Limited evidenceSleep & relaxation

Apigenin

Apigenin became a bestselling sleep supplement on the strength of podcast attention and mouse studies — there is not a single randomised controlled trial of isolated apigenin for sleep in humans. Its poor oral bioavailability makes the usual 50 mg dose especially hard to justify.

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What the science says

Improves sleep or acts as a sedative Limited evidence
Apigenin binds the central benzodiazepine site on GABA-A receptors and produces anxiolytic effects in rodents at low doses and sedation and reduced locomotor activity at higher ones. No human RCT has tested isolated apigenin for sleep onset, sleep quality or insomnia at any dose.
Reduces anxiety Limited evidence
The human anxiety data everyone cites are actually chamomile trials: chamomile extract standardised to 1.2% apigenin at 1,500 mg/day reduced GAD symptoms over 8 weeks. That extract delivers roughly 18 mg apigenin alongside dozens of other constituents, so it cannot be used to credit apigenin specifically — and it is more apigenin-glycoside than free apigenin.
Anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects Limited evidence
Apigenin shows antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory activity across many cancer cell lines and animal models. None of this has been tested in human clinical trials, and the concentrations used in vitro are generally unachievable from oral supplementation.
Reaches useful blood levels from supplements Limited evidence
Pharmacokinetic work shows apigenin has low oral bioavailability with extensive first-pass glucuronidation and sulfation, poor water solubility and rapid clearance. This is the central unresolved problem: even if the mechanism is real, a 50 mg capsule may never produce meaningful free apigenin at the receptor.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseNo human dose-finding study exists. Commercial products typically supply 50 mg once nightly, a figure with no clinical basis. If you want the version with actual trial support, use the chamomile extract itself at 1,100-1,500 mg/day standardised to 1.2% apigenin. Dietary apigenin comes mainly from parsley, celery, chamomile and dried oregano, at intakes of only a few milligrams per day.

SafetyShort-term human safety data for isolated apigenin are essentially absent, so "well tolerated" claims are assumptions rather than findings. Apigenin inhibits CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 and interacts with OATP and P-glycoprotein transporters in vitro, giving a real theoretical risk of raising blood levels of co-administered drugs including warfarin, statins and immunosuppressants. It has weak phytoestrogenic activity, so caution with hormone-sensitive conditions. Because of the GABA-A mechanism, assume additive sedation with alcohol and other CNS depressants. Avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding, in children, and before surgery.

How to take it

TimingTake it in the evening if you are using it for sleep.

With food?Food makes no meaningful difference.

Worth knowingIf you want the version with actual trial support, take the chamomile extract apigenin comes from at 1,100-1,500 mg/day instead of the isolated compound.

Interactions

With medications

warfarin, statins and immunosuppressants
Apigenin inhibits CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 and interacts with P-glycoprotein in vitro, which could raise blood levels of these drugs. do not combine without checking with your pharmacist
alcohol, benzodiazepines and other CNS depressants
Apigenin acts at GABA-A receptors, so assume sedation is additive. avoid driving until you know how it affects you

With other supplements

valerian, magnolia and other GABAergic supplements
Additive sedation. do not stack them

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Does apigenin help you sleep?

There is no randomised controlled trial of isolated apigenin for sleep in humans at any dose; the sleep claims rest on mouse studies. The evidence is limited, and apigenin's poor oral bioavailability makes the usual 50 mg dose especially hard to justify.

Is chamomile evidence the same as apigenin evidence?

No: the anxiety trials people cite for apigenin used chamomile extract at 1,500 mg/day, delivering roughly 18 mg apigenin alongside many other constituents. That result cannot be credited to apigenin; if you want the version with trial support, use the chamomile extract itself.

How much apigenin should I take?

No human dose-finding study of apigenin exists, and the common 50 mg nightly dose has no clinical basis. Human safety data for isolated apigenin are also essentially absent.

Does apigenin interact with medications?

Apigenin inhibits CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 and interacts with P-glycoprotein in vitro, so it could raise blood levels of warfarin, statins and immunosuppressants; check with a pharmacist before combining. Assume its sedation adds to alcohol and other CNS depressants.

Scientific references

Pharmacokinetic properties and drug interactions of apigenin, a natural flavone
Tang D, Chen K, Huang L, et al. — Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology, 2017
Pharmacological profile of apigenin, a flavonoid isolated from Matricaria chamomilla
Avallone R, Zanoli P, Puia G, et al. — Biochemical Pharmacology, 2000

Where to buy

Double Wood Supplements, Apigenin, 50 mg, 120 Capsules

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