St John's Wort

I've heard that St Johns Wort can make your body extra sensative to light and so it shouldnt be taken alongside light therapy
Dont have any experiences myself but that's what I've heard.

I've only heard good things about SJW and know a few people who say it helps with SAD. I cannot take it as it would conflict with my other medication (not related to SAD) but I've never heard it can make you sensitive to light either?

Yeah it is well known (or apparently not) that Hypericum perforatum preparations can cause photosensitivity - it was one of the first warnings that I read when I started investigating treatments for SAD, and it is indeed mentioned in the only SADA press release on their website. Hence, it is only generally recommended for clinical depression rather than SAD. We are not talking about useful photosensitivity (i.e. one that would make light more effective for SAD treatment) either, but a phytophotodermatitis caused by the reaction of toxin hypericin (from the Hypericum preparation) circulating in your body to light of a wavelength of 550-610nm through your skin.

I’ve had a brief run in with a phytophotodermatitis caused by Pastinaca sativa. I fell on to some without realising it whilst doing an ecological survey on a very sunny day. The result was instant sunburn, where my skin had touched the pieces of plant shredded by brush cuttin. It took me longer to piece together what must have happened, than it did for the burning to reveal itself. I have never had sunburn like it before in my life; I usually go pink for a day and itch a bit at worst, and do not experience huge ballooning blisters with a level of pain to match their size.

Hypericum perforatum is the species of what you are commonly referring to as 'St John's Wort’ used in herbal medicine.

Pastinaca sativa , with which I had my painful intimacy helped by sunlight, is commonly known as ‘wild parsnip’ round these parts.

I hope that clears that up. Sorry, all part of doing ecology and learning the importance of scientific names for the international identification of species.

I have tried SJW for about 3 weeks, however I found I started to get heart palpitations while on it (similar to those you get if you drink too much coffee :wink: ).

Stopped the SJW 2 days ago, no more heart palpitations.

:roll:

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Brian

The St. John's Wort I buy here in Montreal has a warning on the bottle saying not to do expose yourself to U.V. light while taking it.

This web site says that light affects cattle that ingest SJW, and some humans: http://www.mdidea.com/products/herbextract/stjohn/data.html

I take st johns wort along with using a sad light & I hav'nt suffered any light sensitivity at all - I think st johns wort works better than antidepressants it gets me through every winter without all the horrible side effects of prescription medication

I recently started using a lightbox and I find that it seems to hugley increase my energy levels for the afternoon if I sit under it for an hour in the morning. I have taken St. Johns Wort once and found it really helped tha anxiety side of things, which the lightbox does not seem to affect at all. I too was reading the warnings about combining the two, that cataracts etc can be caused. has anybody used both for long periods of time?

I think most people are ok but it seems there are a small number of people who are effected, I must admit I have tried them together without any ill effects, perhaps its down to eye colour or something like that, im not an expert, so if anyone knows the reason, I would be very interested.


paul