How to Brew St. John’s Wort Tea, What Are the Benefits?

St. John’s wort tea, which is a powerful antidepressant, is an herbal solution that raises mood in individuals with mild to moderate depression worldwide.

Take a sip of St. John’s Wort tea and take the load off you! Stress and anxiety are one of the main causes of many diseases today. The pressure felt on the mind can harm the body. This causes mental and physical fatigue. If you want to find a natural solution to this problem, you should try St. John’s Wort tea. St. John’s Wort tea, which is a natural “antidepressant” supplement, is widely used against depression around the world.

You should read the story of this rare flower, which tastes as good as it looks!

What is St. John’s Wort?

The medical name of St. John’s Wort, known as “Hypericum perforatum” in botanical science, is “St John’s Wort”.

So it got its name because it is traditionally harvested on St. John’s Day in late June. The word “wort” means “plant” in old English.

While it is known by names such as “rosin (resin) rose”, “goat grass” and “klamath grass” in some countries around the world; In Turkey, it is known by names such as “binbirdelik grass”, “sword grass” and “kan grass”.

It has been used in many parts of the world since the 14th century for its healing properties. This small herb is a wild herb native to temperate and subtropical regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. It can be seen in meadows and along roadsides. It can also be grown as an ornamental plant in gardens.

St. St. John’s Wort, which grows up to 1 meter in height, is a perennial herb. The flowers are pale yellow, star-shaped. Its small flowers are 2.5 centimeters in size. Its flowers sprout in the first weeks of spring; poured in the last weeks of autumn.

What are the Benefits of St. John’s Wort Tea?

The leaves, flowers and seeds of St. John’s Wort can be used to make a medicinal tea.

Today, many people consume this tea for its potential benefits, especially its natural calming effect.

This herb is a good source of flavonoids. It contains beneficial phenolic acids, glycosides, rutin, tannins, essential oils and resins for human. These components have a calming (sedative) and sedative effect.

St. John’s Wort tea contains active hypericin and hyperforin substances. Hypericin is a substance used in the treatment of depression. Hyperforinism is an antibiotic.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of St. John’s Wort tea;

Depression and anxiety: Consuming St. John’s Wort tea daily for 4 to 6 weeks; Helps cope with anxiety, irritability and mild depression. It provides mental and emotional balance. This, in turn, supports the control of stress and anger. It also alleviates periods of sadness. However, in a depressive state, an important result may not be obtained alone; In addition to healthy nutrition and exercise, support from a specialist should be sought.

Sleep disorders: If you suffer from insomnia or cannot sleep every night, you can try St. John’s Wort tea.

Before going to sleep, 1 cup of St. John’s Wort tea is not only a solution to insomnia, it also gives mental clarity and positively affects the ability to concentrate in thought.

Menopause and hormone imbalance: Mood swings, tension and depression are three of the most common symptoms of menopause. These symptoms are the direct cause of the hormonal imbalance. St. John’s Wort tea is one of the most effective teas against these symptoms. It can also help restore hormonal balance. At this stage, the following information is important; You can add “black cohosh” herb to this tea to deal with menopausal symptoms. However, it has a soothing effect for painful menstruation (menstruation) and cramping pains. It also regulates hormone levels against premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Immune problems: Drinking this tea is the best way to improve the body’s defense mechanism and prevent diseases. St. John’s Wort tea, which has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties, supports the immune system. Pollution and environmental changes can put pressure on organisms.

In other words, it protects the DNA in cells from the destructive effects of free radicals.

Skin problems: Herbal infusions such as St. John’s Wort tea can also be applied externally. It can help against complicated psoriasis due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. It can be used for cleaning and healing wounds or cuts. In addition, it accelerates the healing of wounds; It has an antiseptic effect against skin trauma. Applying this infusion to the skin is also helpful in removing burns. Helps tissue recovery after burns; It has a soothing, calming and pain-relieving effect. It also has effects under the skin; treats inflammations that cause muscle aches, sciatica, tennis elbow and other nerve pains.

Respiratory diseases: St. John’s Wort tea, which can be consumed for breakfast and dinner in the morning, has positive effects against chest congestion and sore throat. It is stated to help serious lung problems such as bronchitis and asthma, even tuberculosis. Its antibiotic and antiviral effects allow for better breathing.

It is especially recommended for nerve and muscle pain.

We can list the other benefits of this healing tea as follows;

It is effective in problems such as urinary incontinence and bedwetting in children.
It alleviates bladder and kidney problems.
It has a healing effect against liver problems; Supports the liver against jaundice and hepatitis.
Relieves liver damage caused by alcohol.
As a natural sedative, it calms spasms in the digestive tract.
Reduces heartburn, improves digestion and contains peptic acid. It provides relief against ulcers.
When used externally, it can effectively treat hemorrhoids.
It is stated that the hypericin substance in its content can prevent tumor cell growth.
It has a supportive effect in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and smoking cessation processes. It is considered. is heard!

Side Effects of St. John’s Wort Tea

It is necessary to consider the side effects as well as the benefits of herbal teas.

You should consider possible side effects!

Studies did not detect any side effects in most people. In some studies, although it has the same effects as antidepressants, it has been observed that it has less side effects.

Here are some side effects;

Although it is an ideal option for mild depression and anxiety, it is not recommended for problems such as major depression, schizophrenia and dementia. It does not appear to have any effect on bipolar disorders. In particular, it can interact with antidepressant drugs. For this reason, a doctor’s advice should be sought in depressive states.
It can interact with many common pharmaceuticals. It can affect some drugs used for anti-rejection drugs, heart drugs, HIV and cancer.
This tea should not be consumed before surgery or operations. Its calming effects may interact with anesthesia and cause cardiac complications.
St. John’s Wort tea should not be consumed, especially before chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
It is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women.Reported side effects are also commonly symptoms of depression. Therefore, before consuming St. John’s Wort tea, mental and psychological state should be taken into account against possible side effects.

Withdrawal syndrome after using St. John’s Wort tea for a long time; In other words, although there are claims that the substance causes negative feelings both physically and mentally after quitting, this information is mostly anecdotal.

However, symptoms such as dizziness and anxiety have been reported after abrupt cessation of consumption. For this reason, it is recommended to slowly reduce your dosage before stopping the consumption of St. John’s Wort tea.

How to Brew St. John’s Wort Tea?

This tea is made from the leaves and flowers of St. John’s Wort. It is extremely easy to brew.

First of all, let’s share the following information;

Water boiled at 100 degrees is needed for St. John’s Wort tea.
2 teaspoons of dried St. John’s Wort is used for 250 ml of water.
The brewing time is 5 to 10 minutes.
Honey can be used as a sweetener.

Well, how to brew St. John’s Wort tea?

Boil the water to be used for tea.
Place 2 teaspoons of herbs per cup.
Pour boiling water over the herbs.
Wait for the tea to steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
Strain and serve.

Tips for Consuming St. John’s Wort Tea

The flavor of tea is typically refreshing and bitter.

Try it without sugar first and then add honey. Optionally, sugar can also be used.

St. St. John’s Wort tea can be combined with lemon and orange peels. Valerian (valerian) herb can also be added. Valerian has a very strong flavor; It is a herbal sedative. You can also opt for chamomile, lavender and lemon balm teas to calm the nerves.

A normal dose range would be between 300 and 1200 mg per day. It should usually be taken in divided doses; that is, 300 mg three times a day or 600 mg twice a day…

It is possible to benefit from its healing properties when you drink 2 glasses a day. Especially if you feel sluggish and nervous, try to consume this tea twice a day!

St. St. John’s Wort Tea and Depression

Depression affects more than 300 million people worldwide. Many medications against depression offer effective treatment. However, there are also those who prefer to use natural or alternative remedies. St. John’s Wort is one of these plants.

Various forms derived from this herb have been used for centuries to treat depression in certain conditions.

Generally; It is used to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety, sleep problems, and seasonal affective disorder. It is classified as a food supplement by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But it is not approved as a prescription drug for depression.

Although its effects on the body are not fully understood, it is thought to work similarly to antidepressants. Researches; This suggests that some of the active ingredients such as hypericin, hyperforin and aditperforin provide these benefits.

These ingredients are predicted to increase the levels of chemical messengers such as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain. These substances are effective for regulating mood.

It is interesting that; St. John’s Wort acts like a prescription antidepressant, but it does not have side effects such as sexual reluctance caused by antidepressants, or it is very rare.

There is strong evidence to support the use of St. John’s wort in the treatment of depression. In 2016, 35 different studies examined the effects of St. John’s Wort on depression.

Accordingly, St. John’s Wort;

Reduces symptoms of mild to moderate depression more than placebo.
Reduces symptoms at a rate similar to prescription antidepressants.
It has fewer side effects than prescription antidepressants.
Common antidepressants It does not cause sexual reluctance, which is a side effect.
However, studies on its effects on severe depression are not sufficient.

In 27 different studies comparing the effects of St. St. John’s Wort and antidepressant drugs, mild and moderate Similar effects were observed against graded depression.

John Wort” has a story. The flowers of the plant begin to be harvested on the 24th of June, when St. John was born. John Festival” is organized.
June 24, where St. John was born, is a public holiday in the autonomous region of Catalonia in Spain.
St. St. John’s wort, which was loaded with spiritual meanings due to its healing before Christ, was used as a religious icon of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Christianity. It was believed to expel evil spirits in its history and various religious teachings.
It is one of the best-selling herbal products in the world. It is an over-the-counter herbal supplement; can be obtained from herbal stores or pharmacies.
St. John’s wort flowers and leaves are used to make liquid extracts, pills and oil other than tea.
The roots, flowers and buds of the plant can be dried, made into capsules and tea, oils and liquid extracts It can be pressed for use.
Oil form is widely used in massage and spa salons today.