St. John's wort has been used for several centuries as a natural herbal treatment for mental disorders. In recent times, St. John's wort is often used to improve mood and to treat depression. More doctors are gradually beginning to recognize that natural supplements such as St. John's wort, SAM-e, and the nutrient 5HTP are as potent as pharmaceutical medicines in terms of mood enhancement, with far fewer side effects. St. John's wort has also been touted as a weight loss herb.
St. John's Wort Extract, 300 mg - Natural Factors
Scientific research shows hat St. John's wort may
lighten mood and support a positive emotional balance. Remember that a sensible
program of diet and exercise can enhance the benefits of this standardized
herbal product. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is standardized to
contain 0.3% hypericin and 3% hyperiforin.
Hyperforin Rich
Mood Support
Click here to purchase St. John's Wort 300 mg, SAM-e, 5-HTP, Mind Power Rx
St. John's Wort Active ingredients
St. John’s wort has hypericin and other dianthrones, flavonoids, xanthones,
and hyperforin. New research suggests that St. John’s wort extracts may exert their
antidepressant actions by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin,
norepinephrine, and dopamine. Long-term administration of St. John's wort modifies levels
of neurotransmitters in brain regions involved in the pathophysiology of depression.
Side effects of St. John's wort
The most common side effect of St. John's wort is insomnia,
which is likely to be worse on higher doses.
Headaches and irritability or anxiety have also been reported.
St. John's Wort and long term use
There is always a concern when taking a particular herb for
prolonged periods. Thus far, it does not seem that St. John's wort has any significant
side effects (particularly compared to standard pharmaceutical antidepressants). However, I
often recommend taking breaks from a supplement every few weeks. It also depends on
dosage. If a person is only taking one pill a day, they can continue taking this much
longer that someone taking three pills a day.
One study indicates
St. John's wort
does not influence heart rate variability.
St. John's wort and
cholesterol
The main components of
St John's Wort
inhibit low-density lipoprotein atherogenic modification: a beneficial "side
effect" of an OTC antidepressant drug?
Free Radic Res. 2007 Feb;41(2):234-41. Laggner H, Schreier S, Hermann
M, Exner M, Mühl A, Gmeiner BM, Kapiotis S.
Department of Medical Chemistry, Centre of Physiology and Pathophysiology,
Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Hypericin and pseudohypericin are polycyclic-phenolic structurally related
compounds found in Hypericum perforatum L. (St John's wort). As hypericin has
been found to bind to LDL one may assume that it can act as antioxidant of LDL
lipid oxidation, a property which is of prophylactic/therapeutic interest
regarding atherogenesis as LDL oxidation may play a pivotal role in the onset of
atherosclerosis. Therefore, in the present paper hypericin, pseudohypericin and
hyperforin, an other structurally unrelated constituent in St John's wort were
tested in their ability to inhibit LDL oxidation. Hypericin, pseudohypericin and
hyperforin were found to be potent antioxidants in the LDL oxidation systems
used. The results indicate that the derivatives found in St. John's wort have
possible antiatherogenic potential.
St. John's Wort Caution
Reduce exposure to sunlight when you take St. John's wort. One
study has indicated that in the presence of light, hypericin (a component of St. John's
wort) can induce changes in lens protein that could lead to the formation of cataracts.
Appropriate precautions should be taken to protect the eye from intense sunlight while
taking St. John's wort.
St. John’s wort may
interfere with oral contraceptives. St John's wort is an inducer of
cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A enzymes and may reduce the efficacy of oral
contraceptives.
St. John's wort interacts
with many medicines, including antidepressants, so caution is advised when combining this
herb with other medicines. Combining St. John's wort with SSRIs or other
pharmaceutical antidepressants should only be done under medical supervision
since their effects are additive and it is possible that the combination could
cause serotonin syndrome.
St. John's wort may increase metabolism of
certain drugs such as indinavir used in treating HIV. The mechanism is likely due to st.
john's wort inducing the production of cytochrome P450 3A, an enzyme that breaks down
certain drugs, but the specifics of this interaction are not yet clear. St. John's wort
may also interefere with the metabolism of Camptosar, a medicine used to treat some kinds
of cancer.
Certain formulations of
St. John's wort seem to reduce levels of digoxin, a drug that helps the heart to
pump in people who have heart failure. If the digoxin level falls too low, the
drug may not provide a beneficial effect. St. John's formulations rich in
chemicals called hypericin and hyperforin seemed to reduce blood-stream levels
of digoxin. There were no interactions, however, when volunteers took
"traditionally used" St. John's wort preparations. The hypericin- and hyperforin-rich
formulations produce their effect by turning on enzymes that break down digoxin.
St. John's Wort as anti-inflammatory
Is St. John’s Wort an Anti-inflammatory Herb? -- For many
centuries St. John’s Wort has been used in Europe to treat a variety of
conditions including infections and depression. Compounds within this herb, one
being hypericum, have very strong biological activity, including the ability to
reduce inflammation and fight against bacterial infections. In a study conducted
at Ege University, in Izmir, Turkey, scientists investigated the in vitro
effects of three Hypericum species, on human white blood cell myeloperoxidase (MPO)
activity. MPO is a major component of the antimicrobial system of white blood
cells. MPO helps the conversion of hydrogen peroxide and chloride to
hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is a strong oxidant produced by white blood
cells that contributes to inflammatory tissue damage. The researchers found that
hypericum in St. John’s wort reduces the oxidative activity of white blood
cells, thus potentially reducing damage from oxidation.
Comments: It appears that St. John’s wort has
many roles to play in the human body. For now, the most common use for St.
John’s wort is as an antidepressant. Even though studies have used 300 mg three
times a day, I find that most people notice some uplifting in mood even with 300
mg once a day in the morning. High doses could cause insomnia.
St. John's wort and Alzheimer's
disease
An in vitro study found that treatment especially with St. John's wort extract
restores or improves microglial viability and thereby attenuate amyloid-beta
mediated toxicity in Alzheimer's disease.
Lack of safety and side effect
info on St. John's wort supplement products
In an analysis of product labels for St. John's wort supplements, hardly any
mentioned all of the serious safety issues associated with using this herb. Dr.
Kevin A. Clauson of Nova Southeastern University in West Palm Beach, Florida,
caution that taking St. John's wort with AIDS medications or with drugs that
suppress the immune system, or with oral contraceptives, or the blood-thinning
drug warfarin can reduce the effectiveness of these drugs. St. John's wort may
not be appropriate for people with bipolar illness or those taking prescription
antidepressants. Taking St. John's wort with antidepressant drugs can cause
anxiety, restlessness, and increased body temperature. Dr. Kevin A.
Clauson of Nova Southeastern University evaluated labels of 74 St. John's wort
products to find out whether these cautions were mentioned. None of the products
listed all of the potential drug interactions and contraindications. Three
mentioned seven of the eight criteria, while four listed no safety information
at all. The most common warnings included not to take the drug with
antidepressants; phototoxicity, and advice to consult a health care professional
before taking the drug. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, online July
17, 2008.
St. John's wort supplement questions
Q. I would like to thank u for your efforts to bring awareness to herbal
medicines it is my belief that this is the direction medicine is heading towards
and hopefully more research is done. I have been taking St. John's wart extract
for about a year and it has helped me a lot with my anxiety attacks.
A. Avoid high doses of St. John's wort since too much can lead to
anxiety and insomnia.
Q. I was taking Paxil for about 2 years but
stopped because I wanted to go with a natural way of healing my anxiety. I'm
currently taking 2 pills of St Johns wart a day. One St; John's wart in the
morning and one in the evening. I'm thinking of quitting the St John wart
because I don't want to take medications anymore. I started exercising and feel
alot better and feel like I dont need them anymore. Is there any benefits from
getting off St Johns wort? Also is it true that it can lower your sex drive?
Should I get off them slowly or just stop at once? Is it ok to stop St. John's
wort for a few weeks, and get back on?
A. Not much has been said about the sexual effects of St. John's
wort so, at this time, it does not appear that St. John's wort has a major
influence on sexuality or libido. Each person is different regarding the benefit
or side effects they may get from St. John's wort or other natural supplements
for depression and that is a decision you would have to make for yourself. There
is no harm in stopping St. John's wort and restarting as long as the depression
is not severe that would put someone in a suicidal state if they were not on any
antidepressants.
Q. I've been taking St. John's wart most recently to
help with my studies and social abilities. Do you know of any negative side
effects of taking St. John's wart and Mind Power Rx at different times during
the day?
A. Sometimes taking many supplements together can cause
overstimulation and restlessness along with insomnia. It is often a good idea to
take a day or two off from a particular herb a week, and perhaps Mind Power Rx
could be substituted during the days St. John's wort is not being used.
Q. Have had trouble with mild depression, anxiety
and, hence, sleep. Started taking Kira brand saitn johns wort about 1.5 weeks
ago (300mg, 3x daily)...and the difference vs the generic stuff seems to be
significant (perhaps the hyperforin content). Appears to have really helped.
Have augmented with L-Tryptophan (500mg, 3 times per day, empty stomach, with
juice). Is 5-HTP generally better? One pharmacy told me they recommend 5-HTP in
the day and L-Tryptophan at night. Another well respected author in her book
indicated that 5-HTP was not nearly as safe as L-Tryptophan (the book is about
7 years old). Does either have an "easier" time crossing the blood-brain
barrier? Main purpose is depression / anxiety relief with better sleep being a
secondary goal. One comment - am wary of Serotonin Syndrome and so realize I
need to go light on combining these. Finally, does there appear to be the same
massive difference in L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP quality and effect (between brands)
as there is with saitn johns wort?
A. There are differences in quality between different brands but
there are so many different ones out there that it is difficult to compare. Some
people prefer tryptophan, other 5-HTP, so it is difficult to say which is
better. Using lower dosages is a safer way to begin.
Q. I have been taking St Johns wort for many years
after giving up on Prozac and some other pharms. My dosage may seem quite high,
about 1200 mg daily. A couple years ago I got turned onto 5 htp and now I am
taking about 300 mg of that daily. When I decide I am going to take a break fro
5 htp, I immediately go right back on it b/c I am disappointed with my lack of
concentration and general "togetherness". Likewise , when I decide to try
cutting back St Johns Wort, I don't get very far and reverse course b/c I am
disppointed that I have turned very moody and agitated for no reason.
I am worried that maybe I am taking too much, but from my experience, I am very
happy with the results . I am just not sure how to cut back on my "meds" w/o
losing the benefits of them, or if I should even worry about it. I certainly
dont want "seretonin syndrome".
A. Thank you for your email, but this is a personal type of question that
is more appropriate for a health care professional who knows your medical
history quite well, rather than us.
Q. Can St. John's wort be taken together with
SAM-e? What kind of St. John's wort side effects could be expected?
A. Both St. John's wort and SAM-e are very potent. Each, by themselves, can
cause insomnia in high doses, so we don't recommend combining them unless a
doctor who has experience using both supplements supervises you. Other side
effects on high doses of St. John's wort or SAM-e, or the combination could be
restlessness, irritability, anxiety, and increased heart rate.
I occasionally use Klonopin to treat anxiety episodes.
This would mean taking 0.25 mg at bedtime. I do not take Klonopin on a daily
orregular basis. Can you tell me if St. John’s wart is compatible with
occasional Klonopin use? Are there some extracts of St. John’s wart that would
be better for me than others?
We can't say in any particular individual whether the
combination of a supplement and medication is safe to use. But, as a general
rule, if dosages of medications and supplements are low, and a person does not
have any major health issues, the drug and the herbal extract can be taken on
separate days with little chance of an adverse effect.