Nutrition and Depression

Many people deal with depression and don’t understand why. They compare their lives to the world around them and don’t find that much wrong, but they still have trouble coping.

Other people point to disappointments and/or heartaches in their lives and say that is the reason they are depressed, but there are millions of people that have struggled with the same influences and have not fallen into a depression.

What makes the difference?

Doctors have come to the conclusion that there is an imbalance in the body’s hormone system. But why do some people have it and not everyone? One clue that is coming to light is the person’s diet. Studies are showing that what you eat makes a big difference in how you feel about yourself and the world around you. Without the proper levels of nutrients such as magnesium or manganese, vitamin C, or some B vitamins people become stressed easier, or react more strongly to the stressors in their lives. Carbohydrates do no provide these nutrients.

A study was done on prison inmates. It was determined that those inmates who took the vitamin supplements were far less aggressive and angry than those eating primarily processed junk food.

Another study looked at panic attacks and hyperventilation attacks. This one showed that a lack of Vitamin B6 and iron are strongly linked to these attacks. Chronic stress, poor diet, and certain medical conditions can deplete the body's stores of vital nutrients. This may be the case for other anxiety-related conditions as well. Symptoms of vitamin B deficiency may include anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, irritability, and emotional instability.

A lack of Niacin (another B vitamin) has been strongly linked to schizophrenia. Men seem to be particularly susceptible to depression caused by a lack of folic acid, or B9. The lack of folic acid does not seem to affect women in the same way.

In addition to the B vitamins, a lack of vitamin D is being linked to depression as well. Vitamin D comes from exposure to sunlight. Many people don’t get enough sunlight either because of a fear of cancer or of a need to be inside during daylight hours. If you are chronically sun deprived supplementing with as much as 5000 units of D3 is recommended.

Beyond eating well a good food based multivitamin and a specific B-Complex could be the difference from avoiding the world and engaging with it. Processed foods and foods high in carbohydrates do not provide these needed nutrients. There are cases where infections, allergies, metal toxicities and even dental fillings and infections can be a triggering point for depression. Many of these simply put stresses on the body that further deplete the nutrient resources. The first step in overcoming depression would be to clean out all processed foods from the diet. After that counseling may have some effect. If there are still problems look deeper for possible hidden allergies and infections.