Full profile
| Also known as | Melissa officinalis, Cyracos |
|---|---|
| Best for | Acute calm under cognitive load |
| Evidence grade | Grade B — Moderate — several human trials, some mixed results |
| Studied dose range | 300–600 mg/day of standardized extract. |
| Time to effect | Acute — effects studied within 1–4 hours of dosing; a 2023 trial extended dosing subchronically. |
| Best form | Cyracos or an equivalent phospholipid-complexed extract with a stated rosmarinic-acid content. |
Evidence, honestly graded
The Kennedy research group's acute calm-under-load findings have been replicated, and a 2023 subchronic RCT extended the signal beyond single-dose use. Graded on the acute-calm claim specifically. An open-label, uncontrolled n=20 Cyracos study on insomnia is sometimes cited for lemon balm but is not adequate evidence on its own — it is not the basis for this grade and should not be treated as an efficacy claim.
See the full grading rubric — study type, replication, population match, and dose adequacy — in The Evidence Standard.
698 licensed natural health products in Health Canada's LNHPD list Lemon Balm as a medicinal ingredient.
That makes Lemon Balm a recognized, licensable medicinal ingredient in Canada — regulated by Health Canada's Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate, which issues each licensed natural health product a Natural Product Number (NPN). Search the LNHPD to verify.
Side effects
- Generally well tolerated
- Possible mild sedation at higher doses
Who should avoid it or check first
- Thyroid conditions without clinician guidance (theoretical antithyroid activity at high doses)
- Pregnant or breastfeeding without clinician guidance
Interactions
- Possible additive sedation with other calming supplements or medications — discuss with a clinician
Stacks well with
- L-Theanine
- Lavender (oral)
What to look for on a label
- Keep the daytime dose modest given possible mild sedation — this fits an evening or as-needed slot better than an all-day stimulant-free stack.
- Do not cite insomnia benefits — the only supporting data there is a small, open-label, uncontrolled trial.
References
- Kennedy DO, Wake G, Savelev S, Tildesley NTJ, Perry EK, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB (2003). Neuropsychopharmacology, 28(10):1871–1881Dose-specific improvements in calmness and memory; note lower doses slowed processing speed, so the honest grade rides the acute-calm endpoint.
- Subchronic lemon balm RCT (2023, different sponsor). A 2023 subchronic RCT (phospholipid-carrier extract, a different sponsor than the early academic work) extended the acute-calm signal beyond single-dose use — the cross-sponsor source-diversity is part of why this holds a B. Frontiers in Pharmacology; PMC10620697. Educational.
Grades and studied doses are our conservative reading of the human research, shown for education. They are not product claims, and a studied dose is not a recommended dose.
Revision history
Every change to this ingredient's evidence status, dated and explained. The full cross-library log lives at Evidence Updates.
- 2026-07-07New profile
Initial profile published at Grade B: replicated acute calm-under-load findings, extended beyond single-dose use by a 2023 subchronic RCT from a different sponsor.
See how Lemon Balm compares on grade, dose, and goal in the Evidence Explorer.
