NOW Foods Supplements, St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) 300 mg, Standardized Extract, 100 Veg Capsules

This herb worked like magic for me within days. I had increased motivation and energy to get things done, was able to stay focused, and my mood improved as if I was on an antidepressant. I thought I'd never go off it because it helped so much! But within a few weeks, I developed some side effects that have ultimately made me have to go off of it. I developed incredible stinging in my hands.... It is hard to describe as I have never felt or experienced anything like it. It is the worst whenever I handle anything cold... chicken breast for dinner, cold running water, chilly air (like, not even cold-cold.... like in the 55- degree range). Even walking around the cold aisles of the grocery store, my hands start to sting and ache from the inside out, incredibly strange ... again, can't describe it well. And while my hands are by far the worst, the skin on my face, neck, arms, and feet are also extremely sensitive to any pinch, scratch or temperature change. A small scratch by my own nail feels like a deep paper cut and hangs on like someone poured lemon juice in it. Crazy, crazy stuff. I wanted it to be ANYTHING other than the St. John's Wort because the herb worked like a dream. I looked up every side effect I could find on the internet, but I had to dig deeeep to find only a few medical reports about this issue - which it turns out is a nerve issue caused by SJW. SJW can help nerve pain apparently, but no body talks about causing nerve pain! The craziest thing is not being able to find reviews or info about this. HOWEVER, I know it's not just me because my best friend (who tried SJW because I raved about it) had the exact same side effects. One day she mentioned what she was dealing with to me, and we were blown away that neither of us could find any information on the internet. I am in mourning that I have to stop. I'm going to try another brand to see if that helps at all??? I hope so because I feel like this was a life-saver for me. PS: I have been off of it for a week and while it seems to be improving slightly, it hasn't gone away completely. I'm concerned that longterm use could cause permanent damage.

Since I was young I have suffered from bouts of depression, and it is always worse in the grey of winter. 6 months ago I read a book about St John's Wort being good to uplift the mood, so bought these hoping they might help. Yes, yes they did! I stopped waking up feeling dread and depression. It worked so well, I brought them into work for a coworker who had similar problems. Now we both are in good moods at work. And I dont even take them every day now. Just once or twice a month. This company is reputable, and the tablets work. Just dont take them and then go sunbathing, as they can, at higher doses make your skin sensitive to sun burn.

Have used St.John's Wort for over 20 years. When I first started, I didn't notice any change, but my family did! It took a while for me to notice a 'lightness' in mood that was different. Over the years whenever I've run out and stopped taking it for a while...my family notices and reminds me to keep taking it. Now, I'm on a ordering schedule so I never run out :) If you are new to using St. John's Wort...be patient. It can take several weeks to reach full effectiveness in your body. It also takes a while to 'leave' the body after stopping use, so there is no problem with weaning off...you just stop taking it. Also be aware that it is a blood thinner and some people may be more sensitive to that aspect. It may also cause sun sensitivity, so be careful about sun exposure. I haven't had a problem with either of these issues myself. This brand is very good quality and a great price! UPDATE: March 2015.....Am still using this brand. Very consistent quality.

SJW works for some people and not for others. Talk to your doctor to decide if it's for you and establish dosage. Be very careful as SJW can interact with prescription and OTC meds (particularly hormone treatments like birth control!) I always make sure I mention that I'm on SJW and the dose whenever a health-care professional asks about what medicines I'm taking. (Always be careful with herbal supplements. Just because it's "natural" doesn't mean it's safe or won't cause interactions... herbs are medicines, too.) That said, I wish someone had introduced me to it much earlier in life. It has been a huge help in taking the edge off my depression. And I know that it's working because every time I miss a couple of days, I notice a drop in my mood and an increase in my depression symptoms. It's taught me a lot about my condition. NOW brand has worked for me. I can tell it is fairly consistent and fresh. If capsules get left out of the airtight bottle for more than a week, the herb dries out and gets dark and compacted, rattling around in the gelcap instead of filling it. I've used NOW for years.

NOW is a pretty decent brand that offers good value and quality. These capsules are standardized. When buying herbs, avoid "whole" varieties; always get standardized. "Whole" herbs are just that- ground up stems, leaves and whatever else gets dropped into the grinder. The therapeutic ingredient of a given herb is often only found in one part of the plant. Therefore, if you are not purchasing standardized herbs, you are getting diluted ingredients. Standardized, on the other hand, ensures a specific therapeutic ingredient at a guaranteed percentage and purity, as well as chemical consistency across batches. With this product, I find 300mg 3x per day to be quite effective.

Buena

I believe in this brand and in this product. Last summer, I had a reaction to Prozac. I knew I couldn't take it but I also knew my serotonin was low. As soon as I began taking St. John's Wort I noticed a difference but the really good effects take about 6 weeks. (You have to be patient). If you have to take a psych med, please do so. BUT, if your doc is like mine, you might want to give this natural treatment a try before taking Prozac or some other med. (By the way, NEVER mix St. John's Wort with psych meds!) From my experience, here's how St. John's Wort and Prozac compare: * I keep my sex drive and I have no sexual dysfunction on St. John's Wort like I had on Prozac. Prozac robs the body of any desire for sex and if the desire is there the performance isn't so great. St. John's Wort doesn't rob the body of anything. * My mind is clear on St. John's Wort, that wasn't the case on Prozac. Prozac made me crave alcohol. * St. John's Wort actually decreases my anxiety. Prozac decreased my anxiety for a while but it wasn't effective in all situations. St. John's Wort does a better job at decreasing anxiety. I highly recommend St. John's Wort because I know from experience. I took Prozac for over 5 years. I can't stress this enough though: DO NOT TAKE ST. JOHN'S WORT WITH ANY PSYCH MEDS (ANTI-DEPRESSANTS).

My teenage kid has been temperamental, morose, cynical, etc etc. All the behaviors and snooty comments that come with angsty pubescent age. I've been worried and anxious as I helplessly watched our relationship deteriorate. Some days we would barely exchange a few words, she would be in her bedroom the entire day, and even the most neutral comment or question from me would cause some form of mild to extreme tirade. I was searching for therapists but worried that they would all impulsively recommend pharmaceuticals to "fix" the problem. One day during one of our "connected" moments I mentioned to my daughter about SJW and she quickly jumped at the opportunity to try it. That is how desperate she was. Within hours I heard her humming and whistling cheerfully. That same night she repeatedly came up to me to chat and joke, and show me things that she was doing, eg. drawings, video games. She is often forgetful, but she diligently remembers to take these capsules without any prompt from me, which is itself amazing. It's been only about a week, but every day since has been a complete transformation. I am so grateful that this product exists. Sure, the smell/flavor isn't delightful, but it's tolerable, and definitely worth the compromise.