St John's Wort

St. John's Wort (Hyperisum perforatum) has been used in Europe for centuries in the treatment of depression. It is reported to act through a variety of ways to help in depression, particularly by increasing serotonin.

It is often found in weight loss products, but there is no data that it helps in losing weight.

Side effects include uncontrolled extremely high blood pressure (hypertensive crisis) and mania. It should not be used by pregnant women or in people with bipolar disorder. It can have interactions with medicines including: antidepressants, HIV medicines, antirejection medicines, birth control pills and several others.

It is important you discuss any weight loss or exercise plan with your doctor. Only you and your physician can decide what is best for you. Some people have certain conditions that prevent them from doing all exercises, and goal body weights may be different for different people. You need to discuss all these things with your physician before starting any weight loss or exercise program.