| Black Americans are more likely than whites to suffer | | | | deficiencies of vitamin B6 in the body. |
| severe, untreated and disabling depression, U.S. | | | | B vitamins for an inability to concentrate and make |
| research shows. | | | | decisions: |
| As reported elsewhere, researchers at the Harvard | | | | Depression has also been linked with anemia, and |
| School of Public Health analyzed data on 6,082 people | | | | inability to concentrate, coupled with a feeling of |
| who took part in a national survey conducted between | | | | tiredness, is consistent with a low red-blood cell count. |
| 2001 and 2003. | | | | Vitamin B12 can be used as a depression treatment |
| They found that 17.9 percent of white Americans had | | | | because it helps in producing and maintaining red blood |
| depression at some point in their lives, compared with | | | | cells responsible in oxygen transportation in body, |
| 10.4 percent of blacks of African descent and 12.9 | | | | controlling mood swings. |
| percent of blacks of West Indian or Caribbean | | | | B vitamins for feelings of fearfulness and anxiety: |
| descent. | | | | Studies have shown that low levels of folic acid, or |
| In addition, relative to whites, both black groups were | | | | vitamin B9, can cause depression. Folic acid makes an |
| more likely to rate their major depressive disorder as | | | | effective depression treatment because it clears |
| severe or very severe and more disabling, the | | | | stress hormones from the liver, reducing feelings of |
| researchers reported in the March issue of the | | | | anxiety. |
| Archives of General Psychiatry. It also appears that | | | | B vitamins for mood swings: |
| most Caribbean blacks diagnosed with depression do | | | | A double-blind study conducted on women showed |
| not receive adequate treatment. | | | | that vitamin B6 treatment for depression can bring |
| So what can be done? If people aren't receiving the | | | | emotional stability and hormonal balance. Supplements |
| right medication for their depression, then taking natural | | | | of vitamin B6 can help women get rid of their post |
| vitamin supplements can help in both the prevention | | | | menopause anxiety and depression. Folic acid is also |
| and treatment of depression. | | | | important for the proper functioning of the brain and |
| Supplements Useful in Depression Treatment: | | | | the maintenance of emotional stability. |
| Vitamin D | | | | DHEA |
| Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, is found in food, but | | | | DHEA, (Dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone |
| also can be made in the body with the help of sunlight. | | | | produced in the adrenal glands. It can also be |
| The liver and kidney help convert Vitamin D into its | | | | manufactured by the gonads (ovaries for women; |
| active hormone form, calcitrol. The main function of | | | | testes for men) when the adrenal gland is under |
| Vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium | | | | stress. DHEA regulates the thyroid and pituitary glands |
| and phosphorus, and maintain strong bones. However, | | | | besides exerting a powerful impact on the entire body |
| it can also play an important role in treating depression. | | | | by keeping up the physical and mental balance of the |
| Supplementation of Vitamin D has been found to help | | | | body. |
| patients suffering from depression and improve their | | | | Usually the level of DHEA hormone is at peak at the |
| condition. | | | | age of 25, after that, it starts decreasing at the rate of |
| B Vitamins | | | | about 2% per year. Generally by the age of 40 its |
| Any natural depression treatment must be able to | | | | secretion declines considerably and you the effects of |
| target each one of the symptoms of depression and | | | | lower DHEA may be felt. DHEA hormone also |
| reduce them in the patient. This is where B vitamins | | | | declines rapidly when the body is suffering from |
| come in, as their wide-ranging properties can | | | | disease. More importantly, if the body is put under |
| effectively deal with all signs of depression. | | | | stress for long periods of time then DHEA production |
| B vitamins for feelings of sadness and dejection: | | | | can drop considerably - leading to fatigue, lowered |
| Pyridoxine, or vitamin B6, is an essential component in | | | | energy levels, and anxiety depression. It is this |
| the production of SAM-e, a "feel-good" | | | | connection between DHEA deficiency and anxiety |
| neurotransmitter that can significantly improve a | | | | depression that has led people to believe that DHEA |
| person's mood. Depression has been linked to | | | | can be an effective active anti depression treatment. |