Personal Health

Supplements for depression: Effective or not?

Table of contents

  • Dietary supplements for depression help?
  • Study shows that supplements protect against depression
  • Which food supplements were used in the study?
  • How is Vitamin D doses for depression?
  • How is Calcium dosing for depression?
  • How are Omega-3 doses-fatty acids in depression?
  • How is selenium dosed in depression?
  • How is folic acid doses for depression?
  • In the case of depression, put together a dietary Supplement to help individually

Dietary supplements for depression help?

Depression affects more and more people – and more and more people are looking for healthy Alternatives to side-effect-rich medications. Books, documentaries and the Internet are full of tips and information on how you can overcome depression without drugs or what you must do to get it in the first place.

It explains which diet is useful and what food should be taken as a Supplement. However, this information is extremely varied and often hugely contradictory. Sometimes it means supplements can.depression and to protect against them, and at other times one reads that food supplements help not a bit

Study shows that supplements protect against depression

In March 2019 appeared in the journal the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) , the results of the largest randomized clinical study on the topic of “nutrition and dietary supplements in the treatment and prevention of depression”.

In this study – the so-called The MooDFOOD study have now shown that although a transition to a healthy way of living and eating, but not a dietary Supplement, prior to the depression. 

Since depression is preferred in obese individuals occur, the team of researchers around Professor Ed Watkins of the University of Exeter 1.025 obese subjects from four European countries recruited (Germany, the Netherlands, UK and Spain). They all had a BMI of more than 25.

A BMI of 19 to 24.9 is still considered a normal weight. A BMI over 30 indicates obesity (obesity).

Which food supplements were used in the study?

Half of the participants took dietary supplements, the other half received placebo supplements. Each half, in turn, was a Psycho – and behavioral therapy, which should, in particular, to help in the transition of the diet.

In this therapy, the subjects learned both strategies for Overcoming low Mood, as well as strategies that should reduce the need for frequent snacking. At the same time they were given tips and instructions on how to transition to a Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, fish, legumes and olive oil and low in red meat and dairy products with high fat content.

The supplementation group received in this study for a year, the following food supplements:

  • 20 micrograms of Vitamin D (= 800 IE)
  • 100 mg of Calcium
  • 1.412 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids
  • 30 µg of selenium
  • 400 µg of folic acid

Already, when the individual doses of not more surprising that this vital-fuel mixture could not have a better effect than the Placebo. Because it is a part of massive under dosing.

How is Vitamin D doses for depression?

The administration of 800 IU of Vitamin D can actually be seen in the light of the evidence to the correct Vitamin D supplementation is not taken seriously.

You want to dose Vitamin D so that the Patient can benefit, then it is first determined, the individual Status. Accordingly, the current value is then selected in a highly individual manner those dosage for the individual patient is required, so this can quickly reach a healthy Vitamin D level.

800 IU sufficient, however, in General, not even to maintain a healthy level of Vitamin D (e.g. over the Winter). An existing defect cannot be remedied using this dose.  

In our article on the holistic approach to depression, we have already explained that studies in which it was observed for depression, no effect of Vitamin D supplementation, mostly to low Vitamin D doses, the gift was too short (only treated a few weeks), or people who had previously no deficiency.

Studies, however, used where, for example, 20,000 or 40,000 IU of Vitamin D, showing a relief of depression.

In a study by January 2019, for example, they gave patients with Multiple sclerosis, who often suffer from depression, a year of daily 10,000 IU Vitamin D, leading to an improvement in their depression.

And in a study of 2017 depressed women received some 7,000 IU of Vitamin per day or 50,000 IU per week for over half a year. Here, too, your depression and anxiety improved significantly.

How is Calcium dosing for depression?

Why in the MooDFOOD study, 100 mg of Calcium to be given, it is not clear, since there is no evidence to suggest that this could be in any way useful. A calcium deficiency would be, might these needs – in a daily 1,000 mg of Calcium with 100 mg of course can not be fixed remotely.

However, as of today, usually is more of an excess of Calcium is present, can cause a magnesium deficiency, and this, in turn, can contribute to depression, is a calcium dose for depression or for the prevention of the same rather counterproductive, especially when the simultaneous magnesium administration is far and wide nothing.

In the case of depression or for the prevention of depression should, therefore, be in any case, the supply of Magnesium and optimized checked, as we have already explained. Calcium should only be taken when there is evidence to calcium-poor diet.

How are Omega-3 doses-fatty acids in depression?

In the case of Omega-3 fatty acids, it is not just in depression, just “any” Omega-3 fatty acids. Instead, we know from a Review in March 2014 that in the case of depression, not only on the correct dosage, but also on the ratio of EPA to DHA (EPA and DHA are in contrast to the short-chain Alpha-linolenic acid, which occurs, for example, in linseed oil are two long chain Omega-3 fatty acids, which can have a very good effect on the brain and mental complaints).

EPA should be more than 60 percent of available DHA, consequently, to less than 40 percent. The total dose can go up to 2,200 mg per day. At the same time, Omega-3-Omega-6 ratio of the diet must be taken into account, as we explain in our article on the right cover of the Omega-3 needs.

All of these aspects were not taken into account in the FooDMOOD study.

How is selenium dosed in depression?

The previous scientific study results in terms of selenium are hugely inconsistent. Yes, it is even suggested that to encourage both low and high Selenium levels and depression, so that a dose of selenium without the Selenium levels checked – could intensify depression even.

However, the dose of the MooDFOOD study, when selenium is very low, so that Overdose symptoms can hardly be expected, in the case of a defect, presumably, but also no special effects.

As with Vitamin D, should also be used when selenium first, the current Status, and then those selenium quantity is determined verified, the Patient needs also.

How is folic acid doses for depression?

It is known that folic acid can affect the Psyche in a positive, as it is apparently involved in the synthesis of Serotonin. However, folic acid works together with Vitamin B12, which, however, was forgotten in the FooDMOOD study.

However, can already contribute to a Vitamin B12 deficiency to massive mental disorders, so that here, too, in any case, first of all, the personal Status should be determined before you can decide whether the Vitamin should be taken, or due to very good care in the individual dietary Supplement plan not to be taken into account.

Since a study from 2005, we know also that in the case of depression accompanying to 1,000 micrograms of Vitamin B12 a folic acid dose of daily 800 µg useful, so a dose that is twice as high as those from the MooDFOOD-study. 

In the case of depression, put together a dietary Supplement to help individually

So if you want to suffer from depression or to prevent, should not be of questionable studies stop, high-quality and, above all, individual-dose nutritional supplements in the holistic therapy program.

You should feel comfortable with yourself overwhelmed, please seek a doctor with ortho – molecular medicine, with additional training, as the MooDFOOD-study – shows-once-a-professors and scientists in the framework of a large-scale study to be able to seem, the vital substances, dosing the current Science and research in accordance with individually and correctly.

Your training to become a holistic nutritionist

Healthy eating is your passion? You will love the base excess, natural diet? Would you like to understand the connections between our food and our health from a holistic point of view? You want nothing more than all your Knowledge about health and nutrition to your profession?

The Academy of Naturopathy is people like you in 12 to 18 months to technical consultant for holistic health. If you want to know more about the course at the Academy of naturopathy, then you will learn all the Details as well as feedback from current and former participants.