Articles: 5HTP for Depression Alternative Medicine Depression Alternative Treatments for Depression Anti-Depressants Antidepressants Antidepressant Weight Gain Anxiety Depression Vitamins B6 B12 Folic Acid & Depression Chronic Depression Depression Cure Depression Drugs Depression Information Depression Medication Depression Medicine Depression Pills Depression Remedy Depression Clinical Research Depression Treatment Fluoxetine Fluoxetine Clinical Research Studies Herbal Antidepressant Herbal Remedies for Depression Herbal Remedy for Depression Herbal Supplement for Depression Herbal Treatment for Depression Herbs for Depression Hyperforin Hypericum Perforatum Major Depression Medications for Depression Mood Supplements Natural Antidepressants Natural Anti-Depressants Natural Depression Remedies Natural Depression Remedy Natural Depression Supplements Natural Depression Treatment Natural Formulas for Depression Paroxetine Paroxetine Paroxetine Clinical Research Studies Rhodiola Rosea Seasonal Depression Severe Depression St. John's Wort Clinical Research Studies St Johns Wort Supplements for Depression Standardized St. John's Wort Extract Symptoms of Depression Teen Depression Types of Depression Vitamins Depression Anxiety Articles: Alternative Anxiety Treatment Alternative Medicine for Anxiety Anti-Anxiety Herb Anxiety Clinical Research Studies Herbal Anti-Anxiety Herbal Formulas for Anxiety Herbal Remedies for Anxiety Herbal Supplements for Anxiety Herbal Treatment for Anxiety Herbs for Anxiety Insomnia Natural Remedy Natural Anti-Anxiety Medication Natural Anti-Anxiety Remedies Natural Anxiety Medication Natural Anxiety Medicine Natural Cure for Anxiety Natural Remedies for Anxiety Natural Herbal Sleep Aid Natural Sleep Remedies Natural Supplements for Anxiety Natural Supplements for Panic Attacks Natural Treatment for Anxiety Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) Extract for Anxiety Passion Flower Clinical Research Studies Social Anxiety Medication Social Anxiety Treatment SunTheanine ® L-Theanine for Anxiety Symptoms of Anxiety Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Extract for Anxiety |
Herbs for DepressionMany herbs for depression are available on the Internet, but only a few have actually been proven to effectively relieve depression. Most of the medicinal herbs marketed for depression have not been studied at all, and even those claiming to be "scientifically proven" are often supported by just one or two poorly designed studies. A handful of medicinal herbs, however, have been proven to effectively relieve depression by multiple well-designed clinical trials. The best herbs for depression are those that contain these proven medicinal herbs in high-quality forms and in the proper dosages. St. John's WortThe natural herbal remedy for depression supported by the strongest evidence is St. John's Wort extract. Over twenty controlled clinical trials have shown that high-quality St. John's Wort effectively relieves depression. In fact, studies comparing St. John's Wort to prescription antidepressants (including Paxil® and Prozac®) demonstrate that it works just as well as these drugs, but with fewer side effects. With this in mind, most people should turn to high-quality St. John's Wort extract as their first choice for a herbal depression supplement, starting with a dose of 600-900mg daily and increasing to 900-1800mg per day if necessary. According to the research, only St. John's Wort extracts that are standardized to contain 3-5% hyperforin effectively relieve depression, so don't settle for products that aren't standardized for hyperforin or standardize only for another, less important compound called hypericin. Also, keep in mind that St. John's Wort usually requires at least three weeks to begin working, and may not produce its full effects for a month or two.SAM-eAnother natural antidepressant backed by scientific evidence is SAM-e (S-adenosyl-L-methionine). The research behind SAM-e isn't as strong as the evidence for St. John's Wort, but it is nevertheless promising and suggests that SAM-e may offer certain advantages over both St. John's Wort and prescription antidepressants. SAM-e works quickly, and most people start noticing improvement in days rather than weeks. Unfortunately, the active dose of SAM-e, 800-1600mg daily, can cost $100 or more per month, making it far more expensive than other herbs for depression.5-HTP5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a third herb for depression shown by clinical research to treat depression effectively. 5-HTP, an amino acid, allows your body to increase levels of serotonin, a mood-related neurotransmitter, in the brain. Low serotonin levels have been linked to depression, and many prescription antidepressants work by increasing serotonin activity. For most people, taking 50-300mg of 5-HTP per day helps improve mood in just a few weeks without causing side effects. Some websites discuss concerns over the safety of 5-HTP, but these misconceptions are unfounded. In fact, 5-HTP has an excellent safety record, and extensive research has shown it to be one of the safest herbs for depression available. 5-HTP is a good choice for a herbal remedy for depression when used alone, but it may work best as a herbal remedy for depression when combined with St. John's Wort.Additional Medicinal HerbsOther popular herbs for depression include medicinal herbs such as: Ginseng and Ginkgo, amino acids like l-tyrosine and phenylalanine, and certain nutrients including B vitamins. In general, the evidence behind these remedies is still inconclusive, although Black Cohosh, Ginseng and Ginkgo have been shown to work as herbs for depression in the elderly.In summary, the best natural herbs for depression are those containing proven ingredients in the proper doses and potencies and manufactured with strict quality-control procedures. |
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