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Herbal Therapy for Depression
The use of herbal treatments for just about any ailment has
grown exponentially. Americans spend over $5 billion dollars on herbal remedies
every year, and that number is growing. For depression and anxiety St. Johns
wort is the herb of choice.
St. John’s wort is an herb that has been used for centuries to treat everything
from malaria to burns, wounds, insect bites and nerve pain. It was also used and
continues to be used as an herbal therapy to treat mental disorders such as
depression and anxiety.
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an herb that’s been used to treat mild
to moderate depression in Europe. In fact St. John’s wort is used to treat
depression in Germany more than any other antidepressant drug. While there is no
preponderance of scientific evidence that St. John’s wort helps people with
depression, there are several short term studies that indicate it is effective
for those suffering from mild to moderate depression. For people with major
depression there is no evidence that St. John’s wort has any affect on their
symptoms.
If you do decide to use St. John’s wort there are some side affects you should
be aware of which include increased sensitivity to sunlight, anxiety, dizziness,
digestive tract problems, headaches, fatigue and sexual problems. It should also
be noted that if you take St. John’s wort with other anti-depressants these side
effects may be worse.
It has also been found that St. John’s wort may cause dangerous interactions
with other prescription drugs. The FDA has warned through a public health
advisory that St. John’s wort appears to affect an important metabolic pathway
that is used by many drugs prescribed to treat conditions such as AIDS, heart
disease, depression, seizures, certain cancers and rejection of transplants. If
you are taking or are thinking of taking St. John’s wort it is imperative that
you speak with you health care provider about any possible adverse reaction you
could have if you are currently taking a prescription drug of some kind.
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