NOW Foods Mood Support 90 Veg Capsules

What this is

NOW Foods Mood Support is a botanical and vitamin blend sold as 90 vegetarian capsules in a single white bottle. Each serving is two capsules, and the bottle holds 45 servings. The formula pairs a standardized St. John's Wort extract with holy basil, valerian, 5-HTP, GABA, taurine and L-theanine, and adds nine vitamins and minerals — B-1, B-3, B-6, folate, B-12, pantothenic acid, magnesium, zinc and manganese. It sits in NOW's Botanicals/Herbs line, and you will find it alongside the rest of our Herbs & Botanicals range.

What's inside

The botanical side of this formula is built around seven named ingredients, each listed at a stated amount rather than hidden inside a proprietary blend — so you can see exactly what two capsules deliver.

• St. John's Wort extract, 450 mg — Hypericum perforatum is a yellow-flowering plant native to Europe and western Asia, now naturalized across North America. The extract here is made from the aerial parts (the flowering tops and upper leaves) and is standardized to a minimum of 0.3% hypericin, one of the plant's characteristic marker compounds. Standardization matters because it tells you the extract was measured against a reference figure rather than simply ground and packed.
• Holy basil extract, 100 mg — also called tulsi, Ocimum tenuiflorum is an aromatic member of the mint family cultivated for centuries across the Indian subcontinent, where the leaves are brewed as an everyday tea. This leaf extract is standardized to a minimum of 2% ursolic acid.
• Valerian root, 50 mg — Valeriana officinalis is a tall perennial from Europe and Asia whose root has a famously pungent smell. It is one of the oldest herbs in the European materia medica and a long-standing fixture in evening herbal teas.
• 5-HTP, 20 mg — short for 5-hydroxytryptophan, sourced here from the seed of Griffonia simplicifolia, a woody climbing shrub that grows in West and Central Africa. The seeds are the commercial source for this compound in supplement manufacturing.
• GABA, 250 mg — gamma-aminobutyric acid, supplied in free-form. At 250 mg it is the biggest single contribution by weight among the non-vitamin ingredients here.
• Taurine, 125 mg — a sulfur-containing amino acid found naturally in meat, fish and shellfish, also supplied here in free-form.
• L-theanine, 50 mg — an amino acid that occurs almost exclusively in tea leaves, particularly Camellia sinensis, and is part of what gives brewed tea its savory character.

Alongside those sit nine vitamins and minerals. Several are present well above the reference Daily Value — vitamin B-12 at 200 mcg reaches 8333% DV and pantothenic acid at 50 mg reaches 1000%, which is common in B-complex formulas because these vitamins are water-soluble. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes plain-language background on several of them, including vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and magnesium, and a general introduction to botanical dietary supplements covering how plant extracts are made and standardized. Those pages describe the nutrients and the category in general terms; they are not about this product and do not evaluate it.

The capsule shell is hypromellose, a plant-derived cellulose, which is why the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan. The remaining non-active ingredients are ascorbyl palmitate, rice flour, silicon dioxide, non-GMO maltodextrin and citric acid.

Supplement Facts

† Daily Value not established. Other ingredients: Hypromellose (cellulose capsule), Ascorbyl Palmitate, Rice Flour, Silicon Dioxide, Maltodextrin (non-GMO) and Citric Acid.

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is two capsules daily, taken with food. That is the whole of the printed direction — no time of day is specified and no loading period is described, so follow the panel on the bottle you receive. Store in a cool, dry place after opening. The bottle itself is molded from 100% post-consumer recycled resin.

Who it's for

This is a product for adults over 18 who are specifically looking for a St. John's Wort formula and who are not taking any medication. That second condition is not a formality. St. John's Wort has an unusually wide interaction profile, and the label is blunt about it — read the section below before you buy. If you take prescription or over-the-counter medicines of any kind, this is a conversation to have with your physician first, not afterwards. Browse the rest of our Supplements and Health & Wellness categories if a different formula suits you better.

Good to know

The bottle carries a detailed caution panel, and it is worth reading in full rather than in summary:

• For adults only. Do not exceed the recommended dose unless directed by a health care professional.
• Larger amounts may contribute to photosensitizing reactions (skin reddening) in the presence of strong sunlight or tanning beds.
• St. John's Wort is known to interact with antidepressants, oral contraceptives, immunosuppressants, anticoagulants, anti-seizure and chemotherapeutic agents, and other prescription and over-the-counter medications. Do not use this product while taking any medication, or if you have a medical condition, without the advice of your physician.
• Not for use by pregnant or lactating women.
• May cause drowsiness. Do not use this product with alcoholic beverages or while operating heavy machinery.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Natural color variation may occur in this product.

On allergens, the label states the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, and that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens. The bottle carries a GMP Quality Assured seal, a Non-GMO mark and a Kosher "K". NCCIH's general guidance on dietary and herbal supplement safety is a reasonable starting point if you want independent background on how herb–drug interactions are assessed. No California Proposition 65 warning is printed anywhere on this package.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many capsules are in the bottle, and how far does one bottle go?

There are 90 vegetarian capsules in the bottle. At the labeled serving of two capsules daily that works out to 45 servings, so one bottle is a 45-day supply taken as directed.

Is the St. John's Wort in this formula standardized?

Yes — the panel lists St. John's Wort extract at 450 mg per serving, standardized to a minimum of 0.3% hypericin, and made from the aerial parts of Hypericum perforatum. Holy basil is likewise standardized, to a minimum of 2% ursolic acid.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan, and the capsule shell is hypromellose, a cellulose derived from plants rather than gelatin. The other non-active ingredients — ascorbyl palmitate, rice flour, silicon dioxide, non-GMO maltodextrin and citric acid — are also non-animal.

Can I take this alongside my prescription medication?

Not without asking your physician first. The label states plainly that St. John's Wort is known to interact with antidepressants, oral contraceptives, immunosuppressants, anticoagulants, anti-seizure and chemotherapeutic agents, and other prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and it says not to use the product while taking any medication without a physician's advice. This applies to medicines you might not think of as significant, including hormonal contraception.

How will this arrive in the post?

Your order ships in plain, unbranded outer packaging with no indication of the contents. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.