Vitamins May Be Used To Ease Depression, Research Shows

As more Americans are taking antidepressants like Zoloft

, and as negative feedback on their side effects continue to mount, many people are seeking alternatives to prescription medications. The good news is that some vitamins may be effective alternatives for antidepressants. studies show. Included in the list are Omega-3, folates, SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) and St. Johns wort.

According to an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Dr. George Papakostas, we always recommend that patients take these natural supplements under the care of a doctor and not independently.

Vitamins: Reliable Alternatives in Treating Depression

An increasing evidence noted that omega-3 fatty acids, aside from being essential for cardiac health, may also help in easing depression. The rate of depression cases is lower in places where people have an omega-3 fatty-rich diet like sardines, mackerel, salmon and tuna. This is based on studies published in the American College of Nutrition journal in 2009.

Several studies have presented that folates, taken in conjunction with antidepressants, enhanced the effectiveness of the medicines and have been proved to lessen side effects.

A recent study conducted at Harvard University and published in the American Journal of Psychiatry concluded that SAMe is effective as an add-on treatment to prescription antidepressants in some patients experiencing major depression.

Furthermore, some research studies indicate that St. Johns wort can be used to ease depression better than a placebo. However, other studies show that the former is a little more effective than nothing at all.

Antidepressants Put Pregnant Women at Risk

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a public health advisory that said:

FDA is advising health care professionals to discuss the potential risk of birth defects with patients who are taking Zoloft and who plan to become pregnant or are in their first three months of pregnancy. Health care professionals should consider discontinuing Zoloft (andswitching to another antidepressant if indicated) in these patients. In some patients, the benefits of continuing Zoloft may be greater than the potential risk to the fetus. FDA is advising health care professionals avoid prescribing Zoloft in women who are in the first three months of pregnancy or who are planning pregnancy, unless other treatment options are not appropriate.

Patients affected by the drug have already been pursuing Zoloft lawsuit against Pfizer. Medical professionals say that it important to properly verify the type and timing of the medications prescribed for pregnant women as well as those who are planning to get pregnant soon. Therefore, the public, specifically the women, should always ask a doctor before taking any medicines to avoid any unfortunate repercussions.

by: Angelena E. Mays

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