Best St. John's Wort for Stress & Mood
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Last reviewed May 2026
Clinical dose: 600–1200 mg
Why St. John's Wort for Stress & Mood
St. John's Wort plays a important role in stress & mood. St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is the most clinically validated herbal antidepressant.
What dose to look for
Clinical studies typically use 600–1200 mg of st. john's wort. 600–1,200 mg/day standardized extract (0.3% hypericin or 2–5% hyperforin). WS 5570 and LI 160 are the most studied extracts. Cochrane review (29 RCTs, 5,489 patients) confirms efficacy comparable to SSRIs. Products below this range may not deliver meaningful results.
What the research says
St. John's Wort has strong clinical evidence for stress & mood benefits. Cochrane review of 29 trials (5,489 patients) confirms efficacy comparable to SSRIs for depression Learn more
Clinical research on St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
VERY HIGH — Cochrane review, 37+ RCTs, 5,489+ patients, comparable to SSRIs · 600–1,200 mg/day standardized extract (0.3% hypericin or 2–5% hyperforin)
- •Cochrane Review (29 RCTs, 5,489 patients): hypericum extracts superior to placebo (RR 1.28 in larger trials) and similarly effective as SSRIs (RR 1.00). Significantly fewer dropouts due to adverse effects vs SSRIs (OR 0.53).
- •2017 meta-analysis (27 trials, 3,808 patients vs SSRIs): comparable response rate (RR 0.983) and remission rate (RR 1.013), with significantly lower discontinuation (OR 0.587).
- •WS 5570 RCT (375 patients, 6 weeks): 900 mg/day significantly superior to placebo on HAM-D in mild-moderate MDD.
- •Critical limitation: potent CYP3A4/P-gp inducer — significantly reduces efficacy of oral contraceptives, warfarin, cyclosporine, HIV antiretrovirals. Not safe with SSRIs (serotonin syndrome risk).