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
Selected research topic
Sleep
Findings differ across measurements or study conditions. The results below keep them separate.
Findings from a combination study cannot be attributed to this ingredient alone.
Some findings concern patients or people with a deficiency.
- Publications for this topic
- 4
- Human comparison publications
- 4
- Publications needing review
- 0
Findings in the studies
Insomnia symptoms
Publications linked to this measurement: 1
About this measure
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.
Several ingredients were tested together, so this ingredient’s individual effect is unknown.
Patient group · Combination studyMeasurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · Patient group
- Ingredients tested
- Ingredient combination
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: Melissa officinalis Phytosome extract versus placebo in crossover
- Additional measurement information
- Primary outcome
- Measurement time
- study treatment period; duration unspecified
Sleep quality
Publications linked to this measurement: 1
About this measure
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) · mean score
- No clear difference from the comparison group was found.
Several ingredients were tested together, so this ingredient’s individual effect is unknown.
Patient group · Combination study · 6 weeksMeasurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · Patient group
- Ingredients tested
- Ingredient combination
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: four-ingredient formulation versus placebo
- Additional measurement information
- Primary outcome
- Measurement time
- 6 weeks
Sleep disorders
Publications linked to this measurement: 1
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.
Several ingredients were tested together, so this ingredient’s individual effect is unknown.
Patient group · Combination studyMeasurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Controlled trial
- Study population
- Human participants · Patient group
- Ingredients tested
- Ingredient combination
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: valerian plus lemon balm versus placebo
- Measurement time
- post-intervention; exact timing not specified
Sleep disturbance
Publications linked to this measurement: 1
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.Patient group · Single ingredient · 8 weeks
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · Patient group
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: Melissa officinalis vs placebo
- Additional measurement information
- Secondary outcome
- Measurement time
- 8 weeks
Representative outcome and study details
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
1 publications linked to this result
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
- 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.
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
A publication may appear in more than one count. These numbers should not be added. 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
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.
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.
No reviewed caution rules are available yet. Reported caution findings are shown below.
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