Acupuncture and St. John's Wort to Fight Depression

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Some people are using acupuncture or herbs, like St. John's wort, and other alternative treatments to help their depression. But do they work?

Can acupuncture alleviate depression? Many find acupuncture relaxing. Some claim it can even lift them from depression.

Christina Paige is among those who believes the ancient Chinese practice of puncturing the body with fine needles improved her mood. "After the first session, I noticed an improvement," Paige said. "And after about three or four sessions, there was a very big improvement."

Paige was part of the University of Arizona's 1999 study on acupuncture. "I was in a chronic state of irritable gloom. I had such a short fuse that it was scary," she said. "The least little thing would set me off."

Researchers said that like Paige, the majority of the study participants had significant relief from depression after acupuncture treatment.

"At the end of the study, all women received the effective treatment, and two-thirds of them were clinically well," according to the university's John Allen. "They were noticeably different to themselves and to their family and functioning much better." Allen said the other third of the study participants did not respond to acupuncture.

Don't like needles? Try herbs. While some people with depression are trying acupuncture, others are seeking relief from herbs. St. John's wort as mood food, a natural boost for emotions. And some, like Amy Barnard, swear it helps them overcome the blues.

"I was driving to the university one day, and I just realized I wasn't depressed anymore. I was not only not depressed, I felt great."

Such testimonials have helped fuel the $4 billion herbal supplement industry.

Looking for proof? Before jumping aboard the alternative medicine bandwagon, it's important to know a few things. There is some scientific evidence that St. John's wort is useful for treating mild to moderate depression. However, two large studies, one sponsored by NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of NIH), showed that the herb was no more effective than placebo in treating major depression of moderate severity.

In Germany, many doctors already are convinced of the benefits of the herb. St. John's wort is the most commonly prescribed antidepressant in Germany, and that's where most of the studies on the herb have been conducted. However, they all involve very small numbers of people and treated them very short periods of time.

Sources: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, CNN

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