This 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...
This study investigated the microbiome, anxiety & depression. It is understood that there is constant communication between the gut and the brain (the gut-brain axis). In this study, mice were fed a strain of probiotic (gut bacteria) or placebo. The mice who received the probiotics showed...
This study investigated depression & processed foods. Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, according to a recent study. Data on diet among 3,500 middle-aged civil servants was compared with self reported depression five years later. Those in the 'whole food'...
This study investigated fish oil & depression. Moderate dose of Omega-3 fish oil was observed to improve mood in depressed elderly. In this small randomised controlled trial, a group of elderly people with mild to moderate depression were given either a fish oil capsule (with 300mg of the...
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...
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...
This 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...
This study investigated the mediterranean diet & depression. In a study of over 10,000 healthy Spanish participants – those who followed a Mediterranean diet most closely had a greater than 30% reduction in the risk of depression. The specific mechanisms which help to prevent the...
Depression is a common condition. Approximately 1 in 4 people in the United Kingdom will experience a mental health problem each year. Depression is rated by the World Health Organisation as the leading cause of disease burden amongst high income countries. Of course, mood can fluctuate and an...
Dopamine is the “reward” neurotransmitter that tells our brains we want more; yet every substance or behavior that releases dopamine in the extreme leads to addiction. Serotonin is the “contentment” neurotransmitter that tells our brains we don’t need any more; yet its deficiency leads to...
