Comparison of the Effectiveness of Lavender and Chamomile Herbal Tea on Anxiety and Depression in Postmenopausal Women: a Randomized Controlled Trial

One of the treatments for depression and anxiety which has significantly increased in recent years in most countries is drinking lavender and chamomile herbal tea. The current study aimed to compare the result of these two types of herbal drinks on anxiety and depression in the postmenopausal women.

The present study is a randomized clinical trial conducted in 2020. It was recorded with the code of IRCT20090304001742N6 in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. The total sample size was 96 people. In the current study, the depression questionnaire (created by Beck) and anxiety questionnaire (created by Spielberger) were used to assess the contributors. Each intervention group received 2 g of dried lavender and chamomile leaves, which were cooked twice daily—once in the morning and once at night—in 300 ml of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes—as part of the intervention. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, paired t-tests, and chi-square.

The average score of depression in the lavender tea group was reduced from 21.00±4.10 to 18.56±3.24 (P<0.001). In the group which consumed chamomile herbal tea, the average score of depression in the pre-intervention stage was 22.00±3.97, while after consuming chamomile herbal tea, it decreased to 18.31±3.05 (P<0.001). The mean score of depression among the groups that used lavender and the control group showed a significant difference. Although there was a non-significant difference between the average anxiety (state and trait) scores in the control group at the start and end of the study (P=0.058, P=0.083), there was a significant difference between the mean anxiety (state and trait) scores in the intervention groups before and after the intervention (P<0.001). Furthermore, the average score of depression between the group that used lavender and the control group displayed a significant difference (P=0.021).

In general, drinking lavender or chamomile herbal tea could alleviate the level of anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women.