Lemon Balm for Mental Health

I think what most people get wrong about mental health is that it comes in waves. Waves of realizations, waves of highs and lows. Waves navigated by a different person each season we’re in in our lives. Through the navigation of these waves myself, especially the roughest being in the last few years of graduating naturopathic medical school and stepping into the true unknown – directionless you may say. It is essential in my well-being and I credit getting this far to regular intake of medicinal herbs like lemon balm.

As I’ve navigated these waves, this one practice of mine remains consistent. The use of herbal medicine to support the nervous system is a game changer. In a world that’s always at the demand of some pressure and constantly spewing madness, I prefer to prioritize herbal concoctions daily that can support me and my body’s response to all the external stimulus.

Cue Melissa officinalis, best known as lemon balm, is a member of the mint family that is my absolute go-to for stress relief, mood stabilization, and creating an overall sense of calm. Native to southern Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Over time, it has naturalized to other parts of the world including North America, growing in gardens and wild in temperate regions. 

Easily found as tea or in tincture form and most often in anti-stress formulations. Walking out in nature, you might identify the scent of lemon that is given off by the leaves of lemon balm. Next time you’re out exploring and believe you’ve come across a perennial herb, rub the plant leaves together to gather the scent to help with identification.

Here’s why lemon balm is a good choice for mental health management:

1. Reduce Anxiety

The abundant studies that have been done on lemon balm’s role as an anxiolytic or anti-anxiety show mild sedative properties that can support mood stability. Regardless of form, either as tea, capsule or tincture, the calming effects are notable particularly due to active compounds such as phenolic acids like rosmarinic acid and flavonoids like apigenin, rutin, and quercetin. 

These compounds modulate inflammatory mediators and signaling pathways, such as the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) pathway which can stimulate the production of inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-6 (IL-6) known to have a positive correlation with anxiety symptoms. The ease of tension and anxiety within the body can actually be attributed to this modulation that then supports the decrease of cortisol levels or the stress hormone in the body supported by regular lemon balm intake.¹

2. Mental Clarity

Maintaining a positive mood includes supporting memory, focus, and cognitive function. The mental performance required to manage stress or navigate daily tasks can be supported by regular and continuous use of lemon balm to improve focus and alertness to further stabilize mood. A recent meta-analysis indicated that lemon balm supplementation along with enhancing cognitive function can significantly reduce total cholesterol levels (TC), triglyceride levels (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, suggesting cardiovascular benefits.²

3. Improved sleep

If you haven’t heard, mood and sleep are essential for your health and well-being. Great news is that another benefit of regular intake of lemon balm is overall sleep quality improvements, reducing insomnia or stress-induced insomnia. A clinical trial in children experiencing sleep disturbances improved sleep quality in 80.9% of participants supplementing with a combination of lemon balm and valerian.³

4. Anti-inflammatory

High levels of rosmarinic acid express antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A study done in rat models with acute inflammation induced by carrageenan. Quick overview of carrageenan, it’s a natural substance extracted from red edible seaweed and is widely used as a thickening or gelling agent and stabilizer in foods like plant-based milks, ice cream, yogurt, deli meats and toothpaste. The results showed a reduction in swelling, an inflammatory response of the body, with decreased production of pro-oxidants like hydrogen peroxide, while increasing levels of glutathione, the master antioxidant in the body.⁴ Suggesting the benefits of lemon balm for preventing oxidative damage and inflammation. 

5. Liver Protection

Continued research into the effects of lemon balm extract and rosmarinic acid looks promising for supporting liver damage. Lemon balm and its major constituent, rosmarinic acid, have been seen to alleviate damage done to the liver by reducing oxidative stress, increasing antioxidant enzyme activity, enhancing antimicrobial effects and modulating lipid metabolism-related gene expression.⁵ The possibility of lemon balm providing therapeutic benefits for liver disease associated with oxidative stress and inflammation is just another added benefit of navigating the supplementation of it for certain individuals.

Q: Is lemon balm for everyone?

While generally considered safe for consumption by adults and children. Lemon balm has been known to impact thyroid function mildly as evidence has shown it can inhibit our thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as cause excessive drowsiness, lethargy or mental fog due to its sedative properties, which when combined with other sedatives like alcohol, benzodiazepines or sleep aids can be exacerbated. Although uncommon, headaches have been reported with lemon balm use due to potential effects on neurotransmitters.

As always, consult your physician and functional medical provider to discuss if lemon balm could be supportive for your individualized needs. People with hypothyroidism or that are on thyroid medication should consult a qualified doctor prior to use.

Resources:

1. Ghazizadeh J, Sadigh-Eteghad S, Marx W, et al. The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res. 2021;35(12):6690-6705. doi:10.1002/ptr.7252
2. Shahsavari, K., Shams Ardekani, M.R., Khanavi, M. et al. Effects of Melissa officinalis(lemon balm) consumption on serum lipid profile: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Complement Med Ther 24, 146 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-024-04442-0
3. Müller SF, Klement S. A combination of valerian and lemon balm is effective in the treatment of restlessness and dyssomnia in children. Phytomedicine. 2006;13(6):383-387. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2006.01.013
4. Draginic N, Andjic M, Jeremic J, et al. Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Melissa officinalis Extracts: A Comparative Study. Iran J Pharm Res. 2022;21(1):e126561. Published 2022 May 5. doi:10.5812/ijpr-126561
5. Kim M, Yoo G, Randy A, et al. Lemon Balm and Its Constituent, Rosmarinic Acid, Alleviate Liver Damage in an Animal Model of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Nutrients. 2020;12(4):1166. Published 2020 Apr 22. doi:10.3390/nu12041166