recommend. Learn more.

What Is Apigenin And How Does It Work?

Apigenin is a flavone, a subclass of flavonoids. It occurs in vegetables such as parsley, celery and onions, in herbs such as chamomile, thyme, oregano and basil, and in plant-based drinks including tea, beer and wine. In foods it is mostly present as glycosides, meaning it is bound to sugar molecules.^[2]

Its connection to sleep starts with a 1995 study that went looking for the calming compound in chamomile. Researchers found that apigenin from chamomile flowers binds central benzodiazepine receptors, the same site that drugs like diazepam act on. In mice, it reduced anxiety-like behavior without sedation or muscle relaxation at lower doses, and caused mild sedation at a 10-fold higher dose.^[1] That is a plausible mechanism, but it is a mouse finding, and binding a receptor in a lab dish does not guarantee a meaningful effect at supplement doses in humans.

Apigenin Bioavailability

Apigenin dissolves very poorly in water (about 1.35 micrograms per milliliter), although it crosses cell membranes readily.^[2] A major 2019 review described the number of human studies of apigenin as “extremely small,” and most pharmacokinetic data come from animals.^[2] In practice, nobody knows precisely how much of a 50 mg capsule reaches the brain.

Apigenin Benefits: What The Research Shows

Apigenin For Sleep (Evidence: Limited, And Indirect)

Every human sleep trial we found tested chamomile, not purified apigenin. Chamomile contains apigenin along with many other flavonoids and essential oil compounds, so these trials cannot isolate apigenin’s contribution.

• Chamomile extract for chronic insomnia: In a 28-day pilot trial in 34 adults with primary insomnia, 270 mg of a standardized chamomile extract twice daily did not significantly improve total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency or nighttime awakenings compared with placebo. There was a modest, non-significant improvement in daytime functioning.^[3]
• Chamomile tea after childbirth: In 80 postpartum women with poor sleep, two weeks of chamomile tea improved sleep-quality scores and depressive symptoms immediately after the intervention compared with usual care, but the differences were gone four weeks later. There was no placebo drink.^[4]
• Meta-analysis: A 2024 review of 10 studies with 772 participants found chamomile lowered Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores (a standard sleep questionnaire) by about 1.9 points, with very high variability between studies. Chamomile did not improve total sleep time, sleep efficiency or daytime functioning, and the authors called for studies with objective sleep measures.^[5]

NCCIH’s summary is blunt: there is very little information on chamomile’s effect on insomnia.^[7] Our reading is that chamomile may modestly improve how people rate their sleep, but it is not a reliable treatment for insomnia, and isolated apigenin is untested.

Anxiety (Evidence: Preliminary)

The mouse data on apigenin point to anxiety-reducing rather than strongly sedating effects.^[1] In humans, the best-known trial randomized 57 adults with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder to chamomile extract or placebo for eight weeks. Chamomile produced a modestly greater drop in Hamilton Anxiety scores (P = 0.047), while secondary measures were not significantly different.^[8] NCCIH describes this evidence as preliminary.^[7] Again, this was chamomile extract, not isolated apigenin.

CD38, NAD+ And Longevity Claims (Evidence: Preclinical Only)

Apigenin is popular in longevity circles because a 2013 study found it inhibits CD38, an enzyme that breaks down NAD+. In cell cultures, apigenin raised NAD+ levels, and in obese mice it raised NAD+ and improved some measures of blood sugar and fat metabolism.^[6] No human trial has shown that apigenin supplements raise NAD+ or slow aging. Treat this as an interesting hypothesis, not a reason to buy it.

Other Claims (Hair, Cancer, Inflammation)

Most of the apigenin literature is cell and animal research on cancer and inflammation.^[2] Claims about apigenin for hair growth or disease prevention are not supported by human trials and should be ignored when choosing a supplement.

Apigenin Dosage For Sleep

Because there are no human trials of isolated apigenin for sleep, there is no evidence-based apigenin dosage. Here is what has actually been studied, and what is merely common practice.

Purpose	Product And Dose	Duration	Source
Chronic insomnia	Standardized chamomile extract, 270 mg twice daily	28 days	Zick 2011 (no significant sleep benefit)[3]
Postpartum sleep quality	Chamomile tea, daily	2 weeks	Chang 2016 (short-lived benefit)[4]
Sleep quality (pooled)	Various chamomile extracts and teas	Varied	Kazemi 2024 meta-analysis[5]
Sleep (isolated apigenin)	Commonly 50 mg, 30–60 minutes before bed	Not studied	Supplement labels and podcasts; no published RCT

The 50 mg apigenin sleep dosage became popular through health podcasts that recommended it as part of a nightly stack. If you try it, start at the low end, take it in the evening, and judge results over a couple of weeks rather than one night.

How Much Apigenin Is In Chamomile Tea?

It varies too much to give a reliable number. Apigenin in chamomile is mostly bound to sugars as glycosides, and the amount depends on the flowers, how they were dried and stored, and how long the tea is steeped.^[2] A cup of tea almost certainly supplies far less free apigenin than a 50 mg capsule, which is part of why tea trials and capsule claims should not be equated.

Forms And What To Look For

• Apigenin capsules or powder. Usually synthesized or extracted and sold at 50 mg per capsule. Apigenin powder is cheap but hard to dose accurately without a milligram scale.
• Chamomile extract. Standardized chamomile extracts are the form actually tested in sleep trials; check the label for the stated apigenin percentage.
• Purity testing. Look for a certificate of analysis confirming apigenin content and screening for contaminants.

Apigenin Side Effects And Safety

Apigenin from food is consumed daily by most people, and reviewers note little evidence of adverse effects.^[2] But long-term safety data for concentrated supplements in humans are lacking. Chamomile itself is considered likely safe in tea amounts; side effects are uncommon but can include nausea, dizziness and allergic reactions, including rare severe reactions.^[7] Because apigenin was mildly sedating in mice at high doses, avoid driving if a supplement makes you drowsy.^[1]

Drug Interactions And Who Should Avoid It

• Ragweed and daisy-family allergies: People allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies are more likely to react to chamomile.^[7]
• Warfarin: Interactions between chamomile and this blood thinner have been reported.^[7]
• Sedatives and other medications: Interactions with sedatives and with drugs processed by the liver are theoretically possible.^[7] Do not combine apigenin with benzodiazepines, sleep medications or alcohol without asking your doctor, given its action at the benzodiazepine site in animal studies.^[1]
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Little is known about chamomile’s safety in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and concentrated apigenin has not been studied, so avoid supplements.^[7]

How Apigenin Stacks With Other Nootropics

Apigenin is usually taken as part of an evening stack. The most common partners are magnesium L-threonate and L-theanine. Neither combination has been tested in a trial, and magnesium and L-theanine each have more direct human evidence than apigenin does. If you want to try a stack, add one ingredient at a time so you can tell what is helping. For stress-related sleep problems, ashwagandha has more trial data, though it carries its own safety cautions. See our nootropic stacks guide.

Where To Buy Apigenin

If you want to try an apigenin supplement, choose a single-ingredient product with a stated dose per capsule and independent testing. Nootropics Depot is our usual pick for tested single ingredients; on Amazon, buy only from listings marked “Sold by Nootropics Depot.”

Check Nootropics Depot Apigenin

Apigenin FAQs

Does Apigenin Help You Sleep?

It might, but it has not been properly tested. Chamomile, which contains apigenin, modestly improved self-rated sleep quality in a meta-analysis but did not increase total sleep time.^[5] Isolated apigenin has no published human sleep trial.

What Is The Best Apigenin Dosage For Sleep?

There is no research-based dose. Most products and podcast recommendations use 50 mg taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Higher doses are not proven to work better.

Is Apigenin The Same As Chamomile?

No. Apigenin is one of many compounds in chamomile. Chamomile trials cannot tell us whether apigenin alone produces the effects.^[1][5]

Can I Take Apigenin Every Night?

Dietary apigenin is consumed daily without known problems, but there are no long-term human safety studies of concentrated apigenin supplements.^[2] If you take it nightly, consider periodic breaks and tell your doctor.

Does Apigenin Raise NAD+?

Only in cells and mice so far.^[6] There is no human evidence that apigenin supplements raise NAD+.

Is Apigenin A Nootropic?

Not in the usual sense. It is sold mainly for sleep and relaxation, and there are no human trials on memory or focus. For daytime cognition, see our guide to the best nootropics.

References

1. Viola H, et al. Apigenin, a component of Matricaria recutita flowers, is a central benzodiazepine receptors-ligand with anxiolytic effects. Planta Med. 1995;61(3):213-216. PubMed
2. Salehi B, et al. The therapeutic potential of apigenin. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(6):1305. PubMed
3. Zick SM, et al. Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011;11:78. PubMed
4. Chang SM, et al. Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression in sleep disturbed postnatal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Adv Nurs. 2016;72(2):306-315. PubMed
5. Kazemi A, et al. Effects of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) on sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Complement Ther Med. 2024;84:103071. PubMed
6. Escande C, et al. Flavonoid apigenin is an inhibitor of the NAD+ase CD38. Diabetes. 2013;62(4):1084-1093. PubMed
7. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Chamomile. NCCIH
8. Amsterdam JD, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2009;29(4):378-382. PubMed