Did you know that in Germany, doctor's prescribe St John's Wort for depression? So why not cheer up with ‘Hypericin’ – the pigment and powerful therapeutic ingredient found in this humble herb? Hypericin and various other substances (such as ‘Hyperforin’) found in St John’s Wort are believed to aid emotional stability and improve mood by increasing levels of neurotransmitters (natural chemicals used to communicate) within the brain.
Millions of people suffer from anxiety and depression and, until recently, many GPs responded by prescribing antidepressants. But over the past few decades, many of these drugs have been shown to have more risks than benefits.
Thought to be named after St. John’s Day (June 24th - when the plant normally blooms) and ‘wort’ (the old English term for plant); St John’s Wort is a common, shrub-like herb with a golden yellow flower which can be found growing all over the world.
St Johns Wort (often misspelt as 'St John's Wart') originates from Europe where it was first used centuries ago to heal wounds and calm nerves. It has since been used for various other ailments associated with nervous tension i.e. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Stress, Menopausal Symptoms, Anxiety, Excitability and Insomnia. It is also believed to have antiviral/antibacterial properties.
Its popularity has proliferated to such an extent that it has been embraced worldwide as an effective method for helping mild depressives. In fact, the herb is regarded so highly by modern medicine that in Germany, where doctors routinely prescribe herbal remedies, St John’s Wort is the most common form of antidepressant. Furthermore, the prestigious ‘American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology’ devoted a whole issue to 17 different papers reporting on its benefits. One study followed more than 3,000 patients with mild to moderate depression and found that 80 percent of them were either feeling considerably better or completely free of symptoms after taking the herb for only four weeks. Evidently, St John’s Wort takes time to build up in the blood, so allow at least four weeks before you begin to notice improvements.
Each tablet contains 334mg of 0.3% standardised St John’s Wort Extract, providing over 1,000mcg of the active ingredient Hypericin.
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