Brief Answer:
Vitamin B, Saint John's Wort

Detailed Answer:
Although I am an advocate of using natural things whenever possible, when it comes to treating depression, I think some of the newer antidepressants are probably better than herbals. St. John's Wort is an herb that has been shown to have some antidepressant effects similar to the SSRI antidepressants (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). It has been used in Germany for treating depression for a long time. The problem is in quality standardization and knowing how much you are getting. I have had patient's take St. John's Wort but then do better on a prescription medication SSRI. In particular, Lexapro (escitalopram) has the lowest side effect profile of the prescription SSRI medications and kicks in faster than most of the older ones (some benefit in about 2 weeks).

In terms of vitamins, the B Vitamins, and in particular Vitamin B6 and Folic Acid (folate) can be helpful, and can also sometimes help prescription antidepressants work better. A good "B complex" will give you a balance of all the B vitamins.

I hope this information helps.

Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD

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