St. John's Wort: Does It Make You Gain Weight?

No, St. John's wort does not make you gain weight, as far as we know today. In the European herbal monograph from the EMA, weight gain does not appear among the side effects. It is still no slimming aid, and we promise nothing in that direction. Two other things deserve real attention with St. John's wort: interactions with the pill and with many medicines, plus higher sensitivity of the skin to light. Both are laid out in full below. If you only came for the scales, this is exactly where you should not skim.

What the official lists say and what they leave out

The EMA names four groups of complaints for St. John's wort preparations: digestive upset such as nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, allergic skin reactions, tiredness and restlessness. Fair-skinned people may also get tingling and sunburn-like reactions in strong sun. Weight gain is missing from that list. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health lists diarrhoea, dizziness, sleep problems, restlessness and skin tingling. Again, not a word about the scales.

The trail is not completely empty, though. The package leaflet for Remifemin plus, a medicine made from St. John's wort and black cohosh extract, lists weight gain among the rare side effects, meaning one to ten in 10,000 users. What follows from that matters, and so does what does not. The leaflet covers a combination product with two plant extracts. It does not say which ingredient is behind it, and it says nothing about St. John's wort as a single capsule. By that figure, it is not a common effect.

Why the scales still point at St. John's wort

Because the timing is deceptive. Hardly anyone reaches for St. John's wort in the calm middle of summer. It is usually October: the days get short, the end of the working day falls in darkness, dinner slides later and the walk gets skipped. Weight shifts in that phase because of light, movement and eating rhythm, the plate of pasta at 9 pm after a long day at the office and the lap around the block that never happens in the dark. The capsule just happens to be standing next to it. Nothing more.

Then there is appetite. When someone feels better they often eat with more pleasure again, and anyone who had barely been hungry will notice on the scales. That is a change in daily life and not an effect of the plant itself, even though this cannot be proven for St. John's wort and therefore honestly counts only as the obvious explanation.

And there are phases of life when weight moves anyway. In the menopause, for example, body and daily routine change regardless, and many women reach for St. John's wort products in exactly this phase, including combinations such as Remifemin plus. If you want to separate cause from coincidence, our guide to weight gain in the menopause covers the everyday levers that actually make a difference in that phase.

St. John's wort and medicines: the list that applies before every capsule

This is where the real risk lies. According to the EMA, St. John's wort preparations increase the activity of enzymes and transporters through which the body gets rid of many active substances. Other medicines lose effect as a result. The German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices and the EMA name these as contraindications or interactions:

• Hormonal contraception (the pill): less reliable protection, breakthrough bleeding. Either you leave St. John's wort out or you use additional contraception, after talking to your gynaecologist.
• Coumarin-type blood thinners such as warfarin and phenprocoumon.
• Immunosuppressants such as ciclosporin, tacrolimus and sirolimus.
• HIV medicines such as indinavir or nevirapine.
• Cancer medicines such as irinotecan and imatinib, and according to the consumer advice centre also tamoxifen.
• Others: digoxin, theophylline, verapamil, simvastatin and midazolam.
• Antidepressants: with paroxetine, sertraline or trazodone, serotonin can build up too much. Serotonin syndrome is an emergency.

The list is an excerpt, not a full directory. If you take any medicine regularly, ask at the pharmacy before the first capsule. If surgery is planned, tell the team beforehand; the EMA advises stopping St. John's wort in that case if necessary. In pregnancy and breastfeeding, the EMA does not recommend St. John's wort. Anyone on blood thinners should not start or stop St. John's wort on their own; that belongs in medical hands.

How to take St. John's wort day to day without annoying your skin

One capsule a day is enough, ideally in the morning after your first meal, with a large glass of water. Breakfast is a good moment because your stomach is full and the habit attaches to something fixed. Our St. John's wort extract 10:1 is built for exactly that: 500 mg of extract in one capsule, equal to 5,000 mg of plant equivalent.

On sun: hypericin reacts to UV light. If you are fair-skinned, use sun protection while taking it, avoid the sunbed and skip the blazing midday sun. If your skin shows redness or tingling, take a break. In October that is easier than in July. On a ski holiday, hard. The snow reflects additional radiation there, so plan your intake around such days or talk to the pharmacy first.

On duration: for a course, plan several weeks, not days. Exactly how long depends on the product; the intake recommendation on the pack always comes first. You do not take several St. John's wort products at once, not even “to be safe”.

The scales are rising anyway? A four-week plan

Then you look at it systematically. You can still blame the capsule later. Week one: note your weight every morning at the same time, after the toilet, before breakfast. At the same time write down when you sleep, what you eat in the evening and how many trips you make on foot. Week two: carry on with St. John's wort as usual. Week three: deliberately change your routine, for example by adding an evening walk. Week four: evaluate.

If the curve then clearly points upward and nothing in your routine has changed, take a two-week break and keep observing. If nothing changes, the plant was not the cause. If your weight climbs over weeks without an obvious reason, it belongs at the doctor's, thyroid and blood count included. That is no longer a question about capsules.

What to look for when buying

St. John's wort is a raw material where the label tells you a lot. You look for four details. First, the extract ratio, such as 10:1. Second, the standardised content, with us at least 0.3% hypericin. Third, the amount of extract per capsule in milligrams. Fourth, a note on laboratory testing. If the first three are missing, you cannot compare products or trace your daily amount, no matter how nicely the label is designed or how large the number 5,000 is printed on the front.

Also check whether it is a single product or a complex. In complexes, St. John's wort shares the capsule with other plants, and then the percentage in the recipe counts. All interactions apply to both forms. Our St. John's wort extract comes from flowers and petals of French plants, is extracted in two steps, once with water and once with food-grade alcohol that afterwards evaporates completely, and sits in a vegan capsule shell without additives, colourings or fillers.

Matching Products from Scheunengut

We offer two routes to St. John's wort. The St. John's wort extract 10:1 is the pure version: 500 mg of extract per capsule, 5,000 mg of plant equivalent, at least 0.3% hypericin. One capsule daily, in the morning after the first meal; 180 capsules last 180 days. The herb is French, production takes place in Germany, and every batch is lab-tested. It is high-dose and vegan.

Inner Balance combines St. John's wort with two other plants rich in tradition. The two daily capsules contain 500 mg of valerian root extract 10:1, 375 mg of passionflower herb extract 10:1 and 250 mg of St. John's wort extract 8:1 with 0.3% hypericin. On top come 200 µg of folic acid as calcium L-methylfolate and 2.6 µg of vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin. Vitamin B12 contributes to normal psychological function. Folic acid contributes to normal psychological function. Vitamin B12 also contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and folic acid does as well. Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal function of the nervous system. Two capsules daily, preferably before a meal; 120 capsules last 60 days. Valerian and St. John's wort come from our French farmer, the passionflower from Mexico.

Neither is a slimming product, and we do not claim that. They are plant-based companions for balanced days. Since 2012 we have built Scheunengut without investors, focused on pure raw-material quality: pure extracts, clear labelling, a lab report for every batch. The interactions above apply to both products, so please read them once more before buying.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does St. John's wort make you gain weight?

No, there is no evidence for it. Weight gain is not among the side effects in the European herbal monograph. If you gain weight after starting, check sleep, eating rhythm, exercise, the season and new medicines first.

Does St. John's wort lead to weight gain?

Not according to the official lists. It is mentioned in the leaflet of a combination product with black cohosh, see the next question. A reliable, common effect of the plant is not described.

Is weight gain listed in the Remifemin plus leaflet?

Yes, as a rare side effect, one to ten cases per 10,000 users. The product contains black cohosh as well as St. John's wort, so the figure cannot be traced to a single ingredient.

Can you lose weight with St. John's wort?

There is no proven route and no authorised claim for it. We therefore make you no promise. Exercise, sleep and a way of eating that fits your daily life remain the lever.

How do you take St. John's wort capsules correctly?

According to the intake recommendation on the pack; with our extract that is one capsule daily, preferably in the morning after the first meal, with enough fluid. You do not take more than recommended, and you avoid strong sun while taking it.

Which medicines does St. John's wort not go with?

Above all the pill, coumarin blood thinners, immunosuppressants, HIV and cancer medicines, and antidepressants such as paroxetine or sertraline. Digoxin, theophylline, verapamil, simvastatin and midazolam also belong on the list. Ask at the pharmacy before the first capsule.

What should you do if the scales go up while taking St. John's wort?

Note weight, sleep and eating habits for four weeks, then pause for two weeks and keep measuring. If your weight rises for no obvious reason, have it checked at the doctor's, thyroid included.