Although prescription medication has helped many people to overcome depression and plenty of other medical conditions there is much more interest in herbal remedies for depression. There are many different herbal remedies which are capable of treating depression now available. You can find these on the internet and also in shops.
While there are plenty of herbal remedies for depression that claim to be able to treat depression only a few of them have any medical proof that they do work. Most of the herbs that claim to be able to treat depression have no proof.
Looking For Scientific Proof
Even those herbal treatments which say they are scientifically proven are not always what they seem, it could be that these herbs are proved using inadequate studies which are not able to correctly identify which herbs work the best.
There are however several herbs which have scientific proof that they do work, and this time the scientific proof is based on reliable studies. Some of the best treatments for depression use the right herbs in the right doses.
The Most Popular Remedies
One of the best known treatments for depression is using St John’s Wort. Over 20 separate studies have shown that this herb can actually improve the symptoms of depression. Many of these studies also compared St John’s Wort to conventional depression treatments such as Prozac and it was seen that St John’s Wort actually works just as well if not better than prescription drugs.
The main advantage of using herbs instead of prescription medications is that they have fewer side effects. If St John’s Wort works better than prescription medication then it is a win win situation! Most of the good herbal treatments for depression will contain the right dose of St John’s Wort extract.
Alternatives
However that doesn’t mean that you can’t simply rush out and choose any depression treatment that includes St John’s wort. They’re not all the same, some of these products use low quality St John’s wort, or do not offer it in the right doses.
Another effective herbal remedy to treat depression is 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP. This is a naturally occurring amino acid which is extracted from a plant known as Griffonia Simplifola. When taking this alone a dose of between 150 and 300mg per day seems to be effective.
There are also herbal remedies that combine the two together, in which case a dosage of 25-100mg of 5-HTP will be effective. Amoryn is one herbal treatment which combines St John¡¯s Wort and 5-HTP in the correct doses to be effective.
Taking It Slow
Herbal remedies for depression are becoming more and more popular because people don’t like the idea of relying so heavily on prescription medication. The best treatment options (common for teen depression) will contain proven ingredients such as St Johns wort and 5-HTP. However the quality of the ingredients and dosage is also important when looking for the right depression treatment.
Even though these treatments use completely natural products they can still cause nasty side effects. You should also avoid taking them with other medications, prescription or otherwise. You should always consult your doctor before embarking on any treatment option.
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