Blog · Ingredients
How Much St. John's Wort Is in SonoVive, and Does It Matter?
The vendor does not publish how much St. John's wort a SonoVive capsule holds. Two sponsored articles report 250 mg, which would make it the largest ingredient, but that figure is unconfirmed. It matters because the herb can weaken many medicines. Read the panel on your own bottle and show it to a pharmacist.
Written by the SonoVive editorial teamMedically reviewed by Dr. Tracey Lynch, Au.D, Audiologist · Review date Published and updated · 7 min read
Key facts
What are the key facts about St. John's wort in SonoVive?
- St. John's wort is one of the five named ingredients, listed second in the brief and on the Inside SonoVive graphic.
- The amount is not published by the vendor. Two sponsored articles report 250 mg per capsule, and the vendor has not confirmed it.
- If 250 mg is right, it is the largest reported ingredient, five times the reported ginkgo figure of 50 mg.
- The herb was studied for depression, not for hearing.(Apaydin 2016 SJW review)
- NIH says it can weaken birth control pills, warfarin, cyclosporine, some statins and some antidepressants.(NCCIH St. John's wort)
- With drugs that raise serotonin, it may cause serious side effects.
- SonoVive is a dietary supplement. It is not FDA approved, and no supplement is.
Where 250 mg comes from
What is the source of the 250 mg figure?
It comes from paid articles, not from the label.
The vendor has not printed a Supplement Facts panel online. Two sponsored third-party articles list amounts per capsule instead. One of the lines is St. John's wort at 250 mg. Because the articles are sponsored, their job is to sell, and the vendor has not confirmed their numbers.
We therefore label the 250 mg as reported and unverified every time we use it. When your bottle arrives, its side panel is the only figure that counts. If the panel and this page disagree, the panel wins.
Federal rules require a Supplement Facts panel on the package of a U.S. supplement.(21 CFR 101.36) It very likely exists on the bottle. It simply has not been shown in public.
Side by side
How does the reported amount compare with the other ingredients?
Using only the reported figures, the picture is lopsided. Nothing here is confirmed, so read it as a rough guide to how the formula may be balanced.
| Reported ingredient | Amount per capsule | Named by the vendor? |
|---|---|---|
| St. John's wort | 250 mg | Yes |
| L-glutamine | 150 mg | No, reported only |
| Phosphatidylserine (4%) | 125 mg | No, reported only |
| Bacopa monnieri leaf extract | 120 mg | Yes |
| Ginkgo biloba leaf | 50 mg | Yes |
| N-acetyl L-carnitine HCl | 50 mg | No, reported only |
| Vinpocetine | 2 mg | Yes |
| Huperzine A | 10 mcg | Yes |
On these numbers, St. John's wort is more than double the bacopa and five times the ginkgo. A reader who thinks of SonoVive as a ginkgo hearing capsule may be surprised that a mood herb leads the list.
If you want to see the real amount, the bottle's own panel is the place, and the order page shows the refund terms.We earn money when you buy through our order links. The price you pay stays the same.
See today's price and guaranteeAn odd fit
Why would a mood herb be in a hearing supplement?
The vendor does not explain. The sales page names the herb without any claim about what it does. The bottle front says Promotes Hearing Health and Supports Brain Function, and St. John's wort has a link to neither of those in the research we have.
What the research shows is mood. A 2016 review pooled 35 trials with 6,993 patients and found the herb did better than placebo for mild to moderate depression, with a call for caution in reading the result.(Apaydin 2016 SJW review) No study has tested it for ringing or hearing loss.
That leaves a plain question for the buyer: if a mood herb is the largest ingredient, is it there for your ears? Nothing published says so.
Medicine clashes
Which medicines can St. John's wort affect?
This is the reason the amount matters. The herb speeds up how the body clears many drugs, so they may work less well. In other cases it adds to a drug's effect. NIH lists these.(NCCIH St. John's wort)
| Medicine | What may happen | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Birth control pills | May work less well | Ask your prescriber before the first capsule |
| Warfarin | May work less well | Ask the clinic that checks your blood levels |
| Cyclosporine | May work less well | Ask your specialist team |
| Some statins | May work less well | Ask which statin you take |
| Antidepressants such as amitriptyline or bupropion | May work less well | Ask the doctor who prescribes them |
| Drugs that raise serotonin | Serious serotonin-related side effects | Do not combine without medical advice |
Our own safety list is broader. It asks people on HIV medicine, statins, dementia drugs, thyroid or blood-pressure pills to check first as well. A pharmacist can scan your whole list in minutes.
On its own
What side effects can St. John's wort cause by itself?
Even with no other medicine, the herb has known effects. NIH lists diarrhea, dizziness, trouble sleeping, restlessness and skin tingling. At large doses, severe skin reactions can follow sun exposure.(NCCIH St. John's wort)
Poor sleep deserves special attention for this product. Many people who look for a hearing product notice their ringing most at night. An ingredient that may disturb sleep works against that wish, so keep notes in the first weeks.
If sleep, mood or dizziness changes after you start, stop and tell your doctor. Do not push through to give the capsule a fair try.
What to do
What should you do before the first capsule?
- List your medicines. Include pills, patches, vitamins and other supplements.
- Wait for the bottle. Read the side panel and find the St. John's wort line, if one is printed.
- Take the bottle to a pharmacist. Ask one question: does this clash with anything I take?
- Write the answer down. Note the date and the name of the person you spoke to.
- Only then decide. If the answer is a clash, return the bottles inside the 60-day window.
Never stop a prescribed medicine to make room for a supplement. That is the wrong trade, and your prescriber should be part of any change.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many milligrams of St. John's wort are in one SonoVive capsule?
The vendor has not said. Two sponsored articles report 250 mg per capsule, but nobody has confirmed it. The panel on your bottle is the only reliable source.
Is St. John's wort the main ingredient in SonoVive?
It may be the largest by weight if the reported figures are right, but the vendor publishes no amounts. The bottle claims support for hearing and brain function, and the herb was studied for mood.
Does the St. John's wort in SonoVive help hearing?
No study has tested it for hearing or ringing. It was studied for depression. NIDCD lists no supplement among the proven helps for tinnitus.
Can I take SonoVive with birth control pills?
Ask your prescriber first. NIH says St. John's wort can make birth control pills work less well, and vinpocetine in the same capsule carries an FDA pregnancy warning.
Can I take SonoVive with an antidepressant?
Only with your prescriber's approval. The herb may weaken some antidepressants and, with serotonin drugs, may cause serious side effects. Never stop your medicine to try a supplement.
What are the side effects of St. John's wort?
NIH lists diarrhea, dizziness, trouble sleeping, restlessness and skin tingling, plus severe skin reactions after sun at large doses. Stop and call your doctor if something new appears.
Our verdict
Our view
We cannot tell you how much St. John's wort is in your capsule, and neither can the vendor's public pages. The 250 mg figure is a lead from paid articles, nothing more.
What we can tell you is why the number is worth chasing. This herb has the longest list of medicine clashes among the five named ingredients, and it has no hearing research behind it. If your bottle shows a large amount, a pharmacist should see it before you swallow a capsule.
If your medicine list is clear and your pharmacist agrees, you can try the product with a set review date. If not, the better choice is to skip it. We earn money when readers order through our links, so we want this warning to stay visible.
Related reading: St. John's wort drug interactions, what is in the capsule, reported amounts against study doses.
Check the panel and your medicines first. The order page lays out the price and the 60-day guarantee.We earn money when you buy through our order links. The price you pay stays the same.
See today's price and guaranteeLast updated .
This page is general information, not medical advice. SonoVive is a dietary supplement. It is not FDA approved, and no supplement is. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own health and medicines.