ST. John's Wort?

People ask me about St. John's Wort and if it is an effective treatment for depression and should they take it. This is a very individualized decision that you should make with your doctor, but I want to give you some background information before you talk to your doctor. 

Herbs Are Natural, so They Don't have Side Effects, Right?

Herbs can have almost as many side effects as medications do. Herbs are generally better tolerated by most people than antidepressants, but that doesn't mean they are risk free. I think of medicinal herbs as a type of medication. I am just as careful when recommending herbs to a patient as I am with prescribing a medication. 

Studies have shown St. John's Wort to be effective in treating mild to moderate depression. It acts in a similar way as most antidepressants do. For this reason Do NOT take St. John's Wort while also taking an antidepressant. This could lead to a very serious medical emergency called Serotonin Syndrome. You will want to ask your doctor or pharmacist to check to make sure that this or any herb does not have any drug-herb interactions. More and more research is being conducted on herbs and we're learning about more and more interactions. At one time, the information on these interactions was sparse, but it is getting better now. Drug-herb interactions can be just as dangerous and problematic as drug-drug interactions. 

Studies have shown St. John's Wort to be as effective as standard antidepressants with fewer risk of side effects. It does have some serious interactions with the following medications or classes of medications: 

• Antineoplastics
• Anticoagulants
• Anti-infectives (including antirvirals)
• boceprevir
• cobicistat
• telaprevir
• voriconazole

You should not take this herb while pregnant of lactating. 

BOTTOM LINE

If you would like to try a treatment as effective as antidepressants but with fewer adverse events or side effects (and  you are not on any of the medications or classes listed above), then St. John's Wort may be worth a consideration. You can read more here. 

If feeling down has interfered with your creativity, then please seek treatment. You can talk to your doctor or your therapist about options. You can mention this treatment and ask if this would be appropriate for you. It certainly would be considerably cheaper than asking your doctor about any of the medications you see on commercials! 

I am your curator of information on the intersection of psychiatry and art. You should always talk to your doctor about any of the treatments listed in this post and any questions you may have pertaining to your personal health decisions.