subject: Vitamins For Depression? Does A Once-a-day Vitamin Help? [print this page] Tom Cruise made popular the notion that depression could be cured with "vitamins." Does taking vitamins help depression? If so, what kind? Does a multi-vitamin available at any grocery store actually help depression?
Scientists studied this issue. One investigation separated volunteers into four groups: one group got a placebo (a sugar pill), one got no treatment at all, one got a multi-vitamin, and the last group got a B-vitamin. Researchers determined that the groups who took "something" did better than the group that took nothing. To clarify, even if you received the placebo you would improve as much as the participants who took the vitamins. The finding of the researchers was that the vitamins had no effect on depression. Is that true, that vitamins do not alleviate depression?
The research examined B vitamins along with multi-vitamins. Consider the B vitamin example specifically. The issue missing in this investigation is that not all of us are deficient in B vitamins. If low levels of B vitamins are implicated in our depression, taking B vitamins may improve our case. If we have enough B vitamins already, why would more vitamins make a difference? The missing piece in the study is a determination of the patients' need for B vitamins. In other investigations, particularly of older people, that show a strong relationship between vitamin B-12 and depression. There is some research suggesting that people take a B-12 and B-6 vitamin to avoid the deficiency and, thereby, protect against the depression. There is some indication that B vitamins fight depression if the patient is deficient in those vitamins.
What about that daily vitamin? Once-a-day vitamin are intended as insurance to give you vitamins and minerals each day to avoid a deficiency. If you have a high need for a specific vitamin, the daily vitamin dosage is likely inadequate for your need. In that case, you are not meeting your need with a once-a-day vitamin. As with the B vitamin illustration, you cannot correct a B-12 deficiency with a daily vitamin (at least not quickly). It is the same with all other vitamins. You need to figure out what your body needs and then find a way to meet the need. A multi-vitamin is a blunt tool that will have little impact on you in the short run.
Depression is complex but vitamins may well be implicated in your situation. Have your doctor check your B vitamin status with a plasma homocysteine test. Check your vitamin D status. Consider Omega 3 fatty acids and the minerals magnesium, zinc, and iron. If you have a deficiency in one of these nutrients, may well feel better when you have increased your intake.
