About Layla Yeganeh Expertise I have researched and studied medicine, pharmacy, psychology and biology in college, through medical journals and research studies, I also have personal knowledge of the side effects, interactions and uses of many drugs for: antidepressants, alternative depression treatments, sleep aids, ADD, ADHD, psychiatric meds, weight loss, fibro, thyroid (Armour) versus synthetic, endocrinology, HRT, natural homeopathic drug interactions, toxicology, steroids, blood pressure, anxiety, birth control pills, Migraines, headaches, pain medications, TMJ, antibiotics, sinus and otolaryngoloy medications, as well as Immune therapy and allergy treatments, and many more. I would like to extend my knowledge and exerience to you, and offer advice so please don't hesitate to ask if you have a question. Every question is important, and no question is too difficult.
Pharmacy - alternatives do they really work for depression
Expert: Layla Yeganeh - 8/24/2007
Question QUESTION: Hi my question is do alternatives work to control depression
ANSWER: Hi are you asking wether or not alternative medicine, and therapy help with depression, rather than just SSRI's and traditional medicine?
If you could elaborate I would like to answer your question.
Also, I believe that alternative approaches like nutrition, supplementation, such as B vitamins, healthy balanced diet, and healthy self image, where you give yourself credit for things day to day, help improve self esteem and therefor key depressive symptoms away.
There is so much on this subject, I could go on all day.
Let me know if you have a more specific question.
Thanks!
L
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: my question was meant to mean,is there any proof,or any studies done to support a postive result from the use of alternative medcines to help wit depression ?
Answer HI Robert, thanks for giving me some time to get back to your question.
Alternative depression treatment with various herbs/vitamins/minerals has been studied, on and off in medical science.
There are some reports of certain things helping like fish oil in high doses in certain populations of patients, and st. johns wart helps some people. Inositol, etc.
The question remains, of what works? because the results of these studies are not always fully conclusive...and that is not by accident. $$$ drug companies. ahemm!
... as I was saying its hard to pin point what works because nutracuticals are not regulated by the FDA, and endorsed buy big rich drug companies. Why pay thousands of dollars for a study that you can just tell people to eat better and take a vitamin, no one really gets money that way.
I personally used to suffer from depression and I whole heartily belive in taking a multi vitamin, with calcium, and eating a diet that includes meat.
Low levels of folate and B vitamins has been linked to depression. My firend a psychiatrist always prescribes a once a day vitamin pill, with calcium, to his patients in conjunction with any other treatment.
Also there are studies showing that calcium can reduce PMS, in women up to 70%. And I feel that is true! LOL
I have tried st johns wart and personally feel that it is kind of weak, also I have tried ginko, lecithin, fish oil, flax seed, and felt nothing... but I have found that the B vitamin complex extremely helpful plus a basic 100% multi with calcium to be the most beneficial.
Also getting enough sunlight during the day, and plenty of rest at night. I have found that melatonin supplements can trigger depression. Also artifical sugars trigger depression in me as well. Of course alcohol after it wears off too.
But Without a doubt more controlled studies need to be done, but you see the drug companies aren't benefiting if people eat healthy and take vitamins!
Take care. and if you decide to supplemnt go with a basic, vitmain fromt he grocery store, never take anything shady from a healthy food store such as liquid vitamins and colloidal/ionic minerals (can contain lead) kava kava (damages your liver).
A good website to visit is DRMIRKIN.COM
A handful of interesting studies:
A meta-analytic review of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids.Lin PY, Su KP.
Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE: Evidence has indicated an association between depression and low dietary intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, clinical trials examining the therapeutic benefit of omega-3 PUFAs in depression showed inconsistent results. The goal of this study is to systematically evaluate the antidepressant efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs by using meta-analytic method. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched from 1966 through August 2006 using the key words (depression OR depressive disorder OR mood disorder) AND (omega-3 OR EPA OR DHA OR poly-unsaturated fatty acid OR fish oil). The search was limited to literature in English and clinical trials. STUDY SELECTION: Ten double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in patients with mood disorders receiving omega-3 PUFAs with the treatment period lasting 4 weeks or longer were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Effect size (ES) of each individual study was derived by computing the standardized mean difference. A random-effects model was used to pool the ESs of all included studies. DATA SYNTHESIS: When pooling the results of 10 included studies (N = 329), we found a significant antidepressant effect of omega-3 PUFAs (ES = 0.61, p = .003). Likewise, omega-3 PUFAs significantly improved depression in patients with clearly defined depression (ES = 0.69, p = .002) or with bipolar disorder (ES = 0.69, p = .0009). The dosage of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) did not change the antidepressant efficacy significantly. However, significant heterogeneity among these studies and publication bias were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Although our meta-analysis showed significant antidepressant efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs, it is still premature to validate this finding due to publication bias and heterogeneity. More large-scale, well-controlled trials are needed to find out the favorable target subjects, therapeutic dose of EPA, and the composition of omega-3 PUFAs in treating depression.
Effects of dietary supplements on depressive symptoms in older patients: A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial.Gariballa S, Forster S.
Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirate University, UAE; Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing, University of Sheffield, UK.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The effect of nutritional supplements on mental health in older patients has received little attention so far. The aims of this trial were therefore to test the effect of nutritional support on older patient's depressive symptoms and cognitive function. METHODS: In this prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we randomly assigned 225 hospitalised acutely ill older patients to receive either normal hospital diet plus 400mL oral nutritional supplements (106 subjects) or normal hospital diet plus a placebo (119 subjects) daily for 6 weeks. The composition of the supplement was such as to provide 995kcal for energy and 100% of the Reference Nutrient Intakes for a healthy old person for vitamins and minerals. Outcome measures were 6 weeks and 6 months changes in nutritional status, depressive symptoms and cognitive state. RESULTS: Randomisation to the supplement group led to a significant increase in red-cell folate and plasma vitamin B12 concentrations, in contrast to a decrease seen in the placebo group. There were significant differences in symptoms of depression scores in the supplement group compared with the placebo group at 6 months (p=0.021 for between groups difference). The effect of supplement was seen in all patient groups including those with no symptoms of depression, mild depression and those with severe depression (p=0.007). There was no evidence of a difference in cognitive function scores at 6 months. CONCLUSION: Oral nutritional supplementation of hospitalised acutely ill older patients led to a statistically significant benefit on depressive symptoms.
PMID: 17662509 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
The homocysteine hypothesis of depression.Folstein M, Liu T, Peter I, Buell J, Arsenault L, Scott T, Qiu WW.
FRiedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. mfolstein@rcn.com
High levels of homocysteine are associated with cerebrovascular disease, monoamine neurotransmitters, and depression of mood. A plausible hypothesis for these associations is that high homocysteine levels cause cerebral vascular disease and neurotransmitter deficiency, which cause depression of mood. The homocysteine depression hypothesis, if true, would mandate inclusions of imaging studies for cerebrovascular disease and measures of homocysteine, folate, and B12 and B6 vitamins in the clinical evaluation of older depressed patients. Longitudinal studies and clinical trials should be designed to challenge the hypothesis.
PMID: 17541043 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Mediterranean diet and depression.Sánchez-Villegas A, Henríquez P, Bes-Rastrollo M, Doreste J.
Department of Clinical Sciences. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. asanchez@dcc.ulpgc.es
OBJECTIVE: The adherence to a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern ensures an adequate intake of B vitamins and w-3 fatty acids. A protective role on depression has been suggested for both nutrients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis from the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) prospective cohort study. Data from 9670 participants (4211 men and 5459 women) were analised. Logistic regression analyses were fitted to assess the association between B-vitamins and w-3 fatty acids intake (quintiles) and the prevalence of depression. RESULTS: Folate intake was inversely associated with depression prevalence among men, especially smokers. Among women, B12 vitamin intake was inversely associated with depression, especially among smokers and physically active women. No significant associations were observed for w-3 fatty acids intake. CONCLUSIONS: The adherence to a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern ensures an adequate intake of fruits, nuts, vegetables, cereals, legumes or fish, important sources of nutrients linked to depression prevention.
