Shelton RC, Keller MB, Gelenberg A, et al. Effectiveness of St. John's wort in major depression: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2001;285:1978-1986. However, some people do report side effects, including trouble sleeping, upset stomach, irritability, fatigue and skin rashes.

Since St. John's wort can interact with medications used during surgery, you should stop taking it at least 5 days or more before surgery. Make sure your doctor and surgeon know you are taking St. John's wort. NOW Supplements provides St. John’s wort alongside other energy-supporting compounds like holy basil, GABA, and vitamin B12, making it an unusually robust supplement for supporting high overall energy levels. While it produces fewer side effects than a drug like an SSRI, it still has some side effects, like gastrointestinal disturbances, dizziness, tiredness, and, in rare cases, photosensitivity. St. John's Wort makes the skin more light sensitive. Persons with fair skin should avoid exposure to strong sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light, such as tanning beds. These individuals may suffer a dermatitis, severe burning, and possibly blistering of the skin. The severity of these effects will depend on the amount of the plant consumed and the length of exposure to sunlight. Some experts suggest that all individuals avoid sunlight when using St John's wort, especially when taking large quantities. It should not be taken together with foods that contain tyramine i.e. cheese, red wine, preserved meats and yeast extracts. This is due to a MAO inhibition effect.What happens in your body when consuming St John’s Wort? Talking about the chemical composition of St John’s Wort, it consists of active elements that react with mood affecting chemicals in your brain. Thus, by reacting with chemicals like dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin, it plays a pivotal role in altering your mood. This is typically why it is used as an antidepressant. Side effects can be experienced, such as fatigue, stomach upsets, and headaches. Not to be taken together with the contraceptive pill, anti-epilepsy treatments, 5-htp, and a number of other medications including anti-depressants. St John's wort should not be combined with a MAO inhibitor antidepressant such as Nardil (phenelzine) or Parnate (tranylcypromine). This combination can produce a dangerous rise in blood pressure or hypertensive crisis, along with severe anxiety, fever, muscle tension, and confusion. After stopping a MAO inhibitor, one should wait at least four weeks before taking other antidepressants, including Hypericum. If you are taking any medication consult your doctor before starting St John's Wort. medicine to treat any type of infection (including HIV, fungal infections, malaria, or tuberculosis); There are some recent reports that suggest that St. John's Wort may interfere with medications given during organ transplant (such as kidney and liver.) Do not take this herb if you have undergone or plan to undergo a transplant operation. St. John’s wort isn’t just for boosting your mood—many people find it’s also a great way to elevate your sexual desire. For this use case, our recommendation is Gaia Herbs St. John’s Wort, due to its simple formulation and well-calibrated dosage. Who should buy St. John’s wort?

Woelk H, for the Remotiv/Imipramine Study Group. Comparison of St. John's wort and imipramine for treating depression: randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2000;321:536-539. Other potential concerns about St. John's wort are that it may interfere with getting pregnant or make infertility worse; that it may make symptoms of ADD and ADHD worse, especially among people taking methylphenidate; that it may increase the risk of psychosis in people with schizophrenia; and that it may contribute to dementia in people with Alzheimer disease. More research is needed. Can St John’s Wort be used to control premenstrual syndrome? As an alternative medicine, St John’s Wort is known to cure depression by calming your emotions and increasing the production of brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. Thus, when taken in the correct dosage, it may help control extreme mood swings that may be experienced during PMS.

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Can St John’s Wort upset your stomach? One of the side effects of St John’s Wort is an upset stomach. If this occurs, stop taking the product. Before continuing, consult with your doctor or a medical professional. Why is it called St John’s Wort? Generally, the blooming period of Hypericum Perforatum blooms in the monsoon season amidst the St John Baptist’s birth anniversary. Hence, the flowering herb has acquired this name ‘St John’s.’ Likewise, Wort represents “plant.”