Sam-E
★★★★★
I took it for 2 weeks, and noticed a that I felt "normal". I read that the reason that SAM-e works so well and most people take it and then stop for a while, is because SAM-e is one of the few meds that cross the blood-brain barrier, thus making it more effective.
After taking it for two weeks, I stopped taking it for over a month as I did not need it. Then I found this site last night while searching for a cure for a friends yeast infection, and came across Apple Cider Vinegar.
I had some here, and took it last night and WOW. I am so not a morning person, but I jumped out of bed and have felt like a million bucks all day long. I will now be taking the ACV daily as well!
(Ephrata, Wa - Washington)
12/24/2012
★★★★★
Just a word on Sam-e, it is amazing stuff. It has helped me more than any other supplement. I would like to share some information about it though. It should never be taken with any other substance that effects seratonin, such as rhodiola, 5-htp or even dextromethorphan wich is in Robotussin D.M. and many over the counter medications. And of course Prozac and other prescription medications. For me Sam-e has worked far better than anything else.
(Manhattan, Ny)
12/26/2012
(Manhattan, Ny)
12/27/2012
I found a good answer to my own post... From Dr. Ray Sahelian:
"I have personally taken SAM-e just to see what it would do, and it is quite a powerful mood lifter. Perhaps I'm sensitive to nutrients, but I notice the effects on 100 mg, sometimes even less. Almost all the tablets on the market are 200 mg. If you plan to take it under medical guidance, here's a few tips your doctor may not know. It's best taken in the morning before or with breakfast. I notice within one to two hours being more alert and more motivated to do things, and in a better mood. Many of the clinical studies have used several hundred mgs but in the long run this can cause side effects. The most common are overstimulation, insomnia, and headache. You can actually feel anxious and restless if you take too much. If you wish to take a small amount, bite off half or a third of a 200 mg tablet and use the rest the next day. You may need to adjust your dose down over the next few days since it can start building up in the system, or you can take a day or two off. Each person is unique in their response."
(Qld, Australia)
12/31/2014
I have suffered severe depression and anxiety for many years. I have been hospitalised for several weeks and attempted suicide multiple times. During my worst anxiety, I was horrible to be around and developed extreme agoraphobia. I managed to get my condition under control using medications and CBT. However the medications had negative side effects including extreme weight gain of 50Kg and sexual difficulties. The meds also made me need to sleep 10 - 11 hrs a night. Several months ago, I bravely stopped medication and moved onto a combination of SAM-e and vitamin B complex. I feel even BETTER than I did on medication and the negative side effects are gone. I am sleeping well and my family have commented how wonderful I look. I am calm and collected. I need to take 400mg of SAM-e daily, as the 200mg dosage isn't strong enough. On 200mg, my anxiety and depression creeps back in slightly. I highly recommend SAM-e. Make sure to take the vitamin B's as well. This makes it work better.
Sam-E
★★★★★
Sam-E
★★★★★
Sea Salt
★★★★★
Take 1 teaspoon natural Pink Himalayan Sea Salt per day, divided in several doses of 1/8 tsp or 1/4 tsp throughout the day with a large glass of water. You will likely feel the effects within a few hours if you are trying to ease depression or reduce anxiety.
And if you have trouble sleeping and wake up in the middle of the night often, this is another indication that you are low on sea salt. Right before bed, take 1 pinch of pink sea salt and put it under the tongue for 30 seconds before drinking a cup of water to wash it down. You will sleep through the night because the salt will prevent your aldosterone from spiking and waking you up in the middle of the night. If you do wake up, take one more pinch of salt under the tongue with water and go back to sleep. You will eventually figure out the best dosage for yourself based on how low in salt and water you really are.
I used to work for a major pharmaceutical company that sold antidepressants and drugs for insomnia, both highly addictive btw, and when I found out about this remedy I was absolutely shocked that it was real.
I used to wake up at 1am, 2am, 3am, until I started taking a pinch of pink sea salt under the tongue each night, and now I sleep like a baby and don't wake up at all until 6:30, it's my personal miracle remedy...sleep well!
Serotonin Increasing Remedies
(Oakville, Canada)
02/06/2013
★★★★★
Milk Kefir abundant in Serotonin. Noni Juice contains Serotonin. Brown Rice contains Tryptophan which is a precursor to Serotonin. Red Miso is rich in Tryptophan, which is readily available in absorbable format.
Wheat Grass Juice contains nice amino acid profile providing serotonin.
Warning: Soy Milk is a Goitrogen and Tryptophan Inhibitor.
Shino's Remedies for Depression
★★★★★
my depression got so bad i couldnt get out of bed, talk or even eat by myself. being only 27 i pushed myself with work despite feeling terrible for 8 months and this is what happened. i didnt want to take medications, which are still so unreliable, my dad found a site whose plan we followed. main points are:
1. eliminate all forms of stress, as much as possible, including work, study, jobs, housework, cooking...get others to do these for you. also important, avoid all reading, violent movies and programmes, the news, and all games, which cause the adrenals to go.
2. do what you want every day (not what you think you should do, or be doing) - if you just want to sleep, do that and tell others to support you, you need to realise that this is okay and important for recovery.
3. just get someone to make sure you`re eating well (greens to make up half the meal, then quarter protein and quarter carbs. keep to organics and whole foods which means less toxins for your body to have to waste energy on). Drink at least 1.5 litres of good water a day - this helps all your organs function properly and flush out baddies. Avoid smoking, caffeine, alcohol and sugar, which all cause strong mood imbalances.
4. take the following supplements 3 times a day: phosphatydilserine (solgar is gd brand) - this will elevate your mood within 30 mins - you can take this as you need it. soy protein powder (NOT whey. soy releases energy slowly and helps your blood sugar balance) i also found this elevated my mood and brain function each time within about 30 minutes. omega 3, B vitamins (tresos B is good, as is the V2000 by solgar). St Johns Wort - or any of the above can be taken in conjunction with antidepressants safely.
If you have pretty severe depression like i did, then you know that you`re so sensitive to anything that counselling or therapy is a nightmare. In this case the plan above is great because you get better purely by addressing the nutritional balance in your body first. i did it for about 3 months before i felt up to seeing a counsellor. the four points above are all equally important - basically the aim is to eliminate emotional, physical stress as well as any cause of stress on your organs (which i now realise is THE crucial thing with depression and anxiety which doctors and therapists tend to overlook or minimise the importance of), and give your body everything it needs to produce the right balance of mood hormones again. Just note, that as you get better you will find that you level of energy increases - and this can be a fragile time because this can mean that if you`re still having suicidal thoughts you now have the physical energy to carry it out. make sure people around are aware of this so that they can be there for you during this time until your thoughts catch up and balance out too.
These are additional supplements which my naturopath helped me with later - i am not sure if they are all compatible with antidepressants though so please check. 5 HTP has chilled me out a lot, helped ease my insomnia and overeating. adrenal gland tonic (herbal health stores can make them up for you) including things like withania, liquorice, shatavari, wood betony, has helped me as long-term stress in constant fight/flight mode has worn out my glands (hair loss is one indication of this, which i had). bach flower essences, taking epsom salt baths with lavendar, meditation, walking in nature - even taking a short walk in the sun, yoga, are also things that i got into when i was ready.
the rest are really more to address emotional and spiritual needs (which, in depression and anxiety is important) - network spinal analysis and reiki can provide temporary relief at an energetic level, and if you like these i have found that a good spiritual healer can be 10 times better than seeing a therapist as they are way more holistic in finding out what`s wrong, and really care. also EFT technique (free on the website). also an online community called anxietytribe.com and depressiontribe.com helped me connect with others who had the same thing. was especially helpful when i was too down to see any friends or family.
hope this helps...i am still not 100%, but this plan has been amazing. the supplement plan i wrote about is effective for those with medium and mild depression too, and from the hundreds of feedback i read on the site, it has helped so many people.
Sodium Thiosulfate
★★★★★
The mode of action of sodium thiosulfate is to reduce the free radicals (from heavy metals and toxic chemical accumulation) that can most likely cause depression. Depression in this case is due to toxicity and free radicals. Sodium thiosulfate is unique in the neutralization of chemical toxicity in the liver.
While it has an anti-depressant effect, I also use it to help with my sleep too. Most natural supplements take about 30 minutes to have an effect while aromatherapy effect is more faster.
Sodium thiosulfate has a strong relaxing and calming effects. So in event of depression or even a child with behavioral problems (ADHD, tantrum, etc) it is the detoxifying effect of sodium thiosulfate of toxic things, such as heavy metals, fluoride, and other toxic substances that helped depression and other psychological problems.
There are also other common everyday remedies that can do this also such as a a tiny amount of borax, baking soda, niacinamide B3 300 mg, garlic, and certain aromatherapy such as narcissus oils or lavender where the mode of actions have similar effects as well. One thing I also used as an antidepressant for myself is the amino acid supplements in soybean oil, that seems to work for me as well.
Therefore being depressed is very much due to toxic environment, heavy metals, vitamin deficiency, and for me, amino acid imbalance. It might have been the L-Phenylalanine and L-Tyrosine which are responsible, however, since those are not available locally, I used the amino acid supplements instead. There are also certain amino acids such as 5-HTP, tryptophan, and SAM-e that also have anti-depressants.
With all these natural supplements and prices at a fraction of med's anti depressants, I think therefore it is a lot safer and more effective to treat the cause by dealing with directly with reducing toxicity and resolving deficiencies.
Soy and Egg Protein Powder
★★★★★
St John's Wort
| 5 star (6) | 60% | |
| 1 star (2) | 20% | |
 (2) |
20% |
★★★★★
There are lots of reputable brands available. Many people take 300 mg three times a day and for some it takes a few weeks to start working. For me, SJW is as powerful as any RX antidepressant.
(Los Angeles)
09/22/2022
I'm so happy for you, Cynthia!
I feel I must caution those currently on antidepressants:
Combining St. John's wort and certain antidepressants can lead to a potentially life-threatening increase in your body's levels of serotonin
St John's Wort
★★★★★
My wife and I have been using it whenever needed for years. Always great results. As with all herbal remedies, you probably want to pay attention to the quality and the place or origin. Personally I avoid everything from China. If you can get something locally, I think that is much preferred.
St John's Wort
★★★★★
My wife was suffering from depression. She started taking St. John's Wort once or twice daily plus sublingual vitamin b12 and the depression is gone. St. John's Wort has been shown to be more effective against depression than Prozac. Go for the natural stuff, it doesn't cost much and has no side effects. Don't let the big Pharma run and ruin your life.
(Maryland)
01/15/2018
Natural treatments are cheaper only when comparing with the full price of the prescrption medication. Many people with insurance only pay $3, $5, $10 or possibly a $20 copay. Many supplements can cost $29-$69 or more. Oftentimes the prescriptions end up being far less expensive. Unfortunately, natural treatments aren't affordable to many on a tight budget.
(Hi)
01/15/2018
Tif, medications may cost less than herbs in terms of dollars up front for relief. But the long term cost to health of some medications may not be worth that initial savings.
Buying pre-made supplements can get pricey. But there are lots of herbs that are cheap by the pound and then a tea can be taken. It is more work than a pill, but in the long run may be worth the trouble.
(USA)
11/16/2021
+1 to Leilanie... -1 to Tif .. Not to be mean but... yeah. even the people I encounter who advocate Rx now and then don't even get relief from them.. it's just an old program that people repeat out loud like parrots; that doesn't work anymore..
(Faithville, Us)
01/16/2018
I was reading about using it for depression. I think it said it can cause sensitivity to sun exposure like some drugs also cause. Glad it works . Sun bathing works amazing for me for depression but it 's winter so I have to wait for the right season to soak up the vitamin D and whatever else the sun is giving me.
St. John's wort is very good, but it does have some fairly well known side effects, one of which is that it can cause hypersensitivity to sun exposure which is referred to as photodermatitis, so being aware of that may go a long way in preventing potential problems if you spend much time in the sun. Hives and other rashes is another common one, which again if you are aware of can go a long way in preventing complications.
https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/st-johns-wort
Art
St John's Wort
★★★★★
(Nashville, Tennessee)
06/09/2009
★☆☆☆☆
I only tried this for about a couple months. I would take 2 pills every day. I was more depressed then when I first started. I have found that other natural cures have been more effective with me such as non processed foods, fish oil vitamins, fresh fruit, leafy green vegtables, and berries. I am trying apple cider vinegar now since it seems to have worked for others that responded here.
(Ottawa, Canada)
01/13/2012
I have been taking B100 complex and Omega 3 (both three times a day) to help me being down day-to-day (depression, I guess).
I tried them separately, but only if I take them both works for me..
Tried 5-HTP for weight loss and saw it decreased my appetite considerably, improved my mood but also made me sleepy. So, I only take it once in the evening.
None of these were helping though with my aweful PMS moods. So gave ST JOHN'S WORT a try. Started taking 2 weeks before my expected period and saw improvements almost in a matter of days.
I had no side effects and now use it regularly 1 week before my period and following week to keep the bitch under control (additional to all above vitamins).
I take 2-3 weeks off and then repeat, so far I'm very happy with the results. It doesn't make me happy, just content but that is way better than being angry for no good reason.
(San Diego)
03/07/2013
★☆☆☆☆
(Syracuse, New York)
03/08/2013
I agree with Heather from San Diego, St. John's wort is a dangerous herb. It is well known to cause serious skin problems for cattle that graze on St. John's wort, and is fatal to cattle that eat too much of it as discussed here at wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John's_wort#Livestock_.E2.80.93_forage_poisoning
St John's Wort
★★★★★
(Inchigeelagh, Cork, Ireland)
03/07/2009
I just wanted to mention a possible side effect of St John's Wort. I started taking a German preparation (they have done some of the most extensive studies on the herb, and regularly prescribe it for depression). 900 mg once a day. I happened to go to my doctor a week after starting. My usually normal blood pressure had skyrocketed to 180/100. I had been feeling a bit jumpy and recognised the feeling as I had previously experienced a massive increase in my blood pressure from taking licorice. I immediately stopped taking St. John's Wort and within two days felt a lot better in terms of the jumpy-ness. I will not have my blood pressure taken for another few weeks, and unless you hear from me again you can be sure it's back to normal.
I've read studies that say the herb does not affect blood pressure, but I can't help thinking that the people in the study were not super sensitive like myself.
(Ogden, UT USA)
03/08/2009
WARNING! If you have bipolar disorder, avoid St. John's Wort. My husband has BPD, and used st john's wort for a full year before having any side effects, and when they came, they were a DOOZY!
He said he felt like his brain was sitting on a frying pan and sizzling, and if he'd had a gun, he would have shot himself in the head, not because he was suicidal, but simply to bring an end to the sizzling sensation.
It took a year for the herb to saturate into his system enough to bring this on, but it was a VERY unhappy side effect for him. It lasted an entire afternoon, three or four hours of brain sizzle. Not something he ever wants to repeat.
St John's Wort
★★★★★
St John's Wort
| (1) |
100% |
(USA)
04/19/2026
NAN,
Read my post on Parkinson's under multiple remedies. low Dopamine is a big factor in depression. Try the foods listed in part 2 for L-Dopa. People with depression are 3 times more likely to get Parkinson's.You may need other help to balance body. hormones, probiotics, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine foods.
