I work at CVS Pharmacy and when I first saw this, I thought it had a funny name. Anyway, I decided to research this herbal.
St. John's wort is a plant Hypericum perforatum that is used as a herbal medicine to treat mild depression. While St. John's wort is an over the counter herbal, people should still take caution while taking it. Talking to a doctor before starting to take these pills is recommended. Some benefits include promoting better sleep at night if someone is suffering from insomnia/fatigue, helps with stress, and some signs of PMS for women.
The recommended dosage is 900mg (300mg three times a day).
Of course there has to be some side effects! While most people do not experience these, it is common to have gastrointestinal symptoms, dizziness, confusion, and decreases estrogen levels in women. So if you are a women on birth control, you shouldn't take it. Sensitivity to light is another side effect. It is recommended not to take St. John's wort with any other medications.
Websites used:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John's_wort#Depression_treatment_use
http://www.bhia.org/articles/specialty-products/stjohnswort.html
St. johns wort? Sounds kinda dicey to take and Im not sure I would be cool with the side effects either. For me a Herbal would have to be natural. Im not sure if this is made in the lab or not haha. At first I was thinking it a herb to remove a wort, but that is just would be silly to think that.
ReplyDeleteHaha you're right; this does have a funny name! I would never have guessed it was a herbal remedy for depression and insomnia. You make a good point too: even if something is "natural" you should still consult with your doctor. You never know if something will harm you more than help. Also, I agree with Ryan-- it's important to determine if something is really natural.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really interesting blog! Nice job, Cassie!
I'll have to try that when I run out of my current depression/insomnia herbal remedy
ReplyDelete