depression
Article by Dr. Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc

Depression can often be healed naturally. A number of recent studies have reported that there is a definite benefit to be gained by giving vitamin B12 to patients suffering from depression, fatigue and mental illnesses of other kinds. The effective therapeutic dose of vitamin B12 is highly variable from patient to patient. A trial therapy of 1000 mcgs. taken daily under the tongue (sublingual) or as a nasal gel may be effective after two or three weeks. If not, daily intramuscular injections (1000 mcgs. daily) may be worth a try until symptoms resolve.

Vitamin B12 alone is not the only natural therapeutic agent for the treatment of depression. Dr. Melvyn Werbach, professor of psychiatry at UCLA, in his new book,Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness, discusses the many nutritional causes of depression. These include the frequent consumption of caffeine or sucrose (sugar) and deficiencies of biotin, folic acid, other B complex vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium or potassium. Depression can also be caused by excesses of magnesium or vanadium, by imbalances in amino acids and by food allergies.

Aside from vitamin B12 in high doses, effective nutritional antidepressants include lithium, rubidium, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, S-Adenosyl-L-methionine and Hypericin (from St. John’s Wort).

One of the things that may cause depression in women is low progesterone relative to estrogen. The easiest and safest way to reverse this imbalance is to use natural progesterone cream (Progest). Loss of sex drive, PMS, depression, fluid retention and many other symptoms can be cleared by Progest cream (1 tsp. daily = 1000 mgs. progesterone each month = 2 ounce jar each month). The progesterone cream can be used starting Day 14 of the menstrual cycle until the end of the period each month.

Serotonin is a very important brain biochemical and must be present at optimal levels to prevent depression. One natural way of increasing serotonin in the brain is to take its amino acid precursor, tryptophan (on prescription). Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in high amounts in fish, meat, dairy products, eggs, nuts and wheat germ. It is also found in lesser amounts in the herb chamomile, long recognized for its soothing effects. People who have trouble digesting high protein foods may not be getting the tryptophan they need from their diets. As a result, brain serotonin levels may get low and lead to depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, mania, anxiety, insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia and obesity.

St. John’s wort (hypericum) is very safe and usually effective as an anti-depressant after about 3 weeks at the usual adult dose of 300 mgs. 3 times daily. An extra one or two doses can be added at bedtime initially but this becomes less necessary with regular use of the herb. Caffeine from coffee, soft drinks or chocolate may interact with hypericum to produce agitation. People who are depressed are best off all caffeine since this can cause a worsening of depressive symptoms due to its strong hypoglycemic effect. With fava beans, cheeses, wine and other alcoholic beverages, there might also be some exaggeration of hypericum's effects due to an interaction with tyramine leading to agitation, headaches and worsening anxiety. The use of hypericum with an MAO inhibitor (Mannerix) is contraindicated.

If your doctor prescribes tryptophan, make sure it is balanced by other amino acids. It's best to get a plasma amino acid analysis done before taking high dose supplements of any amino acid. Tryptophan is made more effective by also supplementing vitamins B3 (niacinamide), B6 and C. It’s uptake in the brain is enhanced by taking it with a high carbohydrate meal (e.g. pasta, fruit, vegetables or starches). Foods which contain preformed serotonin also help brain uptake of tryptophan. These foods include bananas, walnuts and pineapples.

If digestion is poor, supplemental betaine and pepsin, glutamic acid, apple cider vinegar, Swedish bitters, pancreatin, vegetable enzymes, lactobacillus acidophilus or other digestive aids may need to be used. A naturopath or holistic doctor can order tests like a CDSA (comprehensive stool and digestive analysis) to assess for the different types of maldigestion. Specific therapy could then be instituted to optimize your digestive system.

Food allergies, candida infection, parasites and toxic heavy metals may all have deleterious effects on digestion and, hence, tryptophan absorption or utilization. A comprehensive biochemical/nutritional evaluation by a doctor familiar with the natural approach would certainly be a good idea.