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.
827 natural health products with an active licence 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- Do not cite insomnia benefits; the only supporting data there is a small, open-label, uncontrolled trial.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, and 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.
