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St. John’s Wort as Effective as Prescription Drugs

Studies show that about 20 million Americans suffer from recurrent bouts of major depression. It's estimated that the economic costs in the U.S. alone are more than $53 BILLION dollars a year. Ongoing research has confirmed that an extract of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is as effective as a widely prescribed drug in treating mild to moderate depression. Earlier studies have shown it to also be as effective as drugs for the treatment of severe depression.

Depression is now considered the leading cause of absenteeism at work. According to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, major depression disorders account for as many as one in three suicides.

From genetic influence to personality and environmental factors, the causes of depression are varied. However, experts say it is caused by a chemical imbalance and the only way to fix it is another chemical, like Imipramine, Prozac, Zoloft, or Paxil, etc.

The truth is, this serious and relatively common problem can be effectively treated with a natural alternative to these drugs. German researchers found that 500 mg of a St. John’s Wort extract, was safer and better tolerated than the leading anti-depressant drugs. They conclude that "Hypericum (St. John’s Wort) is therapeutically equivalent to imipramine…[and] should be considered for first line treatment in mild to moderate depression, especially in the primary care setting."

St. John’s Wort has been shown to be effective in the treatment of Severe Depression. A randomized, controlled, multicenter, 6-week trial comparing a double dose (600 mg 3 times per day) of standardized St. John’s Wort was as effective as drug therapy by the end of the 6 week treatment period.

SOURCE: British Medical Journal 2000;321:536-539 ( 2 September 2000); Pharmacopsychiatry 1997 Sep;30 Suppl 2:81-85)

To learn more about the natural alternative for depression, click here.