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 James McNabb, M.D., C.N. |
A note to my readers:
Apologies for the delay in your May newsletter; there is so much information coming out on depression and the impact of nutrition, that this article kept growing and growing. As a result, this is a special two-part newsletter. Look for the June issue in just a week or so.
Jim
Depression and Nutrition
(Part I)
Introduction
Depression seems to be everywhere today. Few families are unaffected by this scourge. At this moment I know at least half a dozen individuals who have recently been through, or are currently in some stage of depression. Few realize that nutrition can play a significant role in the etiology of this difficult and pervasive condition. This review will try to summarize the characteristics of, and nutritional support for, depression.
Symptoms
The classic symptom of depression is terminal sleep disorder, characterized by awakening in the early morning hours and not being able to return to sleep. Lack of sleep is devastating enough in its own right, leading to fatigue and listlessness. This lack of sleep accentuates the downward spiral that is depression. Depression also leads to disinterest in food, sex and previously pleasurable activities. Most lose weight during this time, although some may gain weight due to using food as an opiate.
Exercise--A Fabulous, Free Antidepressant
Exercise has been said to be one of the better anti-depressants. Many studies have shown this. It doesn’t seem to matter whether the exercise is aerobic or not. In fact, even exercise like Yoga has been shown to be effective. One way exercise is effective is that it makes us tired, thereby encouraging better sleep. Exercise also creates endorphins, which are chemicals that make us feel better.
Women to Men, Ratio 2:1
Women are twice as likely as men to suffer depression. The reasons for this are not fully known, but it does suggest that correcting female hormones with bio-identical replacements might be a good therapeutic pathway in women who are past menopause.
Post-Partum Depression
If you examine post-partum depression and its relationship with the number of children, you will find that the incidence of post-partum depression increases in frequency with each additional child. One could make an argument that mothers are more tired with more and more children. However, it also makes sense that all of the baby’s nutrition has to come from the mother. Prenatal vitamins are recommended to all mothers-to-be. Yet few mothers have omega 3 fatty acids recommended to them.
A number of scientific studies have shown that maternal nutrients are depleted with each child unless they are intentionally replaced. Omega 3 fatty acids drop dramatically if not supplemented. Both infant and maternal brains have high levels of DHA, an omega 3 oil, by weight. We do not manufacture omega 3 oils; they must be ingested in the diet. Depression can be the result of deficiency of DHA. Omega 3 oils are present in cold-fish such as salmon.
SAD or Season Affective Disorder
Season Affective Disorder is a very common complaint of patients during northern winters when daylight may not begin until 8 AM and ends at 2:30 in the afternoon. It is easy to see how melatonin production, which is produced by the brain’s pineal gland in response to lack to sunshine, gets off kilter. Melatonin is the body’s messenger that it’s time to sleep. One way to treat SAD is with very bright artificial lights, usually for several hours in the morning and several hours in the evening. The light seems to reset the sleep-awake cycles.
Other researchers are looking at the role of vitamin D in assisting SAD patients. Doctors Gloth and Hollis gave a small series of patients 100,000 IU of vitamin D and found a significant improvement in all measurements of depression in the treated group. The vitamin D group improved better than the group treated with light therapy.
Low Cholesterol and Suicide
Doctors have long known that cholesterol levels do not have a linear relationship with mortality. While it is well known that as cholesterol levels decrease, cardiovascular disease rates decrease, below a certain level, however, the curve begins to rise. As cholesterol levels continue to decline, mortality from all causes begins to rise. Close examination of these causes show that suicide from depression is one reason for this rise. Really low cholesterol rates can only be produced by statin drugs, such as Lipitor or Crestor.
General Nutrition
Eating Well
Depression, like most diseases, may have a single cause, but more likely, results from a constellation of reasons. It seems rational to me to try every approach we can take. Both taste and appetite are lessened, so that our likelihood of eating well may be less. Perhaps we are low in a certain amino acid. Who knows? I think it becomes the responsibility of the family to ensure that meals are well rounded, especially since the individual who is depressed may not care.
Obesity
I have not been able to find many studies on this, but it is clear that overweight people are often not happy about their body image, in addition to feeling possibly unhappy in other areas of their lives. All of these people have tried diets and failed, only to gain more weight than they tried to lose. This yo-yo weight response leads to a sense of failure and resignation.
Another issue is the reduction in calories in many diets. Reducing calories by itself can make you feel listless. Secondly, omega 3 fats are the fats most quickly mobilized from the fat stores. As these are depleted, lack of energy ensues unless care is taken to add omega fats to the diet. If being overweight is an issue for you, please seek out the consultation of a nutritionist or physician interested in such issues.
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