Condition
Somatization Disorder
Somatic symptom disorder, once called somatization disorder, is a condition where real physical symptoms such as pain, fatigue, or gut trouble come with worry and distress out of proportion to them. Lavender has drawn the most interest among supplements, and small studies found anxiety symptoms eased, though the evidence is limited. Those studies were small, 47 people in all, and looked at lavender scent in dental patients rather than this condition.
Sources: PMID 16095639; PMID 19968674
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 47
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety Symptoms Moderate Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 4 studies | 47 people | ||
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms
| ||||||
| Sleep Quality | Improves (the measure goes up) | 5 studies | 47 people | |||
| Restlessness | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 47 people | |||
Studies that measured restlessness | ||||||
| Depression Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 47 people | ||||
| Neurasthenia Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 47 people | ||||
| Subjective Well-Being | Improves (the measure goes up) | 47 people | ||||
Key findings
- Anxiety SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
The Somatic Symptom Disorder Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements
- Lavender Oil (Silexan)80–160 mg Silexan (standardized lavender oil) daily
- Magnesium300–400 mg daily (glycinate for calming effects)
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Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Somatization Disorder. If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
16 studies from PubMed
- Phase II trial on the effects of Silexan in patients with neurasthenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or somatization disorder
- The effects of lavender oil inhalation on emotional states, autonomic nervous system, and brain electrical activity
- A single-blinded, randomized pilot study evaluating the aroma of Lavandula augustifolia as a treatment for mild insomnia
- [Effects of lavender aromatherapy on insomnia and depression in women college students]
- The Sleep-Enhancing Effect of Lavender Essential Oil in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- An olfactory stimulus modifies nighttime sleep in young men and women
- Silexan, an orally administered Lavandula oil preparation, is effective in the treatment of 'subsyndromal' anxiety disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial
- How Strong is the Evidence for the Anxiolytic Efficacy of Lavender?: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
- Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office
- The effects of lavender scent on dental patient anxiety levels: a cluster randomised-controlled trial
- Lavender bath oil reduces stress and crying and enhances sleep in very young infants
- Effect of aromatherapy massage on dysmenorrhea in Turkish students
- Effect of aromatherapy on the quality of sleep in ischemic heart disease patients hospitalized in intensive care units of heart hospitals of the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
- A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender oil preparation Silexan in comparison to Lorazepam for generalized anxiety disorder
- Topical lavender oil for the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulceration
- Lavender essential oil in the treatment of migraine headache: a placebo-controlled clinical trial