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St. John's Wort

Hi ,

I have Major Depression and I am trying St. John's Wort.  I am taking 5 x 300MG Capsules (1500MG) Once daily, usually in the morning.  I was wondering if this is the correct dosage.  Also, should I spread it out instead of tkaing it all at once?  Thanks.
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Avatar universal
"Natural doesn't mean "safe" or "harmless". It also doesn't mean "ineffective" either. Some are highly effective. But it does mean "unregulated"."

To this I add;
Don't trust the John's and other natural meds unless you research them with your doc. Someone told me her hubby cured his arthritis problems taking natural cortisone. My physiotherapist said there is nothing natural about self regulating your cortisone levels and there could be severe problems. He said he doesn't know how companies can produce this natural cortisone since it is dangerous.
Another problem is natural meds are not regulated, so there is no guarantee of the manufacturer's quality standards. You may get 50 mg in a pill that is supposed to be 40 mg. A drug sales rep told me that in the regulated drug discovery world, lots of promising drugs have to be canned, because there is no way to manufacture the pills to the purity required for the drug effect.
My doc has me on some otc pills so I am not saying this John's isn't for you though.

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585414 tn?1288941302
  Right but these natural remedies should taken with the supervision of a psychiatrist. Even though they are natural remedies they are still anti-depressents. Natural doesn't mean "safe" or "harmless". It also doesn't mean "ineffective" either. Some are highly effective. But it does mean "unregulated". I take rhodiola for tardive dyskinesia and what they are identifying as tardive psychosis. My neurologist allows me to take it but I found out about the specifics of it from a presentation by the research neurologist Dr. Richard Brown (look up his website on rhodiola for more information). But at 2 pills its just above the study dose but to get full control of spasms I have to take 4 pills and I try not to unless I go out (otherwise I am homebound) as because I have the bipolar aspect of schizoaffective the serotonin boosting quality will make me elated and hardly sleep at night. Also I get headaches at that dose so physically it must not be healthy but as it controls some life threatening spasms, I chance it but I am seeing a movement disorders specialist next week and hopefully he can find something to add to the Zofran (which raises http levels and is used for Parkinsons's, tardive dyskinesia and as an adjunct for schizophrenia, in me its controlling what they are identifying as tardive psychosis but serves as a mood stabilizer as well). The medications I am prescribed (which I take at the given doses) for tardive dyskinesia are activating anyway so insomnia has become something I've gotten used to but at a higher dose of rhodiola I hardly get any sleep.
   One essential thing is that if someone has bipolar instead of depression, rhodiola, sam-e and St. John's Wort will push them into mania very easily. Also although some of the natural remedies and vitamins suggested are safe not all are. Please be careful because some sites that appear reputable and call up "natural mood stabilizers" have products that are actually dangerous such as Tyrosine or Taurine. I know that my psychopharmocologist tried me on Pericatam for control of the spasms from tardive dyskinesia after checking controlled studies in Europe and it made me so speeded up it was terrifying. And that was clinically confirmed research. Other studies cited are hardly reputable. I've suggested rhodiola to people who have tardive dyskinesia because it makes a difference in dystonic spams but only with after their neurologists give express permission.
   The most important thing people can do is find a knowledgable psychopharmocologist who would incorporate natural remedies into treatment. Otherwise it can turn into self medication. How do you know when your depression is under control? When its not? What the right dosages? I was shocked to find out the Phase II FDA study antipsychotic I am on glycine was being taken by people as an antipsychotic on their own and available as such on the web and I signed up to sites to tell people they had to take it under the care of a psychiatrist. And one person had taken a large dose and gotten sick. And I suggested to that person to go back into treatment and they did. And that no one should self medicate. Because I know the glycine pills which are available at many pharmacies and health food stores are useless and that only the powdered compound is useful but I saw it available on a common site which I will not list and it said "do not take with Clozaril" which is correct because it can interact but in promoting it as an antipsychotic that site was breaking the law but the internet is unregulated so its hard to have it enforced.
  5-http I believe is of some use and certainly since it targets the same receptors as Zofran does it would have a mood stabilization effect. Rhodiola, St. John's Wort and Sam-e definitely are helpful and have been clinically confirmed. The rhodiola is in clinical study by that research neurologist I mentioned (I have no connection with him other than having attended a presentation of his) for depression as well as Parkinsons' and tardive dyskinesia. The glycine I take is under strict supervision from my psychopharmocologist but the rhodiola was something I found out about from that presentation and my own neurologist consented to. But because it controls choking episodes from dysphagia it is taken out of desperation.
   So if people have tried standard anti-depressents and have found they don't work then you can take natural remedies that have shown some good effect in clinical studies with the express supervision of a psychiatrist who is knowledgable in that area. And the vitamins and minerals mentioned in standard dosaging are helpful overall as supplements that people may lack as part of nutrition although I take some of them and have taken others and have not found they have mood stabilization effects in the same manner that I was suggested to take vitamin e by a standard psychiatrist starting in 1994 to prevent tardive dyskinesia. As you can see and as research has confirmed it doesn't. But standard vitamins and mineral supplements as long as they are not above the reccomended dosages are healthy and nutritional defiencies will cause depression. That does not mean they will reverse standard clinical depression.
    The only reccomendation I will make to people is to see a trained psychopharmocologist. Many are not averse to natural remedies. But they can comb through the studies and see which ones are valid and how many times the studies were conducted and what the results were overall. Mine did. There are natural remedies with strong anti-depressent effects and if I did any advocacy it would not be to promote them but to have them regulated by being studied and used as prescriptions as they do in Europe. You have to get a prescription for St. John's Wort there. Or Sam-e. And as they are being taken as medications (although not officially advertised as such) that's the only way they should be available.
  
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Avatar universal
There is also a product PERIKA which has 3% standarized extract . Below is amoryn product formula . If you start on perika then also combine the listed supplements .There was some controversy that when tested amoryn actually has less than .5% and perika is better but amoryn always worked for me . Whatever you do take the extracts only , it works far more better than taking the herb alone , I speak from experience , hope this helps


Primary Active Ingredients
Hyperforin
from Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) extract (aerial portion)
[600mg standardized to 3% hyperforin; standardized to .3% hypericin] 18 mg
Hyperforin, the active ingredient in St. John's wort, acts as a reuptake inhibitor of the brain's natural "feel good" chemical messengers: serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine & GABA. AMORYN contains the same hyperforin-rich St. John's wort extract prescribed in Europe for depression and anxiety. Learn more...
5-HTP
(5-hydroxytryptophan)
from Griffonia simplicifolia extract 25 mg
5-HTP is used by the brain to make serotonin, the brain's natural "feel good" neurotransmitter. By increasing serotonin levels, 5-HTP promotes a positive outlook. Learn more...
Rhodiola Rosea
extract (root)
standardized to 4% rosavins
and 1% salidrosides 90 mg
Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb that can increase serotonin activity by up to 30%. Rhodiola also increases the activity of two other mood-related neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. Within a few days, Rhodiola produces increased energy and motivation, reduced anxiety, and elevated feelings of confidence and optimism. Learn more...
Supporting Nutrients
B Vitamins
B6
B12
Folate
20 mg
30mcg
300mcg
B vitamins provide nutritional support for mood-related pathways. B6, B12 and Folic Acid allow your brain to produce extra SAM-e, a proven natural antidepressant used in Europe for over 20 years. SAM-e is crucial to maintaining proper levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Buying SAM-e is expensive (over $100/month) but AMORYN allows your brain to produce it naturally by providing extra B6, B12 and Folic Acid. Learn more...
Selenium 70mcg
Clinical research shows that a diet low in selenium may contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety and fatigue. Unfortunately, many adults do not receive the optimal amount of this vital nutrient. Learn more...
Vitamin D3
(Cholecalciferol) 400 IU
Vitamin D deficiency, common during the winter months, can contribute to a negative emotional outlook. Likewise, increased vitamin D consumption has been shown to elevate mood, and may be particularly effective at relieving seasonal depression. Vitamin D appears to increase the activity of serotonin, the brain's natural "feel good" neurotransmitter, and may also reduce the risk of cancer. AMORYN contains vitamin D3, the most effective form of vitamin D. Learn more...
Zinc 15 mg
Studies show that certain depressed or anxious individuals may be deficient in this important mineral, and zinc supplementation can help improve mood in these cases.
Vitamin C 10 mg
Vitamin C is an antioxidant used throughout the body to protect cells, including nerve cells in the brain. Vitamin C is also involved in many mood-critical metabolic processes
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I don't know about correct dosage but I took a product called AMORYN , instead of st. john's wort it actually contains its extracts , that is , the active ingredient in st johns = hyperforin(22.5mg) , extracted from 750mg of this herb , starting dose is 2 pills daily . Amoryn is more effective , do a google search
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