Is it ok or safe to take st. john's wort, sam-e, and 5-htp at the same time?

Question

I currently take st. john's wort and 5-htp at the same time and I seem ok with it. I might add sam-e to my supplements for a much better mood. is this a good idea?

Answer 1

it may be good now, but can possibly have severe effects later in life.  YOu should consult a qualified pratitioner or chemist to get somethign that is all-in-one.

Answer 2

5-HTP sometimes has an effect within hours and is best suited for those whose low mood is related to seratonin deficiency. SAM-e a powerful nutrient that starts working within hours but should not be used by those who have a tendency for depression associated with anxiety. B vitamins have a mild influence on depression. The combination of 5 HTP St. John's wort may help some people.

If you plan to take St. John's wort and 5HTP together, use low dosages. These supplements should not be mixed together with pharmaceutical medicines prescribed for depression such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and other SSRI drugs unless done so or supervised by a health care provider experience with these combinations.

Answer 3

I would take them together with caution. Actually, even with St. John's Wort and 5-HTP, you may already be in trouble... 5-HTP supports Serotonin while St. John's Wort slows the breakdown of Serotonin. You should be careful with those two alone... but adding Sam-e is nearing the point of overkill.

In general, you shouldn't take too many supplements that support Serotonin because while a little boost to Serotonin can help you sleep, a bigger dose can wake you up. It's a weird idea, but Serotonin is the hormone that controls both the sleeping AND the waking cycles.

If you are taking any prescriptions, you should ask a pharmacist if it would be safe as they have access to a database of drug/supplement interactions. Good luck!