I'm wondering if anyone has had any success using herbs to fight depression? I just starting taking 5-HTP and find it's helpful. Of course there's St John's worth, but I'm wondering if anything else is useful.

Hi

my son used 5HTP successfully for a while but it seems to now make him a bit edgy.

my husband has success with st john's wort

My son now used Inositol (a B vitamin) and it really helps his OCD, anxiety and depression

also helpful is samE/methionine

Thanks.

befuddled2

Folic acid is showing up in studies more and more in the depression area.

Low folate is common and easy to supplement.

Also fish oil (which contains DHA) can improve depression.

Taking folic acid it is wise to supplement with B12 as well. Unless you get a
serum B12 showing you are above 500. Sometimes people are deficient in both.
And some drugs deplete folic acid commonly. If you have seizures, you should consult your doctor as to the doses of folic acid to use, if you take drugs to control the seizures.

http://www.swedish.org/16921.cfm

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/dhaomega.htm
there are links at the bottom of the site above for other interventions.

SAMe works, but it is mainly duplicating the folic acid and B12 actions, along with B6.

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/b6.htm
B6 is required to process Omega-3s and to synthesize serotonin.

Many drugs and hormones disturb nutrient status. One can become depleted eating an normal diet unless supplements are used to replace what is being lost.

I've had some good luck with using herbal tea to treat depression. There is one called Tension Tamer, which contains St. John's Wart and is pretty effective. Another, called Mood Mender, often seems to help. And then there is Sleepy Time, which can help ease you into relaxing enough to get yourself to sleep. I hope and pray that you find something which will really be effective for you, for I trust natural remedies for depression more than I do the pills. Good luck, Fahren, and all my best wishes!

Idealist

sam-e ( i take 800mg a day...dr reccomended formy joints and liver too)....fish oil....and b complex and extra b12...

and of course i talke my milk thistle to keep my liver cleansed...so everything else absobs better. ( imo)

and choccy...