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St John's Wort and the contraceptive pill
My 26-year-old daughter has just started her first teaching job and is feeling under an extraordinary amount of pressure. Since she is on the pill, she cannot take St John’s Wort. Is there anything else that would lift her mood and help her cope with the pressure?
A year or so ago, St John’s Wort took a battering after a handful of women in Sweden (eight to be precise) reported interim bleeding between their periods when using this herb for depression. When they stopped taking the herb, the bleeding stopped too.
At the time, this smacked a little of scare-mongering and to date, there have been no clinical trials proving this is a risk. What happened was that the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) ordered that manufacturers needed to print a warning on packets of this supplement, which has led to everyone believing you cannot take it if you are on the pill.
Herbs, in therapeutic dosages, are as powerful as prescription drugs - which is, of course, why they work and so it is sensible to consider interactions with existing medication and contraindications. The warnings for St John’s Wort now include suggesting you consult with your doctor if you have been taking the contraceptive pill for several years, if you are taking anti-coagulant drugs such as warfarin and if you are already taking prescription antidepresssants.
In any event, since she is not looking for a supplement that is solely a mood-booster, the herb your daughter can consider using as an “alternative” alternative is the anti-stress herb rhodiola, which will not only boost the body’s performance physically and mentally, but will also help lift her mood.
According to Russian research, young adults who took this herb for just three weeks not only outperformed a control group who were taking a placebo but were less tired and reported higher levels of general well-being. The therapeutic dosage is 50mg, twice a day.