Anti-depressant supplements

Deficiency of vitamin B12 can create disturbances in mood and B12 supplementation helps to normalize the mood. Vitamin B6, vitamin C, Folic Acid (Folate) and Zinc are all essential good mood nutrients. They are needed to make the feel-good brain chemical serotonin from the raw material - amino acid tryptophan. (New England Journal of Medicine 1988;318:1720–8.)

In a clinical trial of healthy young men, consumption of a high-selenium diet was associated with improved mood and decrease of anxiety.

Vitamin D supplementation may be associated with elevations in mood. In a double-blind controlled study, healthy people were given vitamin D3 supplements. Researchers found that D3 supplementation enhanced positive mood and there was some evidence of a reduction in negative mood.

The precursor of serotonin tryptophan is found in many foods, primarily turkey, chicken, fish, cottage cheese, bananas, eggs, nuts, wheat germ, avocados, milk, cheese and legumes and, in lesser amounts, breads, cereals, potatoes and rice. However, these foods also contain competing amino acids tyrosine, phenylalanine, valine, leucine and isoleucine. The solution? Take 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP).

5-HTP is extracted from the seed of the Griffonia simplicifolia plant. L-tryptophan has to be converted to (5-HTP) before it becomes serotonin in the body. In a clinical trial, supplemental 5-HTP had antidepressant effects in bipolar patients. (Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl 1981;290:191–201.)

Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce the Risk of Depression in Pregnancy. Using British data compiled from pregnant women, the researchers analyzed the association between omega-3 fatty acids and depression. Their findings were supported by an additional analysis, which showed that in countries where omega-3 intake is the highest, the incidence of depression appears to be the lowest. (The Lancet Aug. 1998)