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Health Benefits of St Johns Wort

St. Johns Wort is an herb that comes from a plant named Hypericum Perforatum. It's from Europe but has recently been cultivated in the US. This plant has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. It is still being widely used today.

This herb has been tested in several clinical trials and has been shown to help several disorders which include depression, anxiety and in some cases mood swings from quitting smoking. It doesn't actually help with quitting smoking but rather with increasing dopamine levels, which induce a happy mood that quitting smoking decreases.

Although this herb is widely used to treat depression and anxiety, it has also been used as a weight loss supplement. This is because it increases chemical production in the brain that promotes a faster metabolism thus burning more calories and fat.

Other benefits of St Johns Wort are they are all natural, non habit forming and they are just as effective in treating mild depression as antidepressants but do not come with the same serious side effects as antidepressants do. This is not to say that it does not have some side effects, but they are minimal.

Some side effects of St. Johns Wort are sensitivity to light, fatigue, and interactions with other medication. This herb can interfere and decrease the effectiveness in some prescription drugs such as Lipitor, anti-epileptic drugs such as Phenytoin and Carbamazepine, antiviral and immunosuppressant drugs and drugs such as Phenobarbital, Omeprazole, Methadone, Warfarin, and Digoxin. It is very important to consult with your doctor before taking this herb if you are on any other type of medication.

To make use of the full benefits of St Johns Wort, a bottle that has 0.3% hypericin and about 10% hyperforin is recommended, as this will give you full power of all the active ingredients in this herb. The dosage is typically 300 milligrams taken 3 times a day. This herb can be taken in the form of a capsule as well as a cup of tea.

This herb can be found in most any natural or health food store as well as your local drug and grocery store. There is no need for a prescription and the herb can be bought right over the counter.

Many are taking advantage of the benefits of St Johns Wort because it reduces stress and promotes a sense of mental well being. Instead of taking prescription drugs that only suppress symptoms unnaturally, this herb enables the body to balance itself naturally.