This blog post will go over what St. John's Wort is as well as the usefulness of St. John's Wort for depression.

What is St. John's Wort?

St. John’s Wort is a flowering plant, which contains a phytochemical called hyperforin. The latin name for this plant is Hypericum perforatum.

The Effect of St. John's Wort for Depression

A systematic review looked at the data of 35 studies, examining almost 7000 patients [11]. The herb was associated with more anti-depressive symptoms than placebo. Furthermore, it was found to have the same effectiveness to pharmaceutical intervention. [11]. Compared to anti-depressant drugs, St. John's Wort was much less likely to cause adverse events.

The research on St. John’s Wort is specifically helpful for mild to moderate depression. The evidence in managing severe depression is not as strong.

Dosing and Standardization

When taking any herbal medicine, it’s important to get good quality supplements. The dosing is highly specific – you need to know how much of the active medicinal ingredients you’re getting. For this reason, professional brands of supplements will have standardized dosages.

Talk to Your Naturopath Today!

A naturopath can help you determine the best supplement protocol to manage depression. St. John's Wort may be part of that plan. In addition to talking with a naturopath, consider working with a counsellor, or someone who can administer CBT and other forms of talk therapy. At Absolute Health and Wellness, we have the team to help you manage you depression.