Valerian root and weed (What’s the relationship)

In this article, we will be discussing “ valerian root and weed”, some information about valerian root, working of Valerian, including its uses and side effect, weed and its use and effect, precautions in taking Valarin, Drug Interaction, Dosage of Valerian, weed and valerian root and finally winding up the writeup with some FAQs concerning with the topic.

Valerian root and weed can be taken together for treatment of: 

  • Treatment of Insomnia Patient

Taking both of them results in better sleep since it produces a better sleep, longer sleep as well as reducing the time taken to sleep.

  • Improvement of muscle strength

It prevents involuntary muscle contraction and movements.

  • Helps in the meditation process

Taking valerian and weed together makes the process of meditation easier as well as in entering a dream-like trance state.

  • Relaxation and Introspection

Combining both the plant and drug results in a relaxed and calm state of mind that makes the entire process of introspection as well as meditation much easier. A person can have a vivid dream and relaxing premeditated sleep.

Valerian Root

It is a herb that is found in Europe and some part of Asia. The root of the plant is used as a medicine. Valerian is most commonly used for the treatment of sleep disorders, however, can be taken orally for the treatment of anxiety as well. 

The extract and the oil for the plant are often used for flavouring especially in food and beverages. 

Weed.

Weed and marijuana both are Cannabis which is a plant that is used popularly or widely in psychoactive drugs for recreation as well as medicine. It is a tobacco product and the term was widely used in the 1930s. Weed is usually associated with or related to Cannabis users. It is a slang term which is not used in legal terms.

Working of Valerian Root

The plant acts like sedative where it acts on our brain as well as the nervous system.

Uses and the effectiveness of Valerian Root

Valerian Root is used for the treatment of various illnesses and it is found to be effective in the treatment of Insomnia and however, no sufficient evidence is found for treatment of other disorders.

Insomnia

Valerian plants can help in the treatment of Insomnia by reducing the time taken for sleep by almost 15-20 minutes. It also improves our sleep quality. 

Menopause symptoms 

Women who are struggling with postmenopausal sign and syndrome, taking 675-1060mg of Valerian can reduce the severity of hot flashes as well as the frequency.

However, there is insufficient and contradictory evidence found for treatment of some other disorders by Valerin. These are:

Anxiety

Although in some cases Valerin can treat anxiety symptoms in contrast, there are also researches where there is no observable effect that can be attributed to the difference in the dose taken in accordance to the type and severity of anxiety.

Depression

Valerian can improve the depressive symptoms that taking a higher dose of Valerian like 1000mg can significantly improve depressive symptoms in the individual.

Menstrual Cramps

Taking around 255mg of Valerian thrice daily will reduce the pain and craving for another pain reliever especially during menstruation.

Anxiety before getting surgery

Taking valerian before getting surgery works in reducing the anxiety and pain before getting surgery. Such as in case of pulling out wisdom teeth in an individual. 

Stress

It was shown through research that taking around 600mg of Valerian reduces blood pressure in individuals, pressured feelings during stress and also anxious feelings. 

Other than the treatment of these mentioned illnesses, Valerin often treats Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder, Chronic Fatigue Syndromes, Epilepsy, Mild tremor, Muscle pain and agitation, Stomach upset, etc, etc include. 

Side effects of Valerian

Some of the known side effects of Valerian includes the following:

  • Headache
  • Restlessness 
  • Stomach upset
  • Persistent vomiting and nausea
  • Yellowish skin and eyes
  • Tiredness and Fatigue
  • Serious allergic reaction
  • Swelling and Itchiness 
  • Trouble in breathing. 

Precautions Before taking Valerian

Before taking Valerian, one need to take certain precautions to avoid the risk of certain side effects:

  • Any sort of allergic reactions
  • Use of alcohol and Marijuana
  • Liver Disease
  • Pregnancy

These are the precautions one needs to take before starting with the medication of Valerin owing to the severe and serious side effect it can cause to one.

Interaction of Valerian

Valerian may interact with certain medications and one needs to discuss it with a doctor before taking the medicine.

One need to take be cautious of the following combination:

Valerian with Alcohol

Combining Valerian with Alcohol can cause severe sleepiness and drowsiness

It also results in too much sleepiness.

Valerin with Alprazolam

Valerian interactions with Alprazolam by decreasing the effect of how quick Alprazolam breaks down. Other than that, it also increases the risk of side effects caused by Vlaerin such as drowsiness etc.

With other sedative medication  such as Benzodiazepines 

It causes drowsiness when taken with sedatives. Some of the sedatives medication includes clonazepam, diazepam and lorazepam.

Component of Weed/ Cannabis

Weed/ Cannabis are composed of more than 120 chemicals which are known as Cannabinoids Out of those, the two major components are CBD and THC.

  • CBD: Cannabidiol:

It is psychoactive, however, it doesn’t produce euphoric feeling and makes an individual high. To alleviate pain and inflammation, it is often used.

  • THC: Tetrahydrocannabinol:

It is the key psychoactive component in Cannabis where it produces euphoric and high feeling or sensation in most of the individual. 

The cannabis products contain either CBD, THC or both. The hemp plant contains CBD but no THC. Both components interact with systems in our brain significant for our mood regulation. 

Dosage of Valerian

For the insomniac patient, 400-900mg of Valerian before heading to bed treats them well or 120mg of the extract with 80mg of lemon before bed for a month and then can gradually increase the dose.

For patients with menopause, 225mg of valerian root thrice a day for almost 8 weeks can recover their symptoms well or 530mg of Valerian root can be taken twice a day for about 8 weeks.

Different ways of using or consuming weed

There are different kinds of consuming weed and few of them are:

  • Rolling weed and smoking it like cigarette or cigar
  • Smoking it via pipe
  • Mixing with food and consuming
  • Brew it like tea
  • Using vape or vape pen
  • Use marijuana oil
  • Water pipe

Effects of Weed 

Few of the effect of consuming weeds are mentioned below which be either short term or immediate effect while others are developed over time.:

  • Dizziness and heaviness
  • Easily break into laughter
  • Red eyes
  • Forget things easily 
  • Lost track of time and pace
  • Sensory disturbance 
  • Get hungry easily 
  • The smell after smoking weed
  • Affect one’s mental health
  • Get high and Dopamine rush
  • Distorted thinking and thoughts
  • Brain Impairment 
  • Lung inflammation
  • Ease pain and alleviate other symptoms
  • Pacing heartbeat 
  • Increase the risk of cancer
  • Learning Difficulties 
  • Lack of motivation
  • Anxiety and Paranoia

Weed and Valerian

Valerian, a sedative can be taken with weed for treatment purposes as well as for health. There are certain benefits of taking both. Some of them include:

  • It works as an additional healing properties
  • Provide an extra boost to the individual 
  • Induce sleep and treat an insomnia patient
  • Reduce Anxiety
  • Deepen the effect of sleep-inducing medication
  • Treat sleep apnea: It is a condition when the breathing stops while sleeping.
  • It acts as a relaxant and produces a calming effect.

FAQ: Valerian root and weed

Does weed cause Mental Illness?

Yes, weed does cause mental illnesses. Higher usage of Marijuana is directly linked with Anxiety and Depression. There are both short term and long term effects and these symptoms take a toll on one’s physical as well as psychological health short term and long term.

Can quitting weed result in Depression?

Yes, it is very prevalent and common to suffer from depression post-Marijuana cessation. We experience withdrawal symptoms after quitting it which can be tough to overcome and deal with.

Some of the symptoms include disruption in the sleep cycle, craving for other drugs, headaches and nausea, depression and irritability.

Is it safe to take valerian every night?

Valerian is a herb, it is safe to use every night, however, it is still unclear if a higher dose of it produces the effect.

Is Valerian root good for anxiety?

Yes, people often use it for treatment from anxiety and relieving it. It has a mild calming effect.

Is weed medicine?

No, despite the use of weed in the treatment of a certain medical condition, it is not proved yet that weed can be a medicine for treatment. 
It is often smoked and causes severe damage to one’s lungs and cardiovascular system.
Apart from that, weed contains a large number of chemicals which aren’t proved yet to help and alleviate certain medical conditions.

Is valerian root better than melatonin?

No, melatonin is a hormonal sleep while Valerian root is herbal. Apart from that, melatonin is more direct than valerin thus can be more intense.

How long does Valerian last in our body?

The effect of Valarin fade off or wear off within 4-6 hours of medication. And continuously taking the dose doesn’t result or lead to tolerance of the effect.

What are the health risks of weed?

A plethora of research studies have shown that there is a negative relationship between the usage of weed and health. Some of the health risks of weed are listed below:

Mental health problem
Testicular Cancer
Respiratory Problems and severe lung damages
Brain damages
Cardiovascular issues

What is the best natural sleep aid?

Some natural sleeping aids include chamomile, valerian, hops, lavender, ginseng, etc.

How long does it take for valerian to kick in?

For a patient with insomnia, it can be taken in the first two hours before bedtime, while it will take a few weeks to fully observe the effect of it. 

Conclusion

In this article, we had discussed “ valerian root and weed”, some information about valerian root, working of Valerian, including its uses and side effect, weed and its use and effect, precautions in taking Valarin, Drug Interaction, Dosage of Valerian, weed and valerian root and finally wrapped up the writeup with some FAQs concerning with the topic.

Details

Seven herbs that will help you sleep like Sleeping Beauty (including cannabis)

https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=40995

https://www.choosehelp.co.Cuk/topics/detox/valerian-root-an-herbal-remedy-for-marijuana-withdrawal-insomnia

Bibliography

Lee, J. (2020). Valerian Root – An Herbal Remedy for Marijuana Withdrawal Insomnia. Choose help.UK. https://www.choosehelp.co.uk/topics/detox/valerian-root-an-herbal-remedy-for-marijuana-withdrawal-insomnia

Lland, R. (2017). Pairing the Power of Cannabis With Medicinal Plants. Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/news/health/cannabis-and-medicinal-herbs

Verblio. (2016). CANNABIS INDUSTRY SAMPLE POST: 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANNABIS AND INSOMNIA. version. https://www.verblio.com/blog/cannabis-and-insomnia-5-things-you-should-know

WebMD. (2019). Valerian. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-168428/valerian-root-extract-oral/details

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