Study brings quality of lavender supplements into focus

With rising consumer interest in natural sleep and stress-support solutions, a newly published peer-reviewed study has flagged concerns about the quality and performance of some oral lavender products on the market.

The analysis, conducted by Banaz Jalil and Michael Heinrich of University College London and published in the European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, evaluated 73 commercially available single- and multi-ingredient lavender tablets and capsules labelled as containing Lavandula species, assessing both their ingredient authenticity and dosage form performance.

The researchers found that nearly 63% of the products tested lacked sufficient levels of key lavender marker compounds, including linalool and linalyl acetate, which are commonly used to confirm authentic lavender content. In addition, around 30% of products failed disintegration testing, meaning the tablets or capsules did not break down properly under simulated digestive conditions.

“Overall, our findings highlighted problems with the pharmaceutical performance and phytochemical quality of the investigated products,” the authors conclude. “These results have implications for the interpretations of the benefits and risks of phytopharmaceuticals used as compared to dietary/food supplements.”

The study also found that some products contained significant levels of undeclared oils and excipients, which may dilute the active botanical content and lead to less efficacy.

By Jane Wolfe, contributor