Can A Herbal Extract Help Ease Your Depression?

Depression is a common disorder worldwide, affecting an estimated 3.8% of the population, 5.0% of adults, and 5.7% of adults over 60. About 280 million people around the globe suffer from depression. Depression is different from the usual mood swings and brief emotional responses to challenges of everyday life. Depression can become a serious health condition, especially when recurring and of moderate or severe intensity. It can cause those affected to suffer greatly and function poorly at work, at school, and at home. The use of adjunctive therapies such as herbal extracts (5-HTP Powder, St. John's Wort Extract Powder, Rhodiola Rosea Extract Powder, and more) continues to enjoy popularity as people seek more natural approaches to health management.

Depression can be mild or severe and includes a variety of symptoms, the most common being feeling sad and losing interest in things you would normally find pleasant. It can also lead to changes in sleep patterns; changes in weight and appetite; decreased energy; feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty concentrating, thinking, and making decisions; and thoughts of death or suicide.

Research shows that some dietary supplements hold promise for treating mild to moderate depression. Here are some of the most widely used supplements for your reference:

★ 5-HTP Powder: Some research suggests that treating depression with 5-HTP may help ameliorate depressive symptoms. 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is an amino acid that our bodies produce from a dietary amino acid called l-tryptophan. It can be converted into a mood-regulating neurotransmitter called serotonin, which can then be converted into a sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin. The essential amino acid l-tryptophan can be acquired by eating foods that contain it. However, its ability to convert to 5-HTP is limited by an enzyme called tryptophan hydroxylase. The amount of tryptophan hydroxylase in our body is suppressed by many different factors, such as stress, insulin resistance, vitamin B6 deficiency, and magnesium deficiency. Supplementation with 5-HTP can help overcome this by eliminating the need to convert L-tryptophan to 5-HTP, allowing more 5-HTP to become available for conversion to serotonin.

★ St. John's Wort Extract Powder: St. John's Wort, known as Hypericum perforatum, is a wild plant indigenous to Europe and Asia. The flowers and buds of this plant can be dried to make capsules and teas or pressed into oil and liquid extracts. It is most commonly used to help with depression and related disorders, such as anxiety, sleep disorders, and seasonal affective disorder. Research indicates that many of its active ingredients, such as hypericin, hyperforin, and adhyperforin, maybe the main factors of these health benefits. These ingredients seem to elevate levels of chemical messengers in the brain, such as serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. As a consequence, these act to lift and regulate the mood.

★ Rhodiola Rosea Extract Powder: Depression is believed to occur when chemicals called neurotransmitters in the brain become unbalanced. Research suggests that Rhodiola Rosea may help ameliorate some symptoms of depression. Similar to antidepressants, it may have a positive effect on neurotransmitters that affect emotion and mood. A study compared the effects of Rhodiola Rosea to the commonly used antidepressant sertraline. For the study, 57 people diagnosed with depression were randomly assigned to receive Rhodiola Rosea, sertraline, or a placebo pill for 12 weeks. While both Rhodiola Rosea and sertraline reduced symptoms of depression, sertraline was more effective. Nevertheless, Rhodiola Rosea produces fewer side effects and is better tolerated.

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