Natural Supplements for Depression
Natural Supplements for Depression – Natural supplements can potentially complement your depression treatment, but sometimes supplements can work against you. Get the facts on natural supplements and depression.
Expert: Barbara Bartlik, MD Certified Psychiatrist
Transcript
When diagnosed with major depression, you may want to augment your treatment with certain supplements, including folate, SAMe, Rhodiola Rosea and St. John’s Wort. Some may help and some you CANNOT take while taking antidepressants. But in all circumstances you must talk with your doctor about any supplements, herbs or medications that you plan to take to make sure they will not do any harm or make you feel worse.
Folate is a B vitamin found naturally in green, leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and some fruits. This vitamin helps maintain brain function and the body uses folate in a chain of reactions that end up producing serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, three neurotransmitters that regulate mood. A prescription strength form has been available since 2006 but there is limited research to verify that it helps most people.
The National Institutes of Health also cautions people to beware of the interaction between vitamin B12 and folic acid, especially if you are 50 or older. If you take more than 1,000 micrograms (g) a day, you must be monitored to make sure that it does not trigger symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Some doctors recommend taking SAMe – that’s S-adenosyl methionine — a naturally occurring molecule found throughout the body, with high concentrations in the liver, adrenal glands and brain. A study conducted by the Harvard Medical School found that combining SAMe and an antidepressant reduces depression symptoms MORE than taking an antidepressant alone. Researchers aren’t exactly sure how the supplement works but they think that it helps in the production of the mood altering neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.
And then there are Rhodiola Rosea and St. John’s Wort, both of which are herbal supplements.Rhodiola Rosea is derived from Roseroot or Aaron’s Rod. Research has shown that compounds in Rhodiola Rosea are similar to MAO inhibitors, which are an older form of antidepressant that also affect neurotransmitter levels in the brain.
St. John’s wort, which is derived from a flower, has been shown to treat the symptoms of mild depression, but not major depression. Some patients have said it reduces anxiety and stress, which in turn reduces bouts of depression. Neither Rhodiola rosea or St. john’s wort should never be taken in conjunction with an antidepressant medication. They also have sometimes-troubling side effects.
The most common side effects of Rhodiola rosea are agitation and insomnia. The most common side effects of St. Johns wort are dry mouth, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, increased sensitivity to sunlight, and fatigue.
Remember, discuss any changes you would like to make in your treatment with your doctor. Never alter it on your own.
For more information on managing depressing, check out other videos in this series.
Category: Alternative Remedies, Videos
