# st john's wort and l-theanine cocktail



## californian

I mentioned in the thread I posted in "Regaining Reality" a possible connection between GABA and the way klonopin and green tea might interact with it. I noticed this because green tea seemed to be helpful and I found that it acts on GABA which was interesting because it is klonopin (which acts on GABA) that the largest number of DP sufferers have found helpful.

I also read in Simeon's book that clomipramine has been one of the most successful anti-depressants on this condition and this may be because it acts on several different neurotransmitters at once. i also found that st john's wort (which has helped me in the past--works on multiple neurotransmitters, rather than just the serotonin system)

so i started taking l-theanine (the active anxiety reducer/GABA enhancer in green tea) to see if it would help like klonopin. it did at first and then i started developing almost manic like symptoms. i looked on here again and found that similar feelings happen to people who use klonopin, so i thought....hmmmm.

i then found that although l-theanine raises GABA and dopamine, it DECREASES serotonin. i then wondered if taking it with st johns wort might help keep the serotonin levels up while still enhancing the action of GABA.

so far it has been two days and things look good. i'll follow up on this on a weekly basis to see how it progresses. of course, as with all biochemical methods here, i think that it is important to keep in mind that nothing will magically restore a healthy state of mind in someone. there must also be proactive therapy on your thought processes whether it be through cognitive behavioral therapy, spiritual disciplines, or some combinations of these or similar psychological techniques.


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## californian

UPDATE:
i have continued using st.john's wort in combination with l-theanine. st. john's wort is a famous antidepressant and is also known to treat OCDs. l-theanine is an anxiety reducer and alertness enhancer. the combination of these two has proven to be effective in reducing dp/dr symptoms for me.

i take 300 mg of sjw 3 times daily. i take 100mg of l-theanine 2 times daily. i take all three with a glass of green tea (which is also abundant in l-theanine).

again, regular exercise is also important. i also take B-6 at night to help with sleep. CBT/distraction techniques are also essential, as is breathing exercises, prayer/meditation (if you are religious), etc.

hope others might find this helpful too.


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## Pancthulhu

Do you not have to be very careful what you eat while taking St John's Wort?


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## californian

not that i know of. with mao inhibitors, people have to be very careful of what they eat, and for a while it was going around that st john's wort was an mao inhibitor. there is no evidence of this being true. sjw was compared in trials to maoi's and is believed to work on multiple neurotransmitter pathways like mao's, but with a different mechanism of action--i.e. it doesn't inhibit mao to produce the effect of raising various neurotransmitter levels. so since it isn't really an mao inhibitor (despite what some online resources will say) you don't have to worry about what you eat.

i think part of the reason sjw helps some people suffering from dp/dr is that it works on various neurotransmitter pathways such as serotonin and GABA at the same time. the first time i used it (in 1995), it had a very, very dramatic effect, pretty much cured me of symptoms single-handedly. it is still very helpful for me when i have bouts of dp/dr, but i find i also need to combine it with other things to really deal with all of the symptoms.

so, the short answer is--you don't have to watch what you eat, but you DO have to watch for medication interactions with it. it is an herb, but a very powerful one that is medication like anything else.

if you do try it, let me know how it goes for you...make sure you use a brand that standardizes both HYPERICIN and HYPERFORIN content such as ENZYMATIC THERAPY or SOLARAY. i don't know about british manufacturers, but Germans ones tend to be very good.


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## Pancthulhu

Ah OK, thanks for the advice. I presumed it was an MAOI.


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