NOW Foods Supplements, St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) 300 mg, Standardized Extract, 250 Veg Capsules

Since I was young I have suffered from bouts of depression, and it is always worse in the grey of winter. 6 months ago I read a book about St John's Wort being good to uplift the mood, so bought these hoping they might help. Yes, yes they did! I stopped waking up feeling dread and depression. It worked so well, I brought them into work for a coworker who had similar problems. Now we both are in good moods at work. And I dont even take them every day now. Just once or twice a month. This company is reputable, and the tablets work. Just dont take them and then go sunbathing, as they can, at higher doses make your skin sensitive to sun burn.

This herb worked like magic for me within days. I had increased motivation and energy to get things done, was able to stay focused, and my mood improved as if I was on an antidepressant. I thought I'd never go off it because it helped so much! But within a few weeks, I developed some side effects that have ultimately made me have to go off of it. I developed incredible stinging in my hands.... It is hard to describe as I have never felt or experienced anything like it. It is the worst whenever I handle anything cold... chicken breast for dinner, cold running water, chilly air (like, not even cold-cold.... like in the 55- degree range). Even walking around the cold aisles of the grocery store, my hands start to sting and ache from the inside out, incredibly strange ... again, can't describe it well. And while my hands are by far the worst, the skin on my face, neck, arms, and feet are also extremely sensitive to any pinch, scratch or temperature change. A small scratch by my own nail feels like a deep paper cut and hangs on like someone poured lemon juice in it. Crazy, crazy stuff. I wanted it to be ANYTHING other than the St. John's Wort because the herb worked like a dream. I looked up every side effect I could find on the internet, but I had to dig deeeep to find only a few medical reports about this issue - which it turns out is a nerve issue caused by SJW. SJW can help nerve pain apparently, but no body talks about causing nerve pain! The craziest thing is not being able to find reviews or info about this. HOWEVER, I know it's not just me because my best friend (who tried SJW because I raved about it) had the exact same side effects. One day she mentioned what she was dealing with to me, and we were blown away that neither of us could find any information on the internet. I am in mourning that I have to stop. I'm going to try another brand to see if that helps at all??? I hope so because I feel like this was a life-saver for me. PS: I have been off of it for a week and while it seems to be improving slightly, it hasn't gone away completely. I'm concerned that longterm use could cause permanent damage.

I love this product & respect the brand, also with the high quality of the product, the price is very reasonable. I’ve been traveling recently and being tired because of stress and lack of sleep and that’s when I’ve remembered that I purchased St John’s Wort. I started taking it, not on a daily basis, but just to help me with my temporary depression and I noticed the difference after only one pill. The daily dose is 1-3 pills, I’ve taken only once a day for couple of days and it helps me - I’m happier. Also, tried putting it in the tea (opened the capsule). Taking a pill is faster & more enjoyable. For me I think up to 2 pills a day is enough. It’s important not to take it with antidepressants (it states on the bottle).

My teenage kid has been temperamental, morose, cynical, etc etc. All the behaviors and snooty comments that come with angsty pubescent age. I've been worried and anxious as I helplessly watched our relationship deteriorate. Some days we would barely exchange a few words, she would be in her bedroom the entire day, and even the most neutral comment or question from me would cause some form of mild to extreme tirade. I was searching for therapists but worried that they would all impulsively recommend pharmaceuticals to "fix" the problem. One day during one of our "connected" moments I mentioned to my daughter about SJW and she quickly jumped at the opportunity to try it. That is how desperate she was. Within hours I heard her humming and whistling cheerfully. That same night she repeatedly came up to me to chat and joke, and show me things that she was doing, eg. drawings, video games. She is often forgetful, but she diligently remembers to take these capsules without any prompt from me, which is itself amazing. It's been only about a week, but every day since has been a complete transformation. I am so grateful that this product exists. Sure, the smell/flavor isn't delightful, but it's tolerable, and definitely worth the compromise.

NOW is a pretty decent brand that offers good value and quality. These capsules are standardized. When buying herbs, avoid "whole" varieties; always get standardized. "Whole" herbs are just that- ground up stems, leaves and whatever else gets dropped into the grinder. The therapeutic ingredient of a given herb is often only found in one part of the plant. Therefore, if you are not purchasing standardized herbs, you are getting diluted ingredients. Standardized, on the other hand, ensures a specific therapeutic ingredient at a guaranteed percentage and purity, as well as chemical consistency across batches. With this product, I find 300mg 3x per day to be quite effective.