Success with natural supplement?

[hanso1]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has had marked success using natural alternatives for anxiety, depression and add.
I've been reading about sam-e, st john's wort, gaba and 5-htp.
Anyone try these?
I go to a naturopath type dr and he's never mentioned trying these to me.
I see him today and will ask him why not.
I would like to go the natural route, but I'm tired of spinning my wheels and wasting money on crap that doesn't work.
I would love to hear your experiences...

[studdmuffin]

to me supplements are just that. they are supplemental. they do help but, they can't replace therapy or medication. it depends greatly on how severe your condition is and what your goals are.

[The450Man]

I have seen some good success from suppliments....

like they always say, our bodies are deficit in nutrients, not medicine.

ssris have a surprising low efficacy level when compared to the placebo...

Infact most drug companies cover up the "bad" studies.

But to each their own.

And im sure suppliments would be very popular if they could slap a patent on them. The reason for the lack of research is from the lack of support. Whos gona supply the money to studies when you cant make money off the studied object? Wouldnt it make more sense for the drug companies to talk down on the suppliment?? food for thought..........

[sunshine73]

Personally, I had some luck with a Magnesium/Calcium pill along with a vitamin B complex. Now, the luck was limited, mind you, but it did help because I could definitely tell the difference in the days when I would forget to take them. Unfortunately for me they just didn't help enough to really get my panic/anxiety under control.

[AnxiouSteve]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has had marked success using natural alternatives for anxiety, depression and add.
I've been reading about sam-e, st john's wort, gaba and 5-htp.

There is some evidence (strongest to weakest) that SJW, Sam-e, 5-htp, and tryptophan work for depression.  None of them have any clinical evidence for anxiety, except for maybe SJW+Valerian in somataform disorders.  That isn't to say they don't work.  As someone said, if you can't patent it then there is little incentive to run a study.

For Anxiety:  Kava Kava has good evidence for efficacy in treating situational anxiety.  A supplement called Inositol has some evidence for OCD.  Everything else has weak (Passionflower, Valerian, Skullcap) or no (Chamomile) evidence of efficacy.  Again, it could just be a lack of research funding .

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20070815/549.html <---Good article on which I've based most but not all of what I've just said.

It is pretty much accepted as fact that the GABA supplements don't make it past the stomach, and even if they did they wouldn't cross the blood-brain barrier.

Anyone try these?
I go to a naturopath type dr and he's never mentioned trying these to me.
I see him today and will ask him why not.

I've tried or currently take most or all of those except GABA.  As a result it's impossible for me to say what worked and what didn't.  I also used to take a bunch of meds.  Either something worked, or I'm just getting over it.

I would like to go the natural route, but I'm tired of spinning my wheels and wasting money on crap that doesn't work.

Keep in mind:  Marijuana, Shrooms, and Opium are totally organic, that doesn't mean they don't have side effects (be they good or bad).  Heroin and Cocaine have 100% natural ingredients.

Then again, if something has 'no side effects', then I would be  skeptical it has any effects at all.  Side effects are just effects we don't want.  For example:  Sleepiness is a side effect of the antipsychotic Seroquel, unless you are taking low doses for a sleep disorder, in which case it's the whole point.

to me supplements are just that. they are supplemental. they do help but, they can't replace therapy or medication. it depends greatly on how severe your condition is and what your goals are.

Well said, IMO.

I have seen some good success from suppliments....

like they always say, our bodies are deficit in nutrients, not medicine.

I see your point, but I can't think of many nutrients that will treat schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

ssris have a surprising low efficacy level when compared to the placebo...

True, but there is evidence for efficacy, especially when combined with some form of talk therapy (vs medication or therapy alone).

Infact most drug companies cover up the "bad" studies.

Wouldn't surprise me...

But to each their own.

And im sure suppliments would be very popular if they could slap a patent on them. The reason for the lack of research is from the lack of support. Whos gona supply the money to studies when you cant make money off the studied object? Wouldnt it make more sense for the drug companies to talk down on the suppliment?? food for thought..........

I agree 100% there.