Improvement after a supplement is not the same as a comparative result
Start with the comparison. A before-and-after change alone cannot isolate the contribution of an ingredient.
Lemon Balm
Sleep
Human studies reported between-group improvement in Insomnia symptoms.
combination-ingredient studies · Individual ingredient effects cannot be separated · Human studies · Includes patient groups · between-group comparison
Publications for this result: 1
Other outcomes and study details
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
Distinct publications linked to this topic: 4
- Route, form, dose, or population details are incomplete, so the findings cannot be confirmed as directly comparable.
- Combination, formula, or class studies do not isolate this ingredient or establish synergy.
What has been studied?
Distinct human comparison papers: 4
Some studies tested several ingredients together. Those results cannot show this ingredient’s separate effect or establish synergy.
Insomnia symptoms
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
- Comparison result:A better result than the comparison group was reported.Patient group · Combination study
Measurement and study conditions
- Controlled human study
- Randomized trial
- Ingredient combination
- Patient group
- Primary outcome
- Between-group comparison
- Timepoint: study treatment period; duration unspecified
- Study comparison: Melissa officinalis Phytosome extract versus placebo in crossover
Sleep quality
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) · mean score
- Comparison result:No clear difference from the comparison group was found.Patient group · Combination study · 6 weeks
Measurement and study conditions
- Controlled human study
- Randomized trial
- Ingredient combination
- Patient group
- Primary outcome
- Between-group comparison
- Timepoint: 6 weeks
- Study comparison: four-ingredient formulation versus placebo
Sleep disorders
- Comparison result:A better result than the comparison group was reported.Patient group · Combination study
Measurement and study conditions
- Controlled human study
- Controlled trial
- Ingredient combination
- Patient group
- Outcome role not specified
- Between-group comparison
- Timepoint: post-intervention; exact timing not specified
- Study comparison: valerian plus lemon balm versus placebo
Sleep disturbance
- Comparison result:A better result than the comparison group was reported.Patient group · Single ingredient · 8 weeks
Measurement and study conditions
- Controlled human study
- Randomized trial
- Single ingredient
- Patient group
- Secondary outcome
- Between-group comparison
- Timepoint: 8 weeks
- Study comparison: Melissa officinalis vs placebo
Research topics to explore
Research topics to explore
Review findings reported in each research area.
Topics with more linked papers appear first.
- View results
Stress and mood
Related papers 7 · human comparison papers 1
- anxiety · Improvement reported · Some studies included patients or people with a deficiency
- depression · Improvement reported · Some studies included patients or people with a deficiency
More outcome groups: 5
- View results
Blood lipids
Related papers 4 · human comparison papers 2
- LDL · Improvement reported · Some studies included patients or people with a deficiency
- serum level of triglyceride · No clear difference between groups · Some studies included patients or people with a deficiency
More outcome groups: 4
- View selected result
Sleep
Related papers 4 · human comparison papers 4
- View results
Blood pressure and vascular health
Related papers 3 · human comparison papers 2
- Blood pressure · Study conditions differ · Some studies included patients or people with a deficiency
- systolic blood pressure · Interpretation held
- View results
Cognition
Related papers 2 · comparison findings need further review
- Accuracy of Attention · Finding details are limited
- View results
Glucose and metabolic health
Related papers 1 · comparison findings need further review
- HbA1c · Interpretation held
Data coverage and detailed study classifications
Paper counts are separated by research topic below. One paper may contribute to multiple findings.
Analysis status: Public-ready
Ingredient analysis date:
How the grade was determined: C
The 33.5 evidence score includes 1 independent human studies and 1 clinical studies in the representative benefit area. The C tier remains conservative because of limited repetition across independent human clinical studies, too few clinical findings with an explicit effect direction.
The grade is based mainly on the research area with the most evidence. It does not mean the same result was found in other areas.
Papers linked to this ingredient overall: 58
Papers linked to this topic 4 · distinct papers 4 · papers with a confirmed human comparison 4 · papers needing additional review 0
Ingredient-wide papers, topic-linked papers, and sources in outcome groups use different scopes. Adding source counts may count the same paper more than once.
- Insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)): Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- Sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) · mean score): Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- Sleep disorders: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- Sleep disturbance: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
Stress and mood
What the research found
mood
A change was reported before and after use. Its cause cannot be isolated.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · General population
Within-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
anxiety
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
depression
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
stress
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
alpha 1
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Ingredient combination · General population
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
Within-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
anxiety
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
anxiety score
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Ingredient combination · Patient group
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
depression
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
depression
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Other evidence · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
depression score
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Ingredient combination · Patient group
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Blood lipids
What the research found
serum level of triglyceride
No clear difference in this measurement was found between the compared groups.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
LDL
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
HDL
No clear difference in this measurement was found between the compared groups.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
LDL
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
TC
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
TG
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
total cholesterol
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Sleep
What the research found
Mean PSQI
No clear difference in this measurement was found between the compared groups.
Controlled study in people · Ingredient combination · Patient group
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
ISI score
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Ingredient combination · Patient group
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep disorders
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Ingredient combination · Patient group
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep disturbance
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Blood pressure and vascular health
What the research found
Blood pressure
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
blood pressure
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Other evidence · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
systolic blood pressure
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Cognition
What the research found
Accuracy of Attention
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled human study · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Review · Ingredient combination · Patient group
Several ingredients were used together. This does not establish the effect of this ingredient alone or synergy.
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Glucose and metabolic health
What the research found
HbA1c
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
How to read research findings
How should I read research findings?
Research guidesNo clear difference and an uninterpretable result are different
A reported null comparison contains a result. An abstract without an interpretable comparison leaves a question unresolved.
Paper counts and study counts are different
Count original research separately from research that reanalyzes it. Publication volume is neither replication nor a quality rating.
Side effects and combination findings
Findings from this ingredient alone are shown separately from those involving another supplement or medication.
Caution findings
1
Findings from individual and combined use, plus reviewed cautions
Key precautions
No reviewed caution rules are available yet. Reported caution findings are shown below.
These findings were reported in studies. They do not predict an individual's experience.
Findings to review with care
Side effects reported for the ingredient alone are separated from findings involving another supplement or medication.
Side effects reported with this ingredient alone
Symptoms or adverse events reported in studies without another active ingredient.
LD501 papers
Acute oral toxicity of lemon balm essential oil in BALB/c mice showed significant behavioral, biochemical, and pathological changes at doses >1 g kg‑1, with an LD50 of 2.57 g kg‑1.Animal studies · Animal study