Loading…
We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we’ll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more about cookies
Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
5-HTP vs Valerian Root: Valerian Root has the stronger overall evidence (5.5 vs 5.5/10); they're alternatives for perceived sleep quality — the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Valerian Root wins 1 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Too few graded studies
0 of 1 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
Verdict
Too few graded studies
1 of 1 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
Shared outcomes (1)
Outcomes where both 5-HTP and Valerian Root have evidence — compare verdict strength side-by-side.
50-100mg for sleep; 150-300mg for mood (a typical label dose. The cited 100-300 mg study tested tolerability in 15 healthy men also given carbidopa, not mood)
For sleep: 30-45 minutes before bed, For mood: 2-3 divided doses with meals
Capsules
300-600mg extract
30-60 minutes before bed
Standardized extract capsules
and 6 more not shown
and 1 more not shown
2-4 weeks
1-2 weeks
2-4 weeks
First 1-2 weeks
2-4 weeks
2-4 weeks
Next morning
Immediate
Early pharmacological interventions for universal prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2022) · Systematic review · n=2023
Cochrane review of 13 randomised trials in 2,023 adults exposed to a traumatic event, testing eight drug or nutritional interventions for universal PTSD prevention, 5-hydroxytryptophan among them.
Combination pharmacotherapy for the treatment of fibromyalgia in adults
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2018) · Systematic review · n=1474
Cochrane review of 16 trials in 1,474 adults with fibromyalgia testing combinations of drugs, one of which combined a monoamine oxidase inhibitor with 5-hydroxytryptophan in 200 participants.
The Impact of 5-Hydroxytryptophan Supplementation on Cognitive Function and Mood in Singapore Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Nutrients (2025) · Rct · n=30
Results: A significant time effect was observed in the MoCA score, which was mainly explained by a significant increase in the 5-HTP group (week 0 vs. week 12: 26.6 ± 1.4 a.u. vs. 27.6 ± 1.4 a.u., p < 0.05).
Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine (2020) · Meta analysis · n=6894
In addition, therapeutic benefits could be optimized when it was combined with appropriate herbal partners.
Fixed herbal drug combination with and without butterbur (Ze 185) for the treatment of patients with somatoform disorders: randomized, placebo-controlled pharmaco-clinical trial
Phytotherapy research : PTR (2009) · Rct · n=182
Analysis of the ITT population confirmed these results.
Herbal Medicines in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Therapeutic Potential, Plant Components, and Dosage Guidelines
Alternative therapies in health and medicine (2025) · Review
Passionflower and Valerian Root alleviate anxiety and hyperactivity through GABAergic pathways.
The two points come from two separate placebo-controlled trials, not from one trial comparing doses. 400 mg of aqueous root extract, taken on separate test nights, shortened self-rated sleep latency and improved sleep quality in 128 people, most clearly in poor or irregular sleepers (PMID 7122669). 530 mg of root extract nightly for 30 nights improved Pittsburgh sleep quality scores after heart bypass surgery in 72 patients, with no change in prothrombin time (PMID 33420602). The extracts and populations differ, so the curve is drawn flat and cannot show whether 530 mg does more than 400 mg. The cited meta-analyses found subjective improvement but give no per-trial doses (PMID 17145239, 33086877). No higher nightly dose for sleep was tested in a cited trial.
AI-estimated from published studies. Interpret as directional guidance.
Valerian Root has a higher evidence score (5.5/10 vs 5.5/10) and wins in 1 of 3 categories.
For perceived sleep quality, Valerian Root has a higher relevance score (75 vs 68).
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.