Lemon Balm
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis): what an EU regulator, systematic reviews and liver-safety records say about stress, anxiety and sleep, and what safety questions remain open.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
What is Lemon balm good for?
What the body uses it for, and how strong the evidence is. A normal job in the body is not proof that extra supplements add benefit; each card says which.
Mild stress relief (traditional use)
Preliminary or mixedThe EU herbal committee accepts melissa leaf for relief of mild stress symptoms, based on long-standing use rather than clinical trials.
Supplements: Traditional-use status only. One small study showed possible improvement but design flaws prevented firm conclusions.
Anxiety symptoms
Preliminary or mixedA meta-analysis of randomized trials found lower anxiety scores with lemon balm than with placebo.
Supplements: Promising but limited. Trial products and populations varied, so results do not carry over to any one product.
Low mood and depression symptoms
Preliminary or mixedThe same meta-analysis found lower depression scores than placebo, with a smaller effect than for anxiety.
Supplements: Promising but limited; not a substitute for assessment and treatment of depression.
Aid to sleep (traditional use)
Preliminary or mixedThe EU committee accepts melissa leaf as an aid to sleep, based on long-standing use.
Supplements: Traditional use plus early, limited human data; not established.
Mild digestive complaints, bloating and gas (traditional use)
Not enough evidenceThe EU committee accepts melissa leaf for mild digestive disorders including bloating and flatulence, based on long-standing use.
Supplements: Traditional use only; no trial evidence found in the sources read.
Cognition and psychological well-being
Preliminary or mixedA 2024 review says lemon balm may support cognition and calm, but robust randomized trials are still needed.
Supplements: Early and limited; independent trials are needed.
Laboratory findings on brain signalling
Lab or animal research onlyAnimal and cell studies suggest lemon balm and its compounds may act on GABA, acetylcholine and serotonin signalling.
Supplements: Laboratory and animal findings do not show a benefit in people.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Health goals (5)
- Anxiety SupportPreliminary or mixed
A meta-analysis found lower anxiety scores than placebo, with high heterogeneity and few trials.
- Calm & RelaxationPreliminary or mixed
Reviews describe lemon balm as a promising calming agent; trials are few and mixed.
- Stress ReductionPreliminary or mixed
Accepted in the EU for mild stress on traditional-use grounds; clinical evidence is limited.
- Better SleepPreliminary or mixed
Accepted as a traditional aid to sleep; trial evidence is limited.
- Mood BalancePreliminary or mixed
A meta-analysis found lower depression scores than placebo, with mixed methods; evidence is limited.
Body systems (2)
- Stress & MoodPreliminary or mixed
Studied for stress, anxiety and low mood; evidence is promising but limited.
- Nervous SystemPreliminary or mixed
Used for its calming effects; lab studies suggest action on brain signalling, human evidence is limited.
Body parts (1)
- Nervous SystemPreliminary or mixed
Used for calm and stress; evidence limited.
Functional actions (3)
- CalmingPreliminary or mixed
Reviews describe lemon balm as a promising calming agent; trials few and mixed.
- Stress ReductionPreliminary or mixed
Traditional use for mild stress; limited clinical evidence.
- Mood SupportPreliminary or mixed
Meta-analysis found lower depression and anxiety scores; high heterogeneity.
Conditions & symptoms (1)
- AnxietyPreliminary or mixed
A meta-analysis of randomized trials found lower anxiety scores than placebo; few trials and high heterogeneity limit confidence.
Documented risks and interactions (3)
- Liver safety record. NIH LiverTox says lemon balm extracts are generally recognized as safe and have not been linked to liver enzyme rises or clinically apparent liver injury.
- Limits of safety data: age, pregnancy, interactions. The EU conclusions cover adults and children over 12 only. The sources read say nothing about pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicine interactions.
- See a doctor if symptoms last. The EU summary advises seeing a doctor if symptoms persist after 2 weeks of use.
Read this first. Research on lemon balm is smaller and less consistent than for many better-known herbs, and the sources we read say little about interactions, pregnancy or children. Lack of reported problems is not proof of safety. [1] If you take medicine, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving any herb to a child, ask a pharmacist or clinician first. See How Interactions Work.
Overview
Lemon balm is a herb in the plant family Lamiaceae. [2] Its leaf is used to make extracts and tinctures, and the EU regulator describes finished medicines as usually available as a herbal tea and in solid and liquid forms taken by mouth. [1] It is studied for calm, mood and sleep. The tea as a product has its own page: Lemon Balm Tea.Scientific name, plant part and look-alike names
Melissa officinalis L. is the accepted name in the GBIF plant database. [2] The part used is the leaf. [1] Do not confuse it with other lemon-scented plants, which are different species: lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). [3][4] Pages for those plants: Lemon Verbena and Lemongrass.Traditional use (not proof)
The NIH LiverTox record says lemon balm was used in traditional medicine for nervousness, anxiety, insomnia and menstrual irregularities. [5] The EU herbal medicines committee (HMPC, summary published 2014) accepted use of melissa leaf for relief of mild symptoms of stress, to aid sleep and for mild digestive disorders including bloating and gas, in adults and children over 12, based on long-standing use and not on clinical trial evidence. [1] It advises seeing a doctor if symptoms persist after 2 weeks. [1]What research shows (research, not tradition)
| Use | What the source found | Evidence label | Population and form studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety and depression symptoms | A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials found lemon balm improved mean anxiety and depression scores compared with placebo, without serious side effects. It noted high heterogeneity, few trials and different methods, and said results should be interpreted with caution. [6] | Promising but limited | Adults with anxiety or depression symptoms; various lemon balm products |
| Mild stress and sleep | The EU committee reviewed a small study of melissa leaf preparations in mild to moderate anxiety and sleep disturbance. A possible improvement was seen, but design shortcomings prevented firm conclusions. [1] | Insufficient evidence | One small study |
| Psychological well-being, cognition and sleep quality | A 2024 narrative review concluded lemon balm holds promise as a calming agent and may help cognition and sleep quality, while saying more robust randomized trials are required. The paper discloses funding from, and employment by, an ingredients company, so independent trials matter. [7] | Promising but limited | Mixed |
| Animal and cell work | The same review describes animal and cell findings on brain signaling pathways. [7] | Preclinical (cells or animals) | Not human evidence |
Proper evidence not found, in the sources we read, for lemon balm used in children, in pregnancy, or for long-term use. We searched the EU regulator's summary, the NIH LiverTox record and PubMed reviews.
Forms and why the form matters
Study products differ, and the reviews we read mix preparations. Only a result for the same form and preparation should be applied to it, and a result for an extract does not tell you about a leaf tea. See Herbal Teas, Infusions and Decoctions Explained. Many products also combine lemon balm with other herbs, and the EU summary does not cover combinations. [1]Official statements
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC (2014): traditional use for mild stress, sleep and mild digestive complaints; conclusions rest on long-standing use. [1]
- US NIH: the NCCIH fact-sheet page for lemon balm was not available when we looked, so this page relies on the EU summary, the NIH LiverTox record and PubMed reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Does lemon balm help anxiety?
A meta-analysis of randomized trials found lower anxiety scores than placebo, but with high heterogeneity and few trials. [6] Treat it as promising but limited. If anxiety is troubling you, see Anxiety Disorders.
Does lemon balm help you sleep?
The EU committee accepted traditional use to aid sleep, but the one small study it reviewed could not support firm conclusions. [1]
Is lemon balm safe for the liver?
The NIH LiverTox record says it has not been linked to liver enzyme rises or clinically apparent acute liver injury. [5]
Can children or pregnant people use lemon balm?
The EU conclusions apply to adults and children over 12. [1] We found no pregnancy data in the sources we read, so ask a clinician.
Is lemon balm the same as lemon verbena or lemongrass?
No. They are different plants with different scientific names. [2][3][4]
Related: Chamomile, Passionflower, Stress and Relaxation.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety and who should ask first
- Side effects: at the time of the EU assessment no side effects had been reported. [1] A meta-analysis of trials reported no serious side effects. [6] Neither source rules out milder effects.
- Liver: the NIH LiverTox record says lemon balm extracts are generally recognized as safe and have not been linked to liver enzyme rises or clinically apparent acute liver injury. [5]
- Medicines: the sources we read did not describe specific medicine interactions. That is not the same as proof that none exist. Ask a pharmacist, especially if you use sedatives or medicines for sleep or mood.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: the EU conclusions apply to adults and children over 12 only. [1] We did not find pregnancy or breastfeeding data in the sources we read. See Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.
- Before surgery: no lemon balm-specific advice in the sources we read; tell the surgical team about every herb you use. See Herbs Before and After Surgery.
- Quality: see Quality Testing and Certifications.
References
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Melissa leaf: summary for the public (EMA/HMPC/310761/2013, 2014). Available at www.ema.europa.eu. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy record for Melissa officinalis L. (species 5341501). Available at api.gbif.org. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy record for Aloysia citrodora (species 5667503). Available at api.gbif.org. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy record for Cymbopogon citratus (species 2705275). Available at api.gbif.org. Read 2026-10-23.
- NIH LiverTox (NIDDK). Lemon Balm. Record updated 2024 (read as the PubMed entry). Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- Ghazizadeh J et al. The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research 2021. Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- Mathews IM et al. Clinical efficacy and tolerability of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) in psychological well-being: a review. Nutrients 2024. Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.