Lavender vs Chamomile
Which is better for stress and anxiety?
Awaiting clinical review. This comparison is built from sourced entries but has not yet been signed off by a pharmacist or clinician.
Short answer
Pick oral lavender oil (Silexan, 80 mg a day) for anxiety: it is rated Moderate, backed by a 539-person trial in generalised anxiety disorder and a pooled Hamilton Anxiety difference of -2.90 points, against Limited for chamomile, whose two GAD trials were marginal (P = 0.047) or missed their main endpoint. The catch is that the rating covers one manufacturer's branded capsule, the key trials are industry-linked and reviewers rated study quality low; lavender tea or the plain flower is rated only Traditional and does not inherit the result.
Oral Silexan 80 mg beat placebo in a 539-person GAD trial; the rating covers that branded product only
Extract at 1,500 mg a day lowered anxiety scores in GAD trials, but marginally or missing the main endpoint
Side by side
| Attribute | Lavender | Chamomile |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence for stress and anxiety | Moderate (anxiety: oral lavender oil capsules) | Limited (generalised anxiety disorder (gad) symptoms) |
| Best for | Anxiety (oral oil capsules) | Generalised anxiety symptoms |
| How fast | 2 weeks | 4+ weeks |
| Typical form | Oral oil (Silexan), 80 mg daily | Extract 1,500 mg/day (GAD trials) |
| Main caution | Little pregnancy data; theoretical sedative overlap | Avoid if allergic to ragweed or daisy-family plants |
| Form behind the evidence | Oral oil (Silexan) 80 mg/day; one manufacturer | Extract 1,500 mg/day; tea not tested for anxiety |
| Blood thinners | No interaction recorded | Warfarin: ask your prescriber first |
| Safe in pregnancy? | Little data; EU regulator advises against | Extracts not established; tea: sources disagree |
Which should you pick?
Choose Lavender if
- you want the better-supported option and will buy the studied oral oil capsule
- you take warfarin (chamomile's entry lists it as a Caution; lavender's lists no blood-thinner row)
- you can give it at least 6 weeks
Choose Chamomile if
- you prefer a tea and accept that neither tea has been tested for anxiety
- you want the extract used in the GAD trials and are not allergic to ragweed or daisy-family plants
Questions people ask
Can I take lavender and chamomile together?
No interaction between the two is recorded, and neither entry reviews using them together. Both list sedatives at Monitor level (a theoretical concern), so combining them with a sedative is untested; chamomile's entry also lists warfarin and immunosuppressants at Caution.
Is lavender or chamomile better for anxiety?
Lavender, if you take the studied oral oil capsule: it is rated Moderate for anxiety against Limited for chamomile. Reviewers rated the study quality low and NCCIH points to small samples and a lack of independent funding, so Moderate is the ceiling.
Does lavender tea work like the capsules?
There is no evidence that it does. The evidence covers one manufacturer's oral oil capsule; lavender tea is rated Traditional (EU traditional use only) and the entry found no trials of lavender tea for anxiety or sleep. Chamomile tea has likewise not been tested for anxiety in the trials cited.
How long before I can tell whether either is working?
For lavender oil, judge over at least 6 weeks; the main trials ran 6 to 10 weeks. Chamomile's anxiety trials assessed response over 8 to 12 weeks, though a meta-analysis found changes by 2 to 4 weeks, so four weeks is a reasonable point to check.
Sources
- Systematic review Donelli D, Antonelli M, Bellinazzi C, Gensini GF, Firenzuoli F. Effects of lavender on anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytomedicine. 2019.
- Randomised trial Kasper S, Gastpar M, Müller WE, et al. Lavender oil preparation Silexan is effective in generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized, double-blind comparison to placebo and paroxetine. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2014.
- Regulator monograph European Medicines Agency HMPC. Community herbal monograph on Lavandula angustifolia Miller, flos (EMA/HMPC/734125/2010). 2012.
- Systematic review Hieu TH, Dibas M, Surya Dila KA, 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.
- Randomised controlled trial Amsterdam JD, Li Y, Soeller I, 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.
- Regulator monograph NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health). Chamomile: Usefulness and Safety.