Why? Maybe it was because of that capital ‘Y’ in the middle of the name. Or maybe not.
You’re not going to get instant happiness after opening your first bottle of AmorYn – far from it. BioNeurix – the manufacturers – tell us we’ve got to wait for up to two months before feeling the benefit, and if you’re depressed, two months can feel like an eternity.
Unfortunately, St John’s Wort doesn’t mix with many kinds of prescription medications and can, in some cases, completely undo the good they’ve been doing.
The FDA removed products containing another AmorYn ingredient – Rhodiola Rosa – from the market due to all sorts of deceptive claims made about it, and each serving of AmorYn contains 10 times the recommended daily value of Vitamin B6, which, if you’re taking four capsules each day can add up to some seriously painful side effects.
Interestingly enough, the only side effects mentioned – very briefly – on the AmorYn website are headaches and photosensitivity, but we have to add possible digestion problems, drowsiness and blood pressure issues. And more – much, much more.
And what the company doesn’t say anywhere is that so much Vitamin B6 can cause serious unpleasantness like super-sensitivity, pain and pins and needles in users’ hands.
A 30-day supply from the AmorYn website costs $34.95. You can sign up for an autoship program which reduces the price by five dollars every time, but don’t forget that it’s going to take up to two months before you start feeling the effects properly.
Any time we read on a website that a product can help you ‘but only if you order now’ our blood starts boiling. Figuratively speaking. And our blood is figuratively boiling at present because that’s what it says on the AmorYn website. As if it wouldn’t help us at all if we ordered it next week.
Elsewhere on the website, we’re not-so-subtly ‘advised’ to purchase a couple more products from the same company to ‘complement’ AmorYn.
But our main concerns are, of course, the potential problems of combining St John’s Wort with other, more conventional medications, and that huge, huge daily overdose of vitamin B6. Either of those concerns would be a reason to be very wary of AmorYn, but both of them together leaves us no choice but to reject it.
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Anyone not knowing about possible interactions between St John’s Wort and other pharmaceuticals could be astounded at the length of the list of such interactions on the AmorYn website. But they should also be grateful for that list, and definitely ought to take the standard ‘discuss this with your medical professional’ phrase to heart here.
A glance at AmorYn’s ingredient list shows that there’s 20 mg of Vitamin B6 in each serving – which could add up to 80 mg a day … or 4000% of the recommended Daily Value.
From the AmorYn website:
Recommended Daily Serving
In most cases, the recommended starting quantity for adults is two (2) capsules daily. Take the first capsule in the morning and the second capsule in the afternoon.
If you do not respond to two (2) capsules, you may increase your daily serving to three (3) or four (4) capsules. For a detailed discussion about whether and when to raise your daily dose, refer to the section on making adjustments.
Certain individuals may benefit from starting with a half-serving of one (1) capsule per day. During the first week, we recommend taking this reduced dose if you:
- weigh less than 120 pounds
- are particularly sensitive to supplements and drugs
- often experience side effects when taking new supplements or drugs
- have “racing thoughts” or often have difficulty sleeping
Unless you experience side effects, increase to the standard amount of two (2) capsules daily after one week.
Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing – and judging from the comments posted by users who’ve suffered discomfort, pins and needles and pain in the hands when using AmorYn, 4000% is definitely way too much.
But what startles us most is the very short list of AmorYn’s potential side effects: headaches and photosensitivity. And that’s it. Unfortunately, there’s more. A lot more.
Well, this is exactly what the website says:
AMORYN chases your blues away by combining the wisdom of nature with the power of science. The main ingredient in AMORYN, hyperforin, has been shown in clinical trials to improve mood and may also help lessen feelings of worry. By boosting the brain’s natural capacity for happiness, AMORYN helps restore emotional vitality and promote a positive outlook.
Can you trademark happiness?
Anyway, they also say, ‘The AMORYN formula is designed to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face.’
According to those ‘informal, non-scientific surveys’, yes it does, as the AmorYn website says:
After taking AMORYN for six weeks, nearly 90%* of users positive results (*in non-scientific user surveys).
And, of course, the testimonial page on that site is full of happy statements from contented customers. It’s just a shame that beneath them we read:
AMORYN may be able to help you too, but only if you order now.
So – no smile or spring in the step if we order next week, then?
All in all, it looks like AmorYn does work for many people, if those testimonials there are to be trusted … but other customers leaving reviews elsewhere show that it definitely doesn’t work for them.
There are three main ingredients in AmorYn:
Hyperforin – from extract of St John’s Wort. Research suggests this acts as a ‘reuptake inhibitor’ of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine.
5-HTP – from extract of Griffonia Simplicifolia. The brain uses this to create serotonin, a ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter.
Rhodiola Rosea – another herb that supports serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine activity.
The AmorYn website tells us, quote: ‘Most people do not experience any negative side effects when taking AMORYN (according to non-scientific surveys of AMORYN users, see graph)’. Ah, those good old non-scientific surveys. Where would we be without them?
It also tells us that, quote: ‘The Hypericum perforatum extract in AMORYN may increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. Individuals with fair skin or high sensitivity to sunlight should take standard precautions such as applying extra sunblock.’
However, if we take each ingredient on its own, we see it’s quite a different story.
Hyperforin can bring on side effects like trouble sleeping, vivid dreams, restlessness, anxiety, irritability, stomach upset, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness, headaches, skin rash, diarrhoea, and tingling.
5-HTP can bring on heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, drowsiness, sexual problems, and muscle problems.
And Rhodiola Rosea’s side effects include anxiety, agitation, nausea, hypersalivation, restlessness, and insomnia.
Let’s not forget those massive doses of Vitamin B6. We found this list of potential side effects: ‘abnormal heart rhythms, acne, allergic reactions, breast enlargement or soreness, changes in folic acid levels, decreased muscle tone, drowsiness or sedation, feeling of a lump in the throat, feeling of tingling on the skin, headache, heartburn, loss of appetite, nausea, rash, recurrence of ulcerative colitis, stomach discomfort or pain, sun sensitivity, vomiting, and worsened asthma’.
Caution:
A cheerful little note on the AmorYn website runs as follows, quote: ‘Consult a physician before taking AMORYN (or any other dietary supplement) if you have a serious or potentially fatal medical condition.’
You’re also advised to consult a paediatrician if you want to give AmorYn to a child under 12 … or consult a psychiatrist if you happen to be bipolar or manic-depressive … or consult a physician if you’re schizophrenic, or pregnant, or nursing or epileptic.
You can’t have a sales website for any product without many people there telling readers how well it works – and AmorYn is no exception. Here’s one review:
I definitely have more control and motivation now. I’m sold on this supplement…
Elsewhere, though, it’s a different story. Here are two reviews to illustrate what we’ve been saying about that immense amount of Vitamin B6:
I was appalled to learn that a daily recommended dosage gives you 1000% of the recommended dosage of vitamin B6. I am surprised that they are a legal product in the U.S. My symptoms went away within a few weeks of quitting Amoryn.
And
I had pins and needles/tingling in my hands and other negative side effects, they started after a couple of months of taking this product. After I stopped taking this those effects subsided. The amount of B6 in this is outrageous and not safe. In the U.S. it is on the edge of the ‘safe’ range, but in the U.K. it well exceeds what is safe. So that tells you something. B6 is not a naturally derived vitamin it is chemically derived. Look up B6 toxicity.
Regarding blood pressure problems, there was:
I have high blood pressure and had to discontinue using Amoryn and any product containing SJW. SJW causes blood pressure to increase in some individuals. Use this product only if you are completely healthy without high blood pressure.
We didn’t find anything that said ‘Money back if you’re not 100% satisfied’ but there is a return policy for unopened bottles. If you’re sending back an opened bottle, expect a $10 processing fee.
And if you like AmorYn enough to stick with it past the first couple of months, you could always take advantage of their $5 discount auto-ship program.
Best to buy it from the AmorYn website, even though you can find 3rd-party sellers on Amazon and eBay as well.
Containing ingredients that have been clinically tested and boasting a 30-day money-back guarantee, OmniMind is quickly rising to the top of the nootropic world.
Find out why people are choosing OmniMind to achieve advanced brain performance, and why it's our editor's top pick.
Read the Nootropic Watchdog OmniMind review here.
Disclaimer: Our reviews and investigations are based on extensive research from the information publicly available to us and consumers at the time of first publishing the post. Information is based on our personal opinion and whilst we endeavour to ensure information is up-to-date, manufacturers do from time to time change their products and future research may disagree with our findings. If you feel any of the information is inaccurate, please contact us and we will review the information provided.
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