This morning I came across a study released from the Journal of the American Medical Association. It stated that supplements were ineffective and made no difference in the treatment nor development of depression. I found a couple of points which need clarification.
The subjects which were involved in this study suffered from what was known as "subsyndromal depression". Translation: Their symptoms were not significant enough to be diagnosed with clinical depression however they had symptoms typically seen in depression. Think of it as being "subclinical depression" as some of you may have heard of that before.
My first issue: The group of people studied were already suffering from a form of depression so I ask how this study can validate whether supplementing with nutrients can prevent the development of a condition they already suffered from? Think of it this way; It's much more difficult to stop a ball from rolling down a hill when it is already halfway down; This study doesn't address a ball which is still sitting at the top of the hill.
Secondly and most importantly, the subjects were supplemented with Omega 3, selenium, folic acid, Vitamin D, and calcium. Those were the only 5 nutrients which these subjects were supplemented with, that's it. Are we really to believe that only testing 5 nutrients is an accurate measure of how effective supplementing with the appropriate nutrients can be? Furthermore, the dosages which were used were relatively low. For example, the level of Omega 3s given were at a level so low that you would only need to consume 3 ounces of salmon to achieve it.
There is a time and place for medications; there are those who simply could not function without them. I do not claim supplements and nutrients are a cure-all however the nutrients we consume are important as those nutrients are literally what make up the body. Think of the difference in color and appearance of farm-raised salmon vs wild-caught or grass-fed beef vs grain-fed; to suggest the nutrients we ingest don't alter our bodies ability to prevent the development of various diseases is irrational, and honestly quite silly. Your stress level, your diet, other diseases from which you suffer and even the pain you are in all play tremendous roles in the development of depression. So if you'd like to talk about more about how I might help, give the office a call!