5 replies to this topic

[Colactix]

Alright, so I'm more or less new to a lot of this. I have done some reading around, but I haven't found anything over-decisive.

 

I have recently started taking St John's Wort again for depression, after a break of a year - I forgot how it helped me. I also have some Bacopa and Rhodiola. I understand that taking St John's Wort with any kind of SSRI is a big no, no. The same if taken with 5-HTP (I think.) Simply I was wondering if there would be any interactions of sorts with these three?

 

Obviously serotonin syndrome in on my mind, no matter how overblown and rare it is. I get quite anxious about any potential interactions, especially ones' of such seriousness.  Thanks. 

[Blink]

I take both St John's Wort and Bacopa. St John's 3 times during the day and Bacopa before bed. Improves sleep and mood quite a bit. St John's Wort is a weak MAOI so it increases serotonin. Bacopa also interacts with the serotonin system and increase serotonin somewhat but it's not clear by what mechanism. I've only noticed positive effects from this combo.

[Colactix]

I take both St John's Wort and Bacopa. St John's 3 times during the day and Bacopa before bed. Improves sleep and mood quite a bit. St John's Wort is a weak MAOI so it increases serotonin. Bacopa also interacts with the serotonin system and increase serotonin somewhat but it's not clear by what mechanism. I've only noticed positive effects from this combo.

 

Thanks. I've been taking St John's Wort and Bacopa together for the past few days now, and I've not noticed any negative effects. I haven't taken Bacopa before bed though, so that's something I'll have to try. From previous experience I know St John's Wort takes a few weeks to fully work, and I think this is also the same regarding Bacopa, at least for some of its effects - though I could be wrong. Hopefully it will all stay positive in the next few weeks. 

[sativa]

Rhodiola is great! One 250mg capsule (3% rosavins, 1% salidrozoid, 40% polyphenols) in the morning is a little to much for me, so i usually only take half. Bear in mind I do not drink nor smoke. I also don't take any pharmaceuticals and cycle the botanicals I use so as to minimise tolerance.

Be careful with combining other psychoactive or pharmaceutical substances with Rhodiola, it's a powerful cataylst!

The scope for interactions is very significant and likely, as explained (and personally experienced) by sam7777 on Nature's Herb forum (http://herbs.mxf.yuk...f-psychoactives)

Rhodiola is not a mood enhancer, it is a psychoactive catalyst, has strange nearly ineffable properties, and is in fact a powerful mind enhancer.

As you can see, this stuff is highly reactive and pharmacologically active.

Rhodiola rosea:

• Phenylethyl glycosides
• Phenylpropanoids
• Flavonoids
• Phenolics
• Polyphenolics
• Lignans
• Flavolignans

• MAO inhibition (increasing serotonin, noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine, and more)
• COMT inhibition (increasing dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, etc.)
• Antioxidant
• Beta-endorphin increase (presumably giving opioid effects centrally)
• Increasing neurotransmitter precursor brain penetration (very vague, but could increase various NTs including serotonin)
• Prolyl endopeptidase inhibition (increasing various substances, including oxytocin)

[Colactix]

Rhodiola is great! One 250mg capsule (3% rosavins, 1% salidrozoid, 40% polyphenols) in the morning is a little to much for me, so i usually only take half. Bear in mind I do not drink nor smoke. I also don't take any pharmaceuticals and cycle the botanicals I use so as to minimise tolerance.

Be careful with combining other psychoactive or pharmaceutical substances with Rhodiola, it's a powerful cataylst!

The scope for interactions is very significant and likely, as explained (and personally experienced) by sam7777 on Nature's Herb forum (http://herbs.mxf.yuk...f-psychoactives)
 

Rhodiola is not a mood enhancer, it is a psychoactive catalyst, has strange nearly ineffable properties, and is in fact a powerful mind enhancer.

As you can see, this stuff is highly reactive and pharmacologically active.

Rhodiola rosea:

• Phenylethyl glycosides
• Phenylpropanoids
• Flavonoids
• Phenolics
• Polyphenolics
• Lignans
• Flavolignans

• MAO inhibition (increasing serotonin, noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine, and more)
• COMT inhibition (increasing dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, etc.)
• Antioxidant
• Beta-endorphin increase (presumably giving opioid effects centrally)
• Increasing neurotransmitter precursor brain penetration (very vague, but could increase various NTs including serotonin)
• Prolyl endopeptidase inhibition (increasing various substances, including oxytocin)

 

 

 

Thanks for the information. My capsules are 500mg - 3% Rosavins and 1% Saliroside (Now brand). Whenever I take them I feel more anxious and somewhat irritable. I suppose the dosage could very well be too high. I've decided to stop with the St John's Wort for now. It seems to have to many possible interactions with a few other things I'm taking. I'll try a lower dose of Rhodiola and see how it goes from there. In general I haven't ever felt any 'amazing' results from anything I've taken. Not to the noteworthy point that many seem to have had. I think it seems to slip past many minds that only pharmaceuticals can have interactions.  

Edited by Colactix, 23 January 2016 - 11:33 AM.

[birthdaysuit]

 

Rhodiola is great! One 250mg capsule (3% rosavins, 1% salidrozoid, 40% polyphenols) in the morning is a little to much for me, so i usually only take half. Bear in mind I do not drink nor smoke. I also don't take any pharmaceuticals and cycle the botanicals I use so as to minimise tolerance.

Be careful with combining other psychoactive or pharmaceutical substances with Rhodiola, it's a powerful cataylst!

The scope for interactions is very significant and likely, as explained (and personally experienced) by sam7777 on Nature's Herb forum (http://herbs.mxf.yuk...f-psychoactives)
 

Rhodiola is not a mood enhancer, it is a psychoactive catalyst, has strange nearly ineffable properties, and is in fact a powerful mind enhancer.

As you can see, this stuff is highly reactive and pharmacologically active.

Rhodiola rosea:

• Phenylethyl glycosides
• Phenylpropanoids
• Flavonoids
• Phenolics
• Polyphenolics
• Lignans
• Flavolignans

• MAO inhibition (increasing serotonin, noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine, and more)
• COMT inhibition (increasing dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, etc.)
• Antioxidant
• Beta-endorphin increase (presumably giving opioid effects centrally)
• Increasing neurotransmitter precursor brain penetration (very vague, but could increase various NTs including serotonin)
• Prolyl endopeptidase inhibition (increasing various substances, including oxytocin)

 

 

 

Thanks for the information. My capsules are 500mg - 3% Rosavins and 1% Saliroside (Now brand). Whenever I take them I feel more anxious and somewhat irritable. I suppose the dosage could very well be too high. I've decided to stop with the St John's Wort for now. It seems to have to many possible interactions with a few other things I'm taking. I'll try a lower dose of Rhodiola and see how it goes from there. In general I haven't ever felt any 'amazing' results from anything I've taken. Not to the noteworthy point that many seem to have had. I think it seems to slip past many minds that only pharmaceuticals can have interactions.  

 

Definitely lower the dosage and see how it goes. Because of its MAO/COMT inhibition sometimes it will make anxiety sufferers feel worse because it can exasperate fight or flight response. However, if you couple Rhodiola Rosea with a good workout schedule and refrain form drinking and smoking you’ll most likely feel the benefits.

 

For me my subjective well being had increased 10-fold and my depressive, negative thoughts subsided. I think the affects after the preliminary dosage will outweigh the negatives you feel when taking Rhodiola Rosea. So cycle it and see how you feel off of it after taking it for a few weeks. 

Edited by birthdaysuit, 29 January 2016 - 06:46 PM.