Is it safe to take 200-300mg of 5-HTP a day for Depression? Is Rhodiola Rosea useful for depression?

Depending on the actual bioavailability provided by different 5-HTP preparations I would say a good pure preparation of 100 mg daily should be a sufficient amount in this situation. Taking too much could end up in a serotonergic reaction (agitation, consciousness impairment, tachycardia, hallucinations, etc.)[1]. Therefore with a reliable preparation, as seen with ‘PureEncapsulations’ I would stick to 100 mg daily only.

Rhodiola Rosea: In Russia and Scandinavia, it has been used for centuries to cope with the cold Siberian climate and stressful life.[2] The theory is that is has a positive impact on serotonin, dopamine and acts as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. This would affect depression in a positive way.[3] In light of what it can do and the lack of studies, and lack of standardization I would only use it with a high degree of caution and under direct supervision of your physician lest you trigger a sertonergic reaction as described above. I have never used this substance before but after reading about it, it does look interesting.

For depression: Are there any other herbs, amino acids, or vitamins you would recommend? I also like Copper 2-3 mg once daily with a meal (which can be in a multivitamin). Be cautious with other amino acids though as they can have some pretty significant effects and side effects. Sometimes I will also use St. Johns Wort at 300 to 900 mg daily in divided doses. This last is a weak serotonin reuptake inhibitor.  

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[1] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007272.htm

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodiola_rosea

[3] Monoamine oxidase inhibition by Rhodiola rosea L. roots. [J Ethnopharmacol. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI . http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19168123. Accessed 10/7/2012 2012.