This study investigated iron & depression. Two hundred women who were not anaemic had their mood and blood iron levels measured. The iron levels in the women who were rated as depressed (67) were significantly lower than in the healthy controls (125).
M Vahdat Shariatpanaahi et al., ‘The relationship between depression and serum ferritin level’, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 61; 532-535, 2007
Further infoThis study investigated vitamins, minerals & mood. 225 hospitalised acutely ill elderly people were either given a normal hospital diet plus multivitamin and mineral supplements (providing 100 per cent of the Reference Nutrient Intakes for a healthy older person for vitamins and minerals), or a normal hospital diet plus a placebo for six weeks. Measures of mood and mental agility were taken at the start, at six weeks and six months later. There were significant differences in symptoms of depression scores in the supplement group compared with the placebo group at 6 months. This effect was seen in all patient groups including those with no symptoms of depression, mild depression and those with severe depression.
Gariballa S and Forster S, ‘Effects of dietary supplements on depressive symptoms in older patients: A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial.’ Clin Nutr. 2007 Jul 25
This study investigated omega 3, depression & children. Antidepressant medication is not recommended for children due to concerns over adverse side effects. In this pilot study of omega-3 fatty acids in children with major depression, 28 children aged between 6 and 12 years old were assessed using the Children’s Depression Rating Scale (CDRS), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Children were given either omega-3 fatty acids or sugar pills (placebo) for up to 16 weeks. Analysis of the results showed highly significant benefits of omega-3 versus placebo, on symptoms measured by the CDRS, CDI, and CGI rating scales.
H Nemets et al ‘Omega-3 Treatment of Childhood Depression: A Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study’. Am J Psychiatry 2006; 163:1098–1100
Further infoThis review explored folate & depression. A review of all randomized controlled trials that compared treatment with folic acid or 5′-methyltetrahydrofolic acid to an alternative treatment, for patients with depression. Three randomized trials (247 participants) were included. Two studies assessed the use of folate in addition to other treatment, and found that adding folate reduced Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores on average by a further 2.65 points [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-4.93]. The remaining study found no significant difference when folate alone was compared with trazodone. The limited available evidence suggests folate may have a potential role as a supplement to for depression. It is currently unclear if this is the case both for people with normal folate levels, and for those with folate deficiency.
M J Taylor, ‘Folate for depressive disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.’, J Psychopharmacol., 18(2):251-6, 2004
Further infoThis study investigated chromium & depression. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot study of 15 subjects, chromium picolinate was observed to improved the moods of 70% of those taking chromium compared with 0% on placebo. Two hypothesised mechanisms of actions with relation to the observed results include 5HT2A downregulation and increased insulin sensitivity. However, due to the small sample number further studies are warranted including a greater number of participants to explore this area further.
Davidson et al., ’Effectiveness of chromium in atypical depression: a placebo-controlled trial’, Biol Psychiatry, 53(3):261-4, 2003
Further infoThis study explored omega 3 & breast milk. The Omega-3 fatty acid DHA found in oily fish has a role in visual development in infants. In a study of 39 breast-fed infants, it was found that the mothers who consumed the most fish had the highest levels of DHA in their breast milk. The babies who were fed on breast milk with the highest levels of DHA had the best visual development. This may have implications for dyslexia, but further research is required to substantiate further.
M H Jørgensen et al., ‘Is there a relation between docosahexaenoic acid concentration in mothers’ milk and visual development in term infants?’, J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.32(3):293-6, 2001
Further infoThis study investigated Vitamin D & Parkinson’s. Early, untreated Parkinson’s disease is linked to a deficiency in vitamin D, more so than in those without the disease. In this 5-year study of 157 participants, the majority had some level of deficiency at the start of the trial. However, at the end of the study, vitamin D levels had increased suggesting that levels do not necessarily decline with disease progression.
Vitamin D deficiency linked to Parkinson’s M Evatt et al., Arch Neurol. 2011;68(3):314-319
Further infoDutch researchers compared vitamin D levels with mood in a study of 1,282 elderly people. They found that vitamin D levels were 14% lower in those with depression. Measures of parathyroid hormone showed that this hormone was 5-33% higher in elderly individuals with depression. Depression severity was also observed to be associated with serum vitamin D levels and parathyroid hormone levels.
Vitamin D is known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ because the primary source of it is from the action of the sun on your skin.
Hoogendijk W J G et al. ‘Depression Is Associated With Decreased 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Increased Parathyroid Hormone Levels in Older Adults.’ Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008;65(5):508-512
Vitamin D linked with depression in elderly. W J G Hoogendijk et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008;65(5):508-512
Further infoThis study investigated learning and memory in school children. In two parallel studies (randomised, double-blind), a total of 780 school aged Indonesian and Australian children were given either a combination of vitamins and minerals, a supplement of omega-3 essential fats EPA and DHA, or the vitamins and minerals with the omega-3 fats, or a placebo on 6 days a week for 12 months. At the start of the trial, the children were tested for blood levels of all of these nutrients, all of which significantly improved when they were retested after 12 months. The Australian children on the vitamins and minerals had significant improvement in tests of verbal learning and memory as did the Indonesian girls.
Osendarp SJ et al. ‘Effect of a 12-mo micronutrient intervention on learning and memory in well-nourished and marginally nourished school-aged children: 2 parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled studies in Australia and Indonesia’ Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Oct;86(4):1082-93
Further infoThis study looked at the impact of diet on behaviour. A review of five well-designed studies found that elimination diets reduced hyperactivity-related symptoms. The picture was of children potentially responding to a wide range of food items although the pattern was individual to the child. Supplementation with essential fatty acids decreased violence although there was no evidence of an influence on hyperactivity. Three well-designed studies have reported that vitamin/mineral supplementation reduced anti-social behaviour. There are also findings of an association between a tendency to poor blood sugar balance and aggression. Many responses to diet were idiosyncratic and involved a wide range of foods interacting with individual differences in physiology.
D Benton, ‘The impact of diet on anti-social, violent and criminal behaviour’, Neurosci Biobehav Rev.;31(5):752-74, 2007
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