Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Soon It WorksUsesDosageSide EffectsSafetyHow Effective Is It?Other Treatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Soon It Works
Uses
Dosage
Side Effects
Safety
How Effective Is It?
Other Treatments
Diazepam is the single active ingredient in Valium.Valium is available as an oral tablet, suspension, intramuscular and intravenous injection, and rectal gel.
Diazepam can take anywhere from a few minutes to one hour to begin working, depending on the route of administration.Injectable, nasal, or rectal formulations have a quicker onset of action than oral.
This article will provide an overview of how quickly Valium begins working, along with other important information regarding the safe use of this benzodiazepine.
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How Long Does It Take for Valium to Work?
Valium should work similarly whether it is taken for anxiety or agitation. However, individual responses to it can vary.
The peak concentration of Valium in the bloodstream typically occurs within one hour after oral administration.
Valium is metabolized in the liver and expelled from the body through the urine.
How long it takes Valium to work can vary depending on how it is administered and several factors specific to individuals such as:
Liver Function
Body Weight
Body weight can impact how Valium is distributed in the body. Individuals with more body fat may experience a slower onset of action. Therefore, Valium may take longer to work.
Age
Age can play a role in older individuals due to age-related changes in metabolism that may exist. These changes may result in a slower onset of Valium.
Metabolism
An individual’s metabolism can impact how Valium is broken down in the body. A faster metabolism may result in a quicker onset of action. Those with slower metabolisms may take longer to feel the drug’s effects.
Drug Tolerance
If Valium is taken excessively, drug tolerance may develop over time. If Valium tolerance occurs, higher doses of the drug may be needed. This may also influence how quickly the drug works.
What Is Valium?
Diazepam is the active ingredient found in Valium. It belongs to a class of medications calledbenzodiazepines. Valium is FDA-approved for the short-term relief of anxiety symptoms, symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal, and muscle spasms.
It should not be used in children under 6 months of age. Adults 65 and older should take precautions while using it or avoid it altogether.
Brand-name Valium is available as tablets only. Generic diazepam is available as a tablet, oral solution, injection, and rectal gel.
Off-label uses of Valium include:
Valium carries boxed warnings—the FDA’s strictest safety warning added to a prescription drug label—regarding the potential for abuse, misuse, addiction, dependence, and withdrawal reactions.
Controlled SubstanceValium is a federally controlled substance (C-IV) due to its risk of abuse or dependence.Schedule IV drugsare considered to have a low potential for abuse and dependence.
Controlled Substance
Valium is a federally controlled substance (C-IV) due to its risk of abuse or dependence.Schedule IV drugsare considered to have a low potential for abuse and dependence.
How It Works
By attaching to GABA receptors, Valium produces a calming effect on the brain and reduces nervous system activity. This calming effect helps lessen symptoms associated with anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, and muscle spasms.
When compared to other benzodiazepines, Valium works similarly. However, it is considered to be one of the longer-acting benzodiazepines and has a medium potency (strength).
Dosing Valium
The usual daily dose of Valium for anxiety in adults is 2–10 milligrams (mg), taken every six to 12 hours, depending on symptom severity.
The usual dose of Valium, when used as add-on therapy for relieving muscle spasms in adults, is 2–10 mg, taken every six to eight hours.
The most common side effects of Valium are:
Severe side effects of Valium include:
Long-term side effects may occur if physical dependence on Valium develops and may include withdrawal if stopped suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms include:
Boxed Warnings
Valium carries boxed warnings regarding the potential for abuse, misuse, addiction, dependence, and withdrawal reactions.
Taking Valium at the same time as opioid medicines, alcohol, or other medications that affect the central nervous system can be harmful and cause severe side effects such as drowsiness, breathing problems, coma, and death.
Valium carries a risk of abuse, misuse, and potentially addiction even if taken as prescribed. This can lead to overdose and serious side effects, including coma and death.
Valium can also cause physical dependence and withdrawal reactions.
Safely Taking Valium
The following preexisting health conditions would disqualify someone from taking Valium:
Use in Specific Populations
The following circumstances should be considered before taking Valium:
Potential for Interaction
Avoid taking Valium with the following medications due to their potential effect on drug absorption and effectiveness:
Opioids and other medications that act on the central nervous system, such as anxiety medications, muscle relaxers, narcotic pain medications, and some antidepressants, should be avoided due to the potential harm that may occur as a result of taking these medications together.
Alcohol should be avoided while taking Valium.
How Effective Is Valium?
Studies have compared the effectiveness of Valium with other benzodiazepines. In general, they have similar effectiveness in managing anxiety and muscle spasms.
One study compared the efficacy and tolerability of diazepam and alprazolam, the active ingredient in Xanax, for the treatment of panic disorder. The results showed that diazepam was an effective alternative to alprazolam.
Overall, studies show that Valium is an effective treatment option for both anxiety and muscle soreness.
Alternative Treatment Options
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)has been proven to be an effective nondrug treatment option for anxiety.
Some other nondrug treatment options for anxiety include:
Nondrug treatment options for muscle pain and spasms include:
Summary
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine that is FDA-approved for anxiety, symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal, and muscle spasms. It is available as an oral tablet, suspension, intramuscular and intravenous injection, and rectal gel.
Valium carries boxed warnings regarding the potential for abuse, misuse, addiction, dependence, and withdrawal reactions. Before starting treatment, talk to your healthcare provider about how to safely take it.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Label: Valium - diazepam tablet.Khalid S, Rasool MF, Imran I, et al.A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for predicting diazepam pharmacokinetics after intravenous, oral, intranasal, and rectal applications.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(9):1480. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13091480Kienitz R, Kay L, Beuchat I, et al.Benzodiazepines in the management of seizures and status epilepticus: a review of routes of delivery, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and tolerability.CNS Drugs. 2022;36(9):951-975. doi:10.1007/s40263-022-00940-2Greenblatt DJ, Shader RI, Divoll M, HarmatzJ.Benzodiazepines: a summary of pharmacokinetic properties.British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.1981;11(S1), 11S-16S. doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1981.tb01833.xGriffin CE, Kaye AM, Bueno FR, Kaye AD.Benzodiazepine pharmacology and central nervous system-mediated effects.Ochsner journal.2013;13(2), 214–223.Vinkers CH, Olivier B.Mechanisms underlying tolerance after long-term benzodiazepine use: a future for subtype-selective GABA(A) receptor modulators?Advances in pharmacological sciences.2012;416864. doi:10.1155/2012/416864Markota M, Rummans TA, Bostwick JM, Lapid MI.Benzodiazepine use in older adults: dangers, management, and alternative therapies.Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91(11):1632-1639. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.07.024Calcaterra NR, Barrow JC (2014).Classics in chemical neuroscience: diazepam (valium).ACS chemical neuroscience. 2014;5(4), 253–260. doi.org/10.1021/cn5000056United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.Noyes R, Jr Burrows GD, Reich JH, et al.Diazepam versus alprazolam for the treatment of panic disorder.The Journal of clinical psychiatry.1996;57(8), 349–355.Song K, Wang Y, Shen L, et al.Complementary and alternative therapies for generalized anxiety disorder: a protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.Medicine. 2022;101(51), e32401. doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000032401MedlinePlus.Alternative medicine - pain relief.Kattimani S, Bharadwaj B. (2013).Clinical management of alcohol withdrawal: A systematic review.Industrial psychiatry journal.201322(2), 100–108. doi.org/10.4103/0972-6748.132914
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Label: Valium - diazepam tablet.Khalid S, Rasool MF, Imran I, et al.A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for predicting diazepam pharmacokinetics after intravenous, oral, intranasal, and rectal applications.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(9):1480. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13091480Kienitz R, Kay L, Beuchat I, et al.Benzodiazepines in the management of seizures and status epilepticus: a review of routes of delivery, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and tolerability.CNS Drugs. 2022;36(9):951-975. doi:10.1007/s40263-022-00940-2Greenblatt DJ, Shader RI, Divoll M, HarmatzJ.Benzodiazepines: a summary of pharmacokinetic properties.British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.1981;11(S1), 11S-16S. doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1981.tb01833.xGriffin CE, Kaye AM, Bueno FR, Kaye AD.Benzodiazepine pharmacology and central nervous system-mediated effects.Ochsner journal.2013;13(2), 214–223.Vinkers CH, Olivier B.Mechanisms underlying tolerance after long-term benzodiazepine use: a future for subtype-selective GABA(A) receptor modulators?Advances in pharmacological sciences.2012;416864. doi:10.1155/2012/416864Markota M, Rummans TA, Bostwick JM, Lapid MI.Benzodiazepine use in older adults: dangers, management, and alternative therapies.Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91(11):1632-1639. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.07.024Calcaterra NR, Barrow JC (2014).Classics in chemical neuroscience: diazepam (valium).ACS chemical neuroscience. 2014;5(4), 253–260. doi.org/10.1021/cn5000056United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.Noyes R, Jr Burrows GD, Reich JH, et al.Diazepam versus alprazolam for the treatment of panic disorder.The Journal of clinical psychiatry.1996;57(8), 349–355.Song K, Wang Y, Shen L, et al.Complementary and alternative therapies for generalized anxiety disorder: a protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.Medicine. 2022;101(51), e32401. doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000032401MedlinePlus.Alternative medicine - pain relief.Kattimani S, Bharadwaj B. (2013).Clinical management of alcohol withdrawal: A systematic review.Industrial psychiatry journal.201322(2), 100–108. doi.org/10.4103/0972-6748.132914
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
DailyMed.Label: Valium - diazepam tablet.Khalid S, Rasool MF, Imran I, et al.A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for predicting diazepam pharmacokinetics after intravenous, oral, intranasal, and rectal applications.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(9):1480. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13091480Kienitz R, Kay L, Beuchat I, et al.Benzodiazepines in the management of seizures and status epilepticus: a review of routes of delivery, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and tolerability.CNS Drugs. 2022;36(9):951-975. doi:10.1007/s40263-022-00940-2Greenblatt DJ, Shader RI, Divoll M, HarmatzJ.Benzodiazepines: a summary of pharmacokinetic properties.British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.1981;11(S1), 11S-16S. doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1981.tb01833.xGriffin CE, Kaye AM, Bueno FR, Kaye AD.Benzodiazepine pharmacology and central nervous system-mediated effects.Ochsner journal.2013;13(2), 214–223.Vinkers CH, Olivier B.Mechanisms underlying tolerance after long-term benzodiazepine use: a future for subtype-selective GABA(A) receptor modulators?Advances in pharmacological sciences.2012;416864. doi:10.1155/2012/416864Markota M, Rummans TA, Bostwick JM, Lapid MI.Benzodiazepine use in older adults: dangers, management, and alternative therapies.Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91(11):1632-1639. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.07.024Calcaterra NR, Barrow JC (2014).Classics in chemical neuroscience: diazepam (valium).ACS chemical neuroscience. 2014;5(4), 253–260. doi.org/10.1021/cn5000056United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.Noyes R, Jr Burrows GD, Reich JH, et al.Diazepam versus alprazolam for the treatment of panic disorder.The Journal of clinical psychiatry.1996;57(8), 349–355.Song K, Wang Y, Shen L, et al.Complementary and alternative therapies for generalized anxiety disorder: a protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.Medicine. 2022;101(51), e32401. doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000032401MedlinePlus.Alternative medicine - pain relief.Kattimani S, Bharadwaj B. (2013).Clinical management of alcohol withdrawal: A systematic review.Industrial psychiatry journal.201322(2), 100–108. doi.org/10.4103/0972-6748.132914
DailyMed.Label: Valium - diazepam tablet.
Khalid S, Rasool MF, Imran I, et al.A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for predicting diazepam pharmacokinetics after intravenous, oral, intranasal, and rectal applications.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(9):1480. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13091480
Kienitz R, Kay L, Beuchat I, et al.Benzodiazepines in the management of seizures and status epilepticus: a review of routes of delivery, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and tolerability.CNS Drugs. 2022;36(9):951-975. doi:10.1007/s40263-022-00940-2
Greenblatt DJ, Shader RI, Divoll M, HarmatzJ.Benzodiazepines: a summary of pharmacokinetic properties.British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.1981;11(S1), 11S-16S. doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1981.tb01833.x
Griffin CE, Kaye AM, Bueno FR, Kaye AD.Benzodiazepine pharmacology and central nervous system-mediated effects.Ochsner journal.2013;13(2), 214–223.
Vinkers CH, Olivier B.Mechanisms underlying tolerance after long-term benzodiazepine use: a future for subtype-selective GABA(A) receptor modulators?Advances in pharmacological sciences.2012;416864. doi:10.1155/2012/416864
Markota M, Rummans TA, Bostwick JM, Lapid MI.Benzodiazepine use in older adults: dangers, management, and alternative therapies.Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91(11):1632-1639. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.07.024
Calcaterra NR, Barrow JC (2014).Classics in chemical neuroscience: diazepam (valium).ACS chemical neuroscience. 2014;5(4), 253–260. doi.org/10.1021/cn5000056
United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.
Noyes R, Jr Burrows GD, Reich JH, et al.Diazepam versus alprazolam for the treatment of panic disorder.The Journal of clinical psychiatry.1996;57(8), 349–355.
Song K, Wang Y, Shen L, et al.Complementary and alternative therapies for generalized anxiety disorder: a protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.Medicine. 2022;101(51), e32401. doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000032401
MedlinePlus.Alternative medicine - pain relief.
Kattimani S, Bharadwaj B. (2013).Clinical management of alcohol withdrawal: A systematic review.Industrial psychiatry journal.201322(2), 100–108. doi.org/10.4103/0972-6748.132914
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