Apigenin
A dietary flavonoid concentrated in chamomile that binds the benzodiazepine site of the GABA-A receptor to promote sleep, and inhibits the NAD+-consuming enzyme CD38 to support cellular NAD+ levels. One of the few compounds that bridges sleep architecture and longevity biology.
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BiohackingHub Research TeamEditorial Research Team · Last updated: May 8, 2026
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Stacking Interactions
How Apigenin interacts with other compounds
Magnesium is a positive allosteric modulator of GABA-A receptors and a natural NMDA antagonist — complements apigenin's benzodiazepine-site binding for deeper sleep onset.
L-theanine raises GABA and alpha-wave activity while reducing glutamatergic excitation — pairs cleanly with apigenin's sleep-onset effect without next-day grogginess.
Glycine lowers core body temperature to accelerate sleep onset via a different mechanism (NMDA co-agonism in the SCN), making it complementary rather than redundant with apigenin.
Apigenin inhibits CD38, the primary NAD+-degrading enzyme, which can preserve NAD+ raised by NMN supplementation — a longevity-oriented pairing.
Safety Profile — Tier A
Well-tolerated — strong human evidence
Contraindications
- ●Anticoagulant therapy — apigenin has mild antiplatelet activity at high doses
- ●Hormone-sensitive conditions — weak phytoestrogenic activity reported in vitro
- ●Pregnancy and breastfeeding — insufficient safety data, avoid
Side Effects
- ●Generally well-tolerated at 50mg doses used for sleep
- ●Drowsiness or grogginess if dosed too high or too late is not an issue (apigenin has a sedative ceiling)
- ●Mild GI upset at gram-level doses (rare, far above sleep dosing)