Can St. John’s wort help with seasonal depression (winter blues)?
I am not aware of any specific data regarding St. John’s wort and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). However, prescription anti-depressants are often successful to some degree, so there is no reason why St. John’s wort would not be. Make it a consideration after checking vitamin D levels and working with a light therapy box. References: 1. Linde, K., Mulrow, C.D. (2003). St John’s wort for depression. Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 3. 2. Friede, M., Henneicke, von Z., H-H, Freudenstein. (2001). Differential therapy of mild to moderate depressive episodes with St John’s wort. Pharmacopsychiatry, 34S1:38-41. 3. Hypericum Depression Trial Study Group. (2002). Effect of Hypericum perforatum (St John’s wort) in major depressive disorder: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 287(14):1807-14. 4. Shelton, R.C. (2002). St John’s wort for the treatment of depression. Lancet Neurol, 1(5):275. 5. Uebelhack, R. (2006). Black cohosh and St. John’s wort f
