Millions of people worldwide are diagnosed as suffering from depression each year. Many of these will turn to alternative health remedies rather than take conventional drugs prescribed by their physician due to overwhelming side effects associated with synthetic anti-depressant medications. Herbs have been used for many centuries to successfully treat depression the most notable being St John's Wort.

Amoryn is a herbal product which is said to relieve the symptoms of depression. The active ingredient in Amoryn is Hyperforin. Hyperforin is a derivative of the better known St John's Wort. Scientific studies have shown that St John's Wort has beneficial effects upon the neurotransmitters within the brain and it has been very successful as a natural remedy for depression. Hyperforin acts as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in a similar manner to prescription drugs thereby helping the brain to keep more of its serotonin intact.

Amoryn also contains 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), an amino acid, which the body converts to serotonin. The level of serotonin within the body has a direct effect upon sleep, mood, anxiety, aggression, appetite, temperature, sexual behavior, and pain sensation. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression and migraine in particular.5-HTP raises the levels of serotonin which helps to improve the mood and relieve the symptoms of depression.

The scientific evidence all seems to point to Amoryn being an excellent natural substitute for conventional anti-depressants since its constituent ingredients act upon the brain in a similar fashion. Like conventional anti-depressants, Amoryn is not an instant cure. The supplement needs to be taken regularly for between 2 and 6 weeks before any beneficial effects can be seen with most depression sufferers reporting some positive effect after about three to four weeks. Some depression sufferers have reported side effects such as headaches and sleeplessness when using Amoryn although these do appear to be rare. The side effects certainly appear to be less numerous and far less severe than with synthetic anti-depressant drugs. It is recommended that the daily dosage of Amoryn is increased slowly over a period of two to four weeks in order to minimize the risk of side effects occurring.

Caution should always be exercised when taking any dietary supplement and particularly with prescribed medication. A consultation with a physician before embarking upon a course of Amoryn is recommended before commencing a course of Amoryn particularly if you are pregnant or intending to become pregnant. Amoryn is not suitable to take alongside prescription anti-depressants such as MAOI's and SSRI's nor is it suitable to take with Triptan based Migraine medication due to the risk of Serotonin shock occurring.