I’m a pharmacist — beware the potentially dangerous effects of this common herbal supplement
What a worrywort.
Rhode Island pharmacist Ethan Melillo is calling Saint-John’s-wort — an herbal supplement with roots in ancient Greece that’s now used to treat mild to moderate depression — “the worst supplement to take if you are on other medications.”
“Honestly, if someone tells you to take this, I think they really just don’t like you,” Melillo said in a TikTok this month with 60,600 views.
“This natural supplement has an interaction with pretty much everything.”
The Mayo Clinic lists nearly two dozen types of potentially harmful Saint-John’s-wort interactions, including with antihistamines (may cause buildup of the drug in the body), narcotics (may increase sleepiness) and birth control (may diminish its effectiveness).
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina reported Saint-John’s-wort can reduce the concentration of blood thinners, cancer chemotherapy and blood pressure medications.
The team found Saint-John’s-wort combinations potentially dangerous in 28% of the cases it reviewed from 1993 to 2010.
Researchers say the drug interactions can cause serotonin syndrome, which is when high, perhaps deadly levels of the chemical serotonin accumulate in the body, heart disease from less effective blood pressure medications, or unplanned pregnancy from contraceptive failure.
Melillo pointed out that France even banned the use of Saint-John’s-wort products because of drug interaction concerns.
“We want to preface, if you’re taking this right now for depression, do not stop this,” Melillo said. “But I do want you to talk to your doctor if you should really be taking this.”
Mount Sinai notes that Saint-John’s-wort is one of the most commonly purchased herbal products in the US.
It has become popular in part because it’s said to have fewer side effects, or side effects to a lesser degree, than prescription antidepressants. For example, Saint-John’s-wort doesn’t seem to cause loss of sex drive, a common antidepressant side effect.
The yellow-flowered plant, which has antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may also be helpful in treating PMS, menopause symptoms, seasonal affective disorder and wounds.
Mount Sinai says you should talk with your doctor before taking Saint-John’s-wort especially if you’re on medications.