The St. John's wort alternative.

Although running and other vigorous exercise is enormously helpful in controlling the symptoms of depression, not everyone can run their depression away. Often more help is needed, including psychotherapy and medication. Recent research from Germany compared St. John's wort extract against a placebo and imipramine--a prescription anti-depressant often used in research and considered the "gold standard" for depression symptom control. The findings showed St. John's wort to be more effective than placebo and as effective as imipramine. The study was randomized, double blind, with multi-center trials, and therefore, stands out as high quality research.

St. John's wort extract has some significant advantages over prescription anti-depressants, including fewer side effects, and therefore, much better patient compliance. No matter how great prescription anti-depressants can be in controlling the symptoms of depression, they cannot be effective if patients stop taking their medication because the side effects are odious.

Depression is an exceedingly common affliction with estimates ranging from nine to 15 million Americans among depression sufferers. The implications for those who need medication but continue to be frustrated with side effects such as weight gain, sleepiness, loss of sexual function, and loss of emotional responsiveness--to name just a few--are enormous.

It is essential that no one taking anti-depressants discontinues or changes dosages without medical supervision. There are serious withdrawal syndromes, as well as return of depression that can be life threatening. However, if you are among those who suffer from mild to moderate depression (severe depression should not be treated with St. John's wort) who have been helped with prescription drugs, you may want to consult your doctor about these findings.

As is always the case with herbs and food supplements, there are not the same standards for purity, efficacy, and consistency in the herb industry because it is not held to the same strict standards as prescription drug manufacturers. You can look for "pharmaceutical grade" or "independent laboratory analysis" on the label for some control of contents.

If you decide to take St. John's wort, it is very important to let your doctor know. Several other commonly used medications can interact with St. John's wort, either causing an adverse reaction or decreasing the effectiveness of other drugs. For some, St. John's wort can increase skin's photosensitivity making it easier to bum when exposed to the sun. Discuss your options with your doctor, and keep running to improve your mental and physical health.

(British Medical Journal, 1999, Vol. 319, pp. 1534-1539; Journal of the American Medical Association, 2000, Vol. 283, No. 13, pp. 1679)