Researchers at East Carolina University’s Department of Psychiatric Medicine recently published a guideline for physicians treating anxiety disorders, which included an evaluation of previous research concerning the benefits of St Johns wort, kava, inositol, valerian, passionflower and other nutritional or dietary supplements. Due in part to St John’s wort side effects and in part to the lack of well designed trials and studies, the researchers advised that physicians should not recommend or encourage the use of St Johns wort by patients suffering from anxiety disorders.
Based on the evidence that is currently available, short-term use of kava for mild to moderate anxiety was recommended for those patients who do not use alcohol or other medicines metabolized by the liver. Compounds found in St Johns wort are known to be toxic to liver cells.
ECU’s recommendation was made in 2007, despite the health risks associated with kava supplements that prompted bans in Canada and several European countries and warnings from the CDC and the FDA in the United States. The Australian TGA recommends that daily dosages should not exceed 250mg of kavalactones (the active component in kava). But, the Medicines Control Agency in the UK warns that there is NO safe dosage for kava. Concerns over the safety of kava are far greater than concerns over St John’s wort side effects, yet, at least in this most recent study, researchers felt that recommending kava was more advisable than recommending St Johns wort.
ECU recommended the use of inositol as a treatment option for panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorders, as long as its use was not combined with SSRI anti-depressant medications. Inositol is a compound found in rice bran and other foods, including cantaloupe. There is a large body of research concerning the benefits of inositol as a dietary supplement and, unlike the benefits of St Johns wort or kava, the health benefits are not accompanied by health risks. The only people who could not consume inositol are those who are allergic to the food that the dietary supplement is derived from. Manufacturers may use any number of foods as the source for inositol. If you have food allergies, you should always read the label carefully. ECU’s guideline advised that doctors should not recommend valerian or passionflower and reported that there is no research supporting the use of other nutritional supplements.
Source:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20070815/549.html
Authors note: I was able to overcome a severe anxiety disorder that made me unable to work, drive or even leave my house for several months. It took a lot of work and it was not a quick process, but I am no longer controlled by irrational fears and I do not take prescription drugs. Neither St Johns wort nor kava worked for me, but other dietary changes, including reduced sugar and caffeine intake were helpful. The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne, PHD helped more than anything. It was recommended by my personal psychologist. Now in its fourth edition, the workbook helped me learn what was causing my anxiety and how to “fix” myself.
