Q&A: SAMe or St. John’s Wort?

Health Tips / Q&A: SAMe or St. John’s Wort?
SAMe or St. John’s Wort?

Q.   A friend of mine just tried SAMe for depression and is having a very positive experience with it in a very short time. Can you tell me why in The Triple Whammy Cure you emphasize St. John’s Wort as a natural antidepressant instead?

A. As part of my response to this excellent question, I’m going to devote a future health tip to a more comprehensive review of  SAMe, which I do like as a safe and effective antidepressant. In the book I emphasize St. John’s wort for several reasons:

  • St. John’s wort has more published clinical studies than SAMe, a relative newcomer on the scene.
  • There’s a cost factor. SAMe is simply more expensive than St. John’s wort.
  • Finally, dosing is mildly inconvenient with SAMe. You must take it on an empty stomach, either one hour before eating or two hours after. As a major proponent of keeping things simple, I like the easier scheduling with St. John’s wort.

With that said, St. John’s wort doesn’t work for everyone. If you’re among this group and you’re reluctant to move to a prescription antidepressant, or you simply want to try a faster-acting natural antidepressant, SAMe might be just the ticket. Read more about it by clicking here.