Limited evidenceStress & mood

Lemongrass

An aromatic culinary herb tested mostly as an aroma rather than a supplement. The small human studies on anxiety are mixed, and oral lemongrass tea has shown no measurable sedative or lipid effect.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

Aroma may reduce situational anxiety Limited evidence
A controlled study of lemongrass aroma in healthy volunteers found reduced anxiety and tension during an experimental anxiety task, and a randomized clinical trial of lemongrass aromatherapy in dental patients reported lower anxiety during scaling and root planing. Both are small, short trials of inhaled aroma, not oral supplements.
Oral lemongrass tea showed no sedative or anxiolytic effect Limited evidence
An early human pharmacology study of Cymbopogon citratus found no hypnotic or anxiolytic effect and no toxicity from the tea. Oral preparations have not been shown to do what the aroma studies suggest.
Lipid effects are not established in humans Limited evidence
Cholesterol-lowering claims rest on animal and in vitro work with the essential oil and its constituent citral. No randomized human trial supports a lipid benefit.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseAromatherapy studies used a few drops of essential oil diffused for 5–20 minutes. Culinary tea is typically 1–2 g of dried leaf per cup; no oral supplement dose is established.

SafetyCulinary amounts are safe for most people. Concentrated essential oil should not be swallowed and can irritate skin; citral is a known contact sensitiser. Avoid medicinal doses in pregnancy, and note that high intakes have been associated with liver and blood changes in animals.

Scientific references

Effect of Lemongrass Aroma on Experimental Anxiety in Humans
Goes TC, Ursulino FR, Almeida-Souza TH — J Altern Complement Med, 2015
Effect of aromatherapy with lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) on the anxiety of patients undergoing scaling and root planning: a randomized clinical trial
Maybodi FR, Herandi V, Vaezpour MS — BMC Complement Med Ther, 2025
Pharmacology of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf). III. Assessment of eventual toxic, hypnotic and anxiolytic effects on humans
Leite JR, Seabra Mde L, Maluf E — J Ethnopharmacol, 1986

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