Score One for St. 's Wort

April 23, 2002

>

> April 11, 2002

> NUTRITION NEWS FOCUS

> " Nutrition news is important. We help you understand it! "

>

> Today's Topic: Score One for St. 's Wort

>

> St. 's wort is the best selling herbal supplement in the U.S.

> The design and methods of most previous studies have been criticized

> because of numerous flaws. A study in the September 2, 2000 edition

> of the British Medical Journal appears well designed and compares the

> supplement with a standard anti-depressant.

>

> About 160 patients were treated with St. 's wort, and an equal

> number with the drug imipramine. Both treatments were equally

> effective in reducing symptoms of depression, but St. s' wort

> was better tolerated since it induced fewer side effects over six

> weeks.

>

> HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Diagnosis and treatment

> of depression should not be a home remedy game of roulette. A

> properly trained doctor should be involved in the diagnosis and

> treatment plan for depression. In addition, St. 's wort causes

> dramatic changes in handling of other medications, so a physician

> and/or pharmacist should oversee the use of this.

>

> (This story originally appeared in Nutrition News Focus on

> October 23, 2000.)

>

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