Singin' the Blues

Lately, a handful of my friends have mentioned a slight case of depression/irritability/the general blues and asked if I'd read anything nutritionally related to feeling down in the dumps. So after consulting my main text, The New Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford, I thought it would be most helpful to just type verbatim what he says...

"There are many nutritionally related causes of depression, the most common being suboptimum nutrition resulting in poor mental and physical energy. Disturbed blood sugar balance can result in periods of depression. Lack of omega-3 fats can make you depressed. If you are low in serotonin, you may benefit from (the amino acid) 5-HTP. People who produce excessive amounts of histamine (allergic individuals) are also prone to depression. Adrenal exhaustion, usually brought on by stress and overuse of stimulants, can result in it. Allergies, too, can bring on depression.

Diet advice: Cut out or avoid sugar and refined foods. Cut down on stimulants -- tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, cigarettes, and alcohol. Experiment for two weeks without wheat or dairy products (to rule out allergies being the cause of the depression).

Suggested supplements: multivitamin with multiminerals, vitamin C (1000 mg), 5-HTP (100 mg twice a day), and omega-3 fish oils providing EPA of 1200 mg."

So, did anyone else say, "What is 5-HTP?" or was I the only one? I looked that up, too.

"A particular amino acid called 5-hydroxytryptophan is the daughter of tryptophan and the mother of serotonin, the brain's 'happy' neurotransmitter. Many people have low levels of this essential brain chemical and feel depressed as a result. This is especially true of people on weight-loss diets, which are notoriously low in tryptophan. But that isn't all. Serotonin controls appetite. The more you have, the less you eat. This may be why people eat more in the winter. The less light you get, the less serotonin you make. If you are low in serotonin, one of the quickest ways to restore normal levels, and normal mood, is to supplement 5-HTP."

A website on 5-HTP makes the claim that it can help control appetite, calm anxiety, relieve insomnia, improve mood, and reduce sympoms of pms, fibromyalgia, and headaches. After reading this, I wondered why everyone wasn't taking 5-HTP!!! But seriously, never take anything, even a supplement, without discussing it with your health care professional. Though no drug interactions were mentioned with 5-HTP, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Foods that can help: cold water fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and herring (due to their high levels of the omega EPA, known to be a potent anti-depressant), nuts and seeds (due to their omegas, magnesium, and B-vitamins), and foods rich in tryptophan such as beef, chicken, turkey, cow's milk, and eggs.

Lastly, I did stumble upon a website called Food for the Brain (www.foodforthebrain.org) that looked promising. Hopefully, something here will help someone, even if just in a small way. And next time you're feeling down and out, always remember Jesus loves YOU. YOU matter. YOU are not junk because God doesn't make junk.