There are currently tens of millions of people in the United States suffering with poor mood, low energy, etc., and there has been an explosion of anti-depressant medication on the market that is now being prescribed by general practitioners. Twenty-five years ago it would have been unheard of for a primary care doctor to be prescribing anti-depressants; but with the epidemic that is occurring in this country, it is now an everyday occurrence.

This rise in states of poor mood may be a key reason as to why natural alternatives are being used more frequently. In particular, St. John’s Wort. St. John’s Wort has been used for many years to treat mild to moderate depression. It may work in a similar fashion as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), such as Prozac and Zoloft. However, unlike the drugs, it seems to be largely side-effect free.

St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum) is a plant that is native to many parts of the world. It has a long and interesting history. Its use dates back to the time of ancient Greece as a treatment for many conditions. Throughout the centuries, St. John's Wort was felt to have magical powers of healing; during the Crusades, it was used as a treatment for wounds.

Although it has many active compounds, perhaps the two most important are hypericin and hyperforin. Hypericin was initially felt to be the active ingredient for the anti-depressant effects of St. John's Wort, but more recently, hyperforin may actually play a more important role.

As a psychiatric specialist, I have come to realize the importance of proper nutrition and diet as a means of counteracting these conditions, without the potentially harmful side-effects of prescription drugs. There are several nutrients that have shown value in clinical trials to reverse the effects of poor mood and low energy, such as St. John's Wort. That’s why I’ve included our opinions and reviews of some of the major St. John’s Wort formulas available.

I’ve also included one of the latest studies on the efficacy of St. John’s Wort in treating depression—to be published in the upcoming October edition of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. In this double-blind, randomized study, 135 men and women were given either St. John’s Wort, fluoxetine (a common component in many prescribed anti-depressants) or a placebo.

Overall, those on the St. John’s Wort showed a higher rate of symptom remission: 38%, compared to 30% on the fluoxetine and only 21% on placebo.¹

My Conclusion & Recommendation

In addition to St. John’s Wort, I urge you to explore other supplements to combat your poor mood and energy levels. Aside from taking the proper amount of standardized St. John's Wort, I recommend a good general antioxidant supplement that provides adequate amounts of all the core vitamins and minerals as well as DHA. Studies have also shown that low levels of Vitamin C can lead to fatigue and irritability. Vitamin C is essential for healthy immune and cardiac function. Standardized (24%) ginkgo biloba can also have beneficial effect on mood and memory.

1. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2005 Oct;25(5):441-447. A Double-blind, Randomized Trial of St John's Wort, Fluoxetine, and Placebo in Major Depressive Disorder. Fava M, Alpert J, Nierenberg AA, Mischoulon D, Otto MW, Zajecka J, Murck H, Rosenbaum JF.