Supplements for Depression?

[f1jim]

Here is the latest....

https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins ... 43529.html

f1jim

[PJK]

"In a one-year follow-up, the researchers discovered that the supplements worked no better than the placebo in helping ward off depression."

Part of the problem is that we don't don't know precisely how or why depression is caused. Therefore, it's hard to devise a cure.

The combo of drugs + therapy seems to be the best route currently. But it's far from 100% effective.

[bunsofaluminum]

There's no mention of SAM-e in the article, which I used pre-McDougalling to REALLY good effect against my chronic moderate depression. It energized me and opened up my mood within just a few days and kept working as long as I took it. McDougalling does the same thing, so I don't need it anymore, but SAM-e worked for me and several people who don't eat this way, whom I have recommended it to, have found similar to my results.

Just sayin. Of course, food is the best cure. I'd rather conquer my depression with food than with any pill.

[MINNIE]

"Diet and nutrition held promise as one means to reach large numbers of people. However, this trial convincingly demonstrates that nutritional supplements do not help to prevent depression," he said in a university news release.

But nutrition, in the sense of eating genuine food (plant-based) could hold promise. If they actually decided to study that.

From personal experience,as an experiment of one, it worked for me.

[f1jim]

Show me the data. Anecdotes are interesting but I need science.
f1jim

[openmind]

The experiment of one could be the supplement...or it could be the placebo effect. Or some other effect.

I like what Dr. McDougall used to say about getting up early in the morning to help cure depression. Seems so counter-intuitive as we are told that as a society we need to get more sleep, but I've never seen a depressed person that gets up at 5 am to work out at the gym. I've seen plenty of depressed people who sleep until 10 or 12.

[Grammy Ginger]

The psychiatrist, Dr. Peter Breggin, disputes the idea that even psych meds make any difference. His research indicates that they dull the brain and cause damage, in effect numbing emotions. I've read some of his work, and it's fascinating. He's plant-based btw.

[patty]

What is sad, is they didn't go deep enough to give the solution. They are still spinning depression. Dr. McDougall tells the truth about the biological metabolic dollar of fat and oil. And how all plants survive the seasons being starch based. Until then the underlining depression we all carry, will always be there and only lifted when we align with nature. There is no permanent visa on this planet. It is knowing food and money isn't like musical chairs and there is enough there for everyone. Service takes on a new meaning like telomeres where as Dr. Ornish shares we can die a young old. We then become kindhearted, to reach out to those who are still suffering while living life on life's terms.

Aloha, patty

[openmind]

The psychiatrist, Dr. Peter Breggin, disputes the idea that even psych meds make any difference. His research indicates that they dull the brain and cause damage, in effect numbing emotions. I've read some of his work, and it's fascinating. He's plant-based btw.

My impression is that antidepressants do help some severe cases- maybe- but they are way overused. The valium of our modern day.

But at what cost? What side effects?

[f00die]

...
But at what cost? What side effects?

what is the value of going on one more day?

[openmind]

...
But at what cost? What side effects?

what is the value of going on one more day?

My post was a little confusing; I'm more talking here about the health costs to non suicidal cases. People who are prescribed antidepressants like women (mostly) were pescribed Valium in earlier days.

[bunsofaluminum]

Here's an article from Psychiatric Times with some conclusions on decades of studies done on the effects of SAM-e in depression, done in Europe.

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/depression/investigating-sam-e-depression

References at the bottom.

[PJK]

A few people are here suggesting that the McDougall diet can cure depression. But there is no proof of this. None.

Further, I'm aware of absolutely no evidence that depression is either related to diet or cured by diet.

Let's be careful. A healthy diet is a good thing. But it is not a cure-all.

Also, anecdotes with a sample size of 1 are not science. Science is based on statistics derived from experiments, ideally involving control groups, and ideally getting the same or similar results when reproduced by others.

[f00die]

A few people are here suggesting that the McDougall diet can cure depression. But there is no proof of this. None.

Further, I'm aware of absolutely no evidence that depression is either related to diet or cured by diet.

Let's be careful. A healthy diet is a good thing. But it is not a cure-all.

Also, anecdotes with a sample size of 1 are not science. Science is based on statistics derived from experiments, ideally involving control groups, and ideally getting the same or similar results when reproduced by others.

more reading required.
unfamiliarity with the evidence
doesnt mean there is no evidence.
on this website alone there are tons of cited papers
on this particular subject.
heres one

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15123503
International variations in the outcome of schizophrenia and the prevalence of depression in relation to national dietary practices: an ecological analysis.
Peet M1.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Dietary variations are known to predict the prevalence of physical illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease but the possible influence of diet on mental health has been neglected.

AIMS:
To explore dietary predictors of the outcome of schizophrenia and the prevalence of depression.

METHOD:
Ecological analysis of national dietary patterns in relation to international variations in outcome of schizophrenia and prevalence of depression.

RESULTS:
A higher national dietary intake of refined sugar and dairy products predicted a worse 2-year outcome of schizophrenia. A high national prevalence of depression was predicted by a low dietary intake of fish and seafood.

CONCLUSIONS:
The dietary predictors of outcome of schizophrenia and prevalence of depression are similar to those that predict illnesses such as coronary heart disease and diabetes, which are more common in people with mental health problems and in which nutritional approaches are widely recommended. Dietary intervention studies are indicated in schizophrenia and depression.

many more can be found by searching this site
with the keyword "depression"
malnutrition is bad

[PJK]

The report you cite does not prove that poor nutrition cause schizophrenia and depression.

The authors find a correlation. They say that's a "predictor." But correlation does not prove causation.

For ex., I am tall and I also eat apples. That's a correlation. But that doesn't mean I am tall because I eat apples. Correlation (2 things coming together) does not prove causation (one caused by the other).

Also, as far as I can tell, the paper you cite was not an experiment. It seems the authors simply compiled data (what they call "ecological analysis") on nutrition and mental illness. That's how they found a correlation.