BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Alternative Medicine St. John's Wort

I've been hearing that recent studies show it really doesn't do much at all to help people. Is this true, or was the study biased?

I have a friend, she has had a lot of problems with her periods, she uses this and swears by it. Works for her. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Dawn

A study can be made to look like anything the originator wants. There's a lot of controversy over ALL studies, and the most recent news I read was that even JAMA has problems with bias and having people employed by drug companies doing studies to make their drug pass through FDA regulations when maybe they shouldn't.

They are trying to bring in regulations where all contributors to medical papers and studies must post their bio at the end with all the people they are associated with. Arms length studies seem to be few and far between, and that means that we have some very defective medications on the market.

As for St. John's Wort, I didn't read about the study you mention. All I know is that it works for many different reasons and is the most prescribed medication in Europe (the continent that is taking environmental issues including pesticides and drug interactions to heart.) How can Europe be better off and healthier by using this simple herb, and we, over here, think it's useless?

My first thought is the drug companies...they must be losing business in Europe. Also, they cannot patent a herb or herbal remedy so there's no profit for them to study St. John's Wort except to refute it.

Very skewed, and very distressing, given the fact that most people beleive what comes out of studies if they show up on the front page of the newspaper.

On a final note...my husband and I have the most wonderful, calm, happy relationship with very little strife (a far cry from what it was like before we started taking St. John's Wort.) Last month he was thinking his SJW wasn't working so went to buy a different brand and his mood lifted almost within a day. Different product, different dosage, different efficacy. One does have to watch that and read, read, read those labels.

Monika

I just found an interesting book on Depression. It's free to read online. All the chapters are there on the left hand menu under the book icon.

If anyone wants to read what depression can do, and how it sometimes is disguised as fatigue, body aches, shyness, etc. check this website out. You don't have to buy anything.

And the quotations from famous people who suffered from clinical depression are excellent.

HOW TO HEAL DEPRESSION
http://www.hypericumbuyersclub.com/hd_index.asp
------------
I have secluded myself
from society;
and yet I never meant
any such thing.
I have made a captive of myself
and put me into a dungeon,
and now I cannot find the key
to let myself out.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE - Author
--------------

I am now experiencing myself
all the things that
as a third party
I have witnessed going on
in my patients--
days when I slink about
depressed.
SIGMUND FREUD
----------
I've suffered from depression and was prescribed medication, but found St. John's Wort to be the best remedy for me because of the side effects of Prozac.

Funny thing...I always thought I was a shy person who had difficulty opening up and chatting with people I didn't know well, but, lo and behold, when I took St. John's Wort for a while, I found out that my shyness was gone! It may sound odd, but I now have a talk show on local TV.

Monika
Altmedhost

p.s. Millions of people in Europe are prescribed St. John's Wort by their physicians (MDs) so there must be something to the claims that it helps depression. Just remember that it doesn't mix with other prescribed drugs. m.

pps And since I'm not a doctor, allopathic or alternative, I can't recommend any remedy or herb to help any type of ailment. m.