ST. JOHN'S WORT HEALTH BENEFITS
OVERVIEW
Some of the most impressive health benefits of St. John’s Wort include its ability to treat depression, improve mood swings, relieve anxiety, reduce inflammation, and soothe the nervous system, reduce the severity of pre-menstrual symptoms, ease addictive tendencies, regulate hormonal activity, prevent cancer, and protect against viral infections.
St. John’s Wort has become extremely popular in recent decades as a potential cure-all herbal remedy for a wide swath of conditions. The vast range of its health effects make St. John’s Wort such an important factor in herbal supplementation, and it is now widely available throughout the world. The chemical constituents of St. John’s Wort include bioflavanoids and a range of antioxidants that can have a significant impact on both the hormonal, physical, and chemical behavior of the body.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENT
The soothing nature of St. John’s Wort and the rich concentration of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds make it perfect for easing the aching pains of arthritis, in addition to gout, joint discomfort, and muscle aches. Just as it helps ease inflammation on the skin and in the gut, St. John’s Wort also lowers inflammation in the cardiovascular system, thereby helping to lower blood pressure and decrease stress on the heart.
LIVER DETOXIFICATION
St. John’s Wort increases the activity of the liver’s enzymes, which are involved in breaking down toxins. In Chinese medicine, melancholia (melancholy) translates as black bile, and black bile/ liver insufficiency is one of the issues of depression.
ANTI-DEPRESSANT QUALITIES
Perhaps the most well-known effect of St. John’s Wort is its anti-depressant nature. It has been widely used to relieve symptoms of depression for generations, and is now a popular natural solution that doctors and psychiatrists often prescribe to their patients. It contains a rare combination of antidepressant chemicals that inhibit or delay the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, thereby giving out bodies additional energy and pleasure, chasing away depressive symptoms.
OTHER MENTAL EFFECTS
This quality extends past depression, despite that being the most publicized benefit, to help people suffering from anxiety and mood swings as well. By helping to regulate the hormonal balance in the body, St. John’s Wort is able to get the metabolism and internal clock back in line, providing help for sleeplessness, irritability, and chronic fatigue. Eliminating chronic stress hormones from the body can also improve overall health and cognitive function, as excess stress hormones can permanently alter various organ systems.
ANTIVIRAL AGENT
New research has recently come to light that St. John’s Wort has certain antiviral capabilities, including the prevention or reduction of risk for AIDS, hepatitis, and other serious viral conditions. The only problem with this is that very high doses of it are required for this sort of antiviral effect, which would also cause a range of unpleasant side effects. Additional research into finding a happy balance in this specialized area of health is ongoing.
HORMONAL BALANCE
As already expressed in the explanation of the antidepressant effects of St. John’s Wort, the active ingredients have strong effects on hormone regulation in the body. Hypothyroidism is one of the most common thyroid disorders and it has been shown to reduce those symptoms and help the thyroid gland produce normal levels of hormones again.
SKIN TREATMENT
If you use St. John’s Wort in topical application in the form of a salve or tincture, it can speed the healing process of burns, bruises, and scrape by stimulating circulation of oxygenated blood to those skin cells so that repairs can begin.
ANTI-CANCER EFFECTS
Cancer research has recently begun putting more faith in the role that St. John’s Wort could play. Laboratory research has shown a definite correlation between the prevention and treatment of leukemia with consistent use of St. John’s Wort supplements. Any cancer-preventing substance is highly valued, and this research will certainly be ongoing.
The most common negative effects of St. John’s Wort are dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and confusion. This only occurs in a small percentage of people, although other restrictions include people with diagnosed bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The intense hormonal reactions of St. John’s Wort can also be a dangerous mix with a variety of medications. It is essential to discuss your current medications and conditions with a physician before adding St. John’s Wort to your regular supplement regimen.
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
