Herb
St. John's Wort
A sunny yellow flowering herb with real, studied benefit for mild to moderate low mood — but with serious drug interactions that demand caution.
📊 How it ranks (our editor score) — 69/100Tap to see the breakdown
🌱 What it is
St. John's Wort is a sunny, yellow-flowered herb long used in traditional practice, and now widely studied, as a support for mild to moderate low mood.
✨ Why it's good for you
- may help support a brighter, more balanced mood
- may help support emotional steadiness during difficult seasons
- may help support restful sleep when low mood affects it
- may help support a sense of calm and well-being
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1 cup brewed tea (240ml) · about 2 calories
- Hypericin and hyperforin (bioactive)
- Flavonoids
- Negligible macronutrients
Source: Nutrition estimate (per typical serving)
🥄 How to use it
St. John's wort is taken as a standardized extract; follow the product label. Because of its many interactions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting it.
How much: Standardized extracts (often to hypericin or hyperforin) are commonly taken at about 300 mg three times a day. It can take four to six weeks to feel an effect — but only begin after checking your medicines with a pharmacist.
Show full details & how to prepare it
St. John's wort is one of the few herbal remedies with solid evidence behind it: for mild to moderate depression, good studies have found it can work about as well as standard antidepressants, with fewer side effects. The herbA plant, or part of one, used for flavor, food, or gentle health support. More → has been used since ancient times to lift heavy spirits, and it blooms, fittingly, around midsummer.
But its strength is also its danger. St. John's wort speeds up the liver's processing of many drugs, which can quietly make birth control, blood thinners, heart medicines, transplant drugs, and others stop working — and combined with antidepressants it can cause a serious reaction. For this reason it must never be started casually; a pharmacist should review every medicine you take first. Persistent or severe depression always deserves professional care.
Ways to prepare it
⚠️ Cautions
- It interacts dangerously with many medicines — antidepressants, birth control, blood thinners, transplant and HIV drugs, and more — sometimes making them fail. Always check with a pharmacist first.
- It can cause sensitivity to sunlight, and must never be combined with prescription antidepressants without medical supervision.
📚 What others say
- A well-studied herb for mild depression
- A traditional nervine — with major interactions
Learn more
🕊️ A word of encouragement
Low moods are real and worth tending — with good help, and without shame. Reach for support, whether in a remedy, a friend, or a caring professional.
💬 Ask Remy about St. John's Wort
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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