25–75 mg/day at night. In chamomile studies the equivalent is approx. 1.2% apigenin in 500–1,500 mg of extract.
Apigenin is mainly responsible for the anxiolytic effect of chamomile, backed by randomized trials in GAD and sleep quality. As an isolated flavonoid, human evidence is scarce.
View the study (RCT) →Studies in animal/cell models: modulates sirtuins and autophagy. No human longevity trials; extrapolation is still premature.
In vitro and animal-model evidence on prostate, breast and colon. There are no human RCTs. Promising but speculative.
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Apigenin is a flavonoid found in many edible and medicinal plants (parsley, celery, chamomile, artichoke), largely responsible for the characteristic calming effect of chamomile infusions and of several other traditional uses in Mediterranean herbal medicine; in the last decade it has moved from the niche of relaxing tea to the geroprotection laboratory, because several studies have shown that it inhibits CD38, an enzyme that consumes NAD+ and whose increasing activity with age is one of the proposed mechanisms for the decline in NAD+ that defines mitochondrial aging.
This double life (traditional calming agent and emerging geroprotector) makes it one of the most interesting compounds of the moment: the traditional evidence on anxiety and sleep is consolidated by centuries of safe use, while the geroprotective evidence is in the early phases of clinical research but points to solid mechanisms on which longevity science is actively working.
The most established use of apigenin (via chamomile) is as a mild anxiolytic and sleep aid: several randomized trials with standardized chamomile extract rich in apigenin (typically 220-1,500 mg/day for 8 weeks) have shown significant improvements in mild to moderate generalized anxiety and in sleep quality, especially sleep latency and the morning feeling of rest, with an excellent safety profile.
The most plausible mechanism combines binding to GABA-A receptors (similar to but milder than that of benzodiazepines, with no documented tolerance or dependence) with modulation of other neurotransmission systems; the effect is modest but subjectively noticeable, especially in people with mild anxiety and trouble falling asleep who do not want to turn to pharmacological hypnotics.
The most interesting discovery of recent years is that apigenin potently inhibits CD38, a glycohydrolase that consumes NAD+ and whose expression increases with age in multiple tissues; this inhibition raises cellular levels of NAD+ available to sirtuins (the aging-regulating enzymes that depend on NAD+ to function), and preclinical studies show effects on mitochondrial function, immune function, and body composition in aged animals.
David Sinclair and other researchers have popularized the use of apigenin as part of NAD+ optimization protocols alongside precursors such as NMN or nicotinamide riboside, on the logic that increasing production while reducing consumption (via CD38 inhibition) may be more efficient than either strategy alone; clinical evidence in humans remains preliminary, but the preclinical data are reasonable.
In preclinical studies and animal models, apigenin shows well-documented anti-inflammatory properties, modest antitumor effects in several types of cancer (especially prostate and breast, where it could modulate hormone receptors), and some effect on insulin sensitivity and hepatic lipogenesis; translation to humans remains limited, and pure apigenin supplements have not been tested at scale in formal clinical trials.
Apigenin as an isolated supplement is sold in capsules of 50 to 100 milligrams, and the doses used by longevity enthusiasts are 50-100 mg/day taken with meals (its oral bioavailability is modest and improves with dietary fat); it can also be obtained from regular consumption of chamomile tea (two to three cups daily) or from standardized chamomile extract, both options with an excellent safety profile and supported by the traditional evidence on sleep and anxiety.
It is generally very well tolerated; adverse effects are rare and mild (some daytime drowsiness at high doses, occasionally allergic reactions in people sensitive to the Asteraceae family); people taking anticoagulants should be cautious because of a possible mild antiplatelet effect at high doses, and apigenin may inhibit some hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes, which could theoretically alter the metabolism of several drugs if combined at high doses over long periods.
Information, not medical advice. Scientific evidence reflects the quality of the studies.