Supplements May Sooth Depression
According to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration or NSRC, a few herbal supplements including saffron, SAMe and St. John’s Wort may be effective for mild to moderate depression. In some cases, they were as effective as antidepressant medications for patients with only mild symptoms of depression.
Depression can be a serious illness and patients with severe symptoms, long-lasting depression or suicidal thoughts should seek professional help. A recent CNN special report in conjunction with Health.com examined the efficacy of herbal supplements for depression.
The report found that SAMe administered by injection may be as effective for depression as older-generation anti-depressants. However, there is little evidence that the widely available SAMe pills would have the same effect. SAMe can also exacerbate symptoms of mania in those with bipolar disorder.
The NSRC found that studies support the contention that St. John’s Wort may be as effective as antidepressants like Prozac and Celexa for mild to moderate depression.
Two very small trials in Iran seemed to indicate that saffron may be effective in treating mild depression.
Scientists at the NSRC found insufficient evidence that Omega-3s can diminish depression. However, the essential fatty acids found in fish oil are essential to brain function and cardiovascular health, and taking them is beneficial for most people, even if they do not help depression. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that omega-3s performed no better than a placebo when combined with Zoloft.
Part of the problem is that the brains of depressed patients are deficient in a number of nutrients or substances, including SAMe, Omega-3s, inositol, folic acid and the amino acid tryptophan. However, it is not clear if this is because patients consume an insufficient amount of these nutrients, or if an internal process produces both the lower nutrient levels and the depression. Scientists caution that simply because the deficiency and the depression are linked does not prove cause and effect. Nor does it imply that curing the deficiency will cure the depression.
Folic acid or vitamin B6 is found in leafy green vegetables and fruits. It affects the neurotransmitters monoamines. In one study, female patients who took folic acid with Prozac responded treatment better than those who took Prozac with a placebo. However, the NSRC found that the research on this supplement was inconclusive and limited.
The NSRC found that there is no independent evidence that GABA, inositol, , tryptophan or 5-HTP were effective in treating depression.
By Joni Holderman, [email protected], contributing reporter for Mental Health News.