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Limited evidenceStress & mood

Mood Support Formulas

Combination products mixing herbs, amino acids and B vitamins for low mood. A few of the individual ingredients have real trial support, but the finished formulas are almost never tested and often underdose them.

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What the science says

  • Some single ingredients do work Moderate evidence

    A systematic review and network meta-analysis of nutraceuticals for depressive disorder found that saffron, St John's wort, omega-3 and SAMe outperformed placebo on depression scores, with effect sizes generally smaller than for antidepressants. Trials were short and mostly in mild to moderate depression.

  • The blends themselves are untested Limited evidence

    A systematic review of phytochemicals in depression identified evidence for individual plants but very little for proprietary multi-ingredient formulas, which rarely carry their own randomized trials.

  • Doses are often below the studied ones Limited evidence

    Commercial mood formulas commonly list six to twelve ingredients at a fraction of the amounts used in the positive single-ingredient trials, so a benefit shown for one ingredient cannot be assumed to carry over.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseNo dose applies to the category. Check the label against studied single-ingredient amounts — for example 30 mg/day of standardized saffron extract or 300 mg three times daily of St John's wort extract.
SafetySt John's wort is a potent CYP3A4 inducer and reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, anticoagulants, immunosuppressants and HIV medicines, and can cause serotonin syndrome with antidepressants — a serious risk hidden inside a multi-ingredient blend. 5-HTP and SAMe carry similar serotonergic interaction risks. These products are not a treatment for moderate or severe depression; seek medical care if mood symptoms are persistent or you have thoughts of self-harm.

How to take it

TimingOnce or twice daily at a consistent time; mood effects in the underlying single-ingredient trials took 4-6 weeks to appear.
With food?With food, which reduces the nausea that St John's wort, SAMe and 5-HTP all commonly cause.
Worth knowingTake the bottle to your pharmacist and have them check every ingredient against your prescriptions - this category's real hazard is a potent drug interaction listed fourth on an ingredient panel.

Interactions

With medications

  • oral contraceptives, warfarin, ciclosporin and other immunosuppressants, HIV antiretrovirals, and several chemotherapy drugs

    St John's wort is a potent CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein inducer that lowers the blood levels of all of these - contraceptive failure and transplant rejection have both been reported. never take a blend containing St John's wort with any of these drugs

  • SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclics, MAOIs, triptans and tramadol

    St John's wort, 5-HTP and SAMe are all serotonergic and can cause serotonin syndrome - agitation, fever, tremor, confusion - which is far more dangerous when the serotonergic ingredient is hidden inside a multi-ingredient blend. do not combine; read every ingredient before starting

  • levodopa and other Parkinson's medication

    5-HTP taken without a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor competes with levodopa metabolism and can worsen symptoms and side effects. do not use 5-HTP-containing blends with Parkinson's medication

With other supplements

  • separate 5-HTP, tryptophan, SAMe or St John's wort products

    Serotonergic ingredients stack across products, raising serotonin syndrome risk. never combine two serotonergic supplements

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Do mood support supplements work for depression?

Mood support formulas as sold have limited evidence: a few single ingredients, including saffron, St John's wort, omega-3 and SAMe, beat placebo in trials with moderate evidence, but the finished blends are almost never tested and often underdose them. They are not a treatment for moderate or severe depression.

What dose of saffron or St John's wort should a mood blend contain?

Compare the label with the studied single-ingredient amounts, for example 30 mg/day of standardised saffron extract or 300 mg three times daily of St John's wort extract. Effects in the underlying trials took 4-6 weeks to appear.

Can I take a mood support supplement with antidepressants?

No. St John's wort, 5-HTP and SAMe, common in mood support formulas, are serotonergic and can cause serotonin syndrome with SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclics, MAOIs, triptans or tramadol. Read every ingredient, or have your pharmacist check the bottle.

Can a mood blend stop my birth control from working?

Yes, if it contains St John's wort: it is a potent CYP3A4 inducer that lowers levels of oral contraceptives, warfarin, immunosuppressants and HIV medicines, and contraceptive failure has been reported. Never take a blend containing St John's wort with these drugs.

Scientific references

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