St. John's Wort?

Question

I just started taking St. Johns Wort. What are some things I should know about it? Side effects? Does it really help?

Answer 1

The most common side effects of St. John's wort include
dry mouth,
dizziness,
gastrointestinal symptoms,
increased sensitivity to sunlight,
and fatigue.

Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reveals that St. John's wort may reduce the effectiveness of several drugs by speeding up activity in a key pathway responsible for their breakdown.
The end result is that blood levels of these drugs decrease because the body breaks them down faster making the drugs less effective.
St. John's wort especially affects indinavir, a protease inhibitor used to treat HIV infection. It may also affect cyclosporine, a drug used to help prevent organ transplant rejection, and other drugs that work through this same pathway in the body, such as birth control pills and medications for heart disease and depression. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Public Health Advisory on February 10, 2000, warning physicians of these potential adverse interactions and advising them to alert their patients

Answer 2

My experience with St. John's Wort was that it did seem to pick my mood up a bit, it helped me sleep deeply at night, but that the effect lasted only a short time. I stopped taking for a few days a week after beginning, and when I started again I noticed no changes, so I stopped. My depression had passed, though, and I felt fine.

Sometimes some people just need is a "hand into the saddle" as it were, and after not taking St. John's Wort for a year or so, I was feeling a little down for a couple weeks, took it again for several days, and returned to normal.

I noticed no side effects, except for sleeping more than normal, and some slightly greater than normal difficulty waking up in the morning.

Answer 3

The major active ingredients in St. John's wort include hypericin and other dianthrones, flavonoids, xanthones, and hyperforin. For many years researchers believed the antidepressant properties of St. John's wort were a result of its hypericin contnet and the inhibition of the enzyme monoamine oxidase, however, more recent research suggests that its antidepressant actions may be a result of other active constituents, such as hyperforin, and flavonoids. Clinical studies suggest that St. John's wort extracts may exert their antidepressant actions by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This action may be due to hyperforin. St. John's wort's may work as an antidepressant, by making more of hyperforin (a neurotransmitter) available to the brain.

Dosage and Administration

A common recommendation for St. John's wort extract when taken in connecton with mild to moderate depression is 500-1,000 mg per day. Results may be noted as early as two weeks but may take longer. You should consult with a health care professional to determine how long to use this supplement. For more severe depression, higher intakes may be required, under the supervision of a physician.


Precautions

There may be a number drug interactions with St. John's wort that are not yet know. St. John's wort stimulates a drug-metabolizing enzyme that metabolizes at least 50% of the drugs on the market. Based on this fact alone, St. John's wort could possibley interfere with a number of medications. Consult with a qualified medical professional before supplementing with St. John's wort.

Answer 4

I have used the 'wort' for the last 8 years and it does help pick up your mood and I have not noticed any side effects. I only use it about 2 or 3 times a month.

Answer 5

excellent to help deppression but you need to take 3 a day if thats why your taking it...xxx