Study Finds St. John's Wort Provides Depression Relief with Few Side Effects

The Cochrane Collaboration is an an international not-for-profit organization providing up-to-date information about the effects of health care treatments. This organization recently concluded that St. John's wort depression studies showed the herb was similar in effectiveness to standard anti-depressants. The researchers also found that St. John's wort provides natural depression relief with few or no negative side effects.

Today’s prescription anti-depressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and tricyclic anti-depressants. SSRI's are the latest thing. They include the popular medication Zoloft. In studies concerning St. John's wort depression relief, volunteers experienced half as many side effects as they did when taking SSRI's and about a fifth of the side effects caused by tricyclic anti-depressants.

Knowing all of this, you might wonder why the herb is not regularly recommended for natural depression relief. The main reason is that research groups do not always agree on the accuracy of the results.

While the Cochrane Collaboration’s conclusions were positive, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), an agency of the U.S. government, maintains that the herb has little or no effect in the treatment of major depressive disorders. So, who should we believe? Why is there such a difference of opinion?

St. John's Wort for Natural Depression Relief

The anti-depressant action of St John's wort has been proven in many clinical trials. One four-week study, in which 39 patients with depression and also somatic symptoms were treated with 900 mg of hypericum extract, found that 70% of the treated patients were free of symptoms after four weeks. People taking St. John's wort reported an improvement in mood and ability to carry on with their daily lives.

The Cochrane Collaboration looked at 29 different St. John's wort depression trials, consisting of 5,000 patients. The NCCAM conclusion was based mostly on a single trial that was sponsored by the center. Even the authors of the study pointed out that only limited conclusions could be drawn from the results.

When the results vary, the problem could be the potency or freshness of the herb. In one study, the extract was allowed to degrade significantly. At the end of the study, it was found to be only a third as potent as it was supposed to be.

That can be a problem when buying the supplement over the counter, as well. Some manufacturers are careful to test for potency, as well as purity. They are also careful to protect the nutrient with an enteric coating or special packaging to prevent its degradation. Other manufacturers aren’t so careful.

In order to provide natural depression relief, the herb must be taken on a regular basis. If taken sporadically, it will be ineffective. It is also necessary to check the expiration date and discard the product when it reaches that date. In this case, the expiration date indicates how long the potency is maintained.

When choosing herbal antidepressants, look for formulas produced in a way that's as close to nature as possible. Check labels and look for words like "full spectrum" or "wild crafted," which will indicate that the product most likely does not use inferior ingredients or standardized herbal extracts. Choose high quality products that will have a better chance of giving you the relief you're looking for.

Although the majority of the patients in the St. John's wort depression studies reported improvement, a small number reported none. If that should happen to you, remember that there are other effective remedies for depressive disorders that may prove more effective for you.

St. John's wort natural depression relief
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