Could Vitamins and Supplements Help Relieve Depression?
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Antidepressant medications and psychotherapy are mainstays when it comes to treating depression. But complementary approaches like certain vitamins and supplements could help boost your mood alongside usual treatments.
“Supplements can be useful for some people with depression. The more tools we have in our toolkits, the better off any one of us is,” says integrative psychiatrist Marni Chanoff, MD, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, and the founder and CEO of Joy in Health, a practice offering integrative psychotherapy and psychiatry.
Some people with depression may be interested in trying vitamins or supplements because standard treatments haven’t provided sufficient relief for their symptoms. About one-third of people with depression don’t respond to standard treatments like antidepressants, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“Also, some people are sensitive to medications and may not be able to tolerate them,” explains Beata Bliss Lewis, MD, an integrative psychiatrist at Mind Body Seven Psychiatry, a mental health and wellness clinician group, and a clinical assistant professor at New York University in New York City.
Dr. Lewis says that vitamins and supplements can be used alone for certain individuals with milder depressive symptoms (with your doctor’s approval), or they can be used alongside standard treatments for depression.
Though vitamins and supplements can be helpful for some people with depression, there are some important things to consider before trying them.
First, it’s important to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients from food sources first before taking a pill. “I’m someone who always looks to food first,” says Dr. Chanoff. “Nutrients in their natural form are ideal, and food-based nutrients are less complicated to integrate into treatment.”
However, supplements can be useful for people who can’t or aren’t ready to make dietary changes, Chanoff notes.
It’s also a good idea to talk to your doctor before adding any complementary therapies like vitamins or supplements to your treatment plan. Some supplements could interact with medicines you’re taking (like antidepressants), according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Your doctor can help you sort out what’s safe and what could be harmful for you.
In addition, know that the FDA doesn’t regulate the safety or effectiveness of vitamins and supplements. That means you may not know exactly what you’re getting when you purchase a product. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re buying from brands that are well vetted and to scrutinize ingredients on labels carefully, says Chanoff. If you’re not sure, ask your doctor first.
Some vitamins and supplements have more evidence of their effectiveness for depression than others. Here are eight vitamins and supplements that research shows may improve symptoms of depression.
1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of healthy fats that are found naturally in foods like fish and manufactured in the form of dietary supplements, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
According to Lewis, omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most studied supplements for mental health. However, some of the data can be hard to interpret because there are inconsistencies in the forms, doses, and placebos used in many of these studies, she adds.
One study published in 2023 in the Journal of Personalized Medicine, which included 165 adults with mild to moderate depression, showed that the combination of an omega-3 fatty acid supplement and an antidepressant resulted in significantly more improvement in depressive symptoms than either the supplement or the antidepressant alone.
There are three types of omega-three fatty acids, per the NIH:
- Alpha-linolenic acid, which is found in plant oils such as flaxseed, soybean, and canola oils
- Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which is found mostly in seafood
- Docosahexaenoic acid, which is found mostly in seafood
To be helpful for depression, Lewis adds, the dosages of omega-3 supplements must contain adequate amounts of EPA. “For my patients, I say take at least 2,000 milligrams (mg) total, and at least 1,000 mg of that should be EPA,” she says.
The Bottom Line Although some research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may help improve mood, the extent of their effectiveness is unknown. The good news is that there aren’t many downsides to taking omega-3s, notes Lewis.
2. Vitamin D
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and helps maintain strong bones, according to the NIH. You can get this vitamin through food, sunlight exposure, and supplementation.
A considerable amount of research links vitamin D deficiency to higher rates of depression, says Lewis. Some research shows that vitamin D supplements may be helpful for depression, but more research is needed to confirm this, she notes.
In a review of 41 randomized, controlled trials, published online in July 2022 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, researchers found that vitamin D supplementation of at least 2,000 international units per day was more effective than a placebo for improving symptoms of depression.
“In addition to potentially improving depressive symptoms, vitamin D can help with calcium absorption, so it’s good to take, particularly if you have less exposure to sunlight,” says Chanoff.
The Bottom Line Research shows that low levels of vitamin D are linked to depression. Some newer studies have suggested that vitamin D supplements may help relieve depressive symptoms, but more research is needed to confirm their effectiveness. If you know you have a vitamin D deficiency, a supplement may be helpful for improving mood symptoms in addition to enhancing your overall health, says Chanoff.
RELATED: Can Vitamin D Help Treat Depression?
3. SAMe
S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is a naturally occurring compound in the body, says the Mayo Clinic. A synthetic version is available as a dietary supplement in the United States. In certain European countries, it’s sold as a prescription drug.
Several small studies have shown that SAMe could help relieve symptoms of depression. In a review of eight clinical trials, published online in September 2020 in the Annals of General Psychiatry, researchers found that SAMe was beneficial for people with major depressive disorder (MDD). Three of those studies showed that SAMe was significantly better for MDD than placebo.
However, the authors note, more research is needed to confirm the supplement’s effectiveness for MDD.
If you decide to try SAMe, there are several things to keep in mind. “I want to emphasize that this supplement should be taken under the care of a mental health professional or a primary care doctor with mental health expertise,” says Chanoff. “There are potential side effects, interactions, and contraindications, and some people don’t tolerate it well.”
SAMe can negatively interact with many other medications, including antidepressants that boost serotonin levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can also worsen mania in people with bipolar disorder, so the supplement shouldn’t be used for bipolar depression.
“With SAMe, it matters that it’s really good quality,” adds Lewis. “It has to be in a sealed, airtight pouch. It should not be in a regular bottle.” (SAMe can lose its potency when exposed to excess air and moisture.)
The Bottom Line Research has shown that SAMe may help relieve symptoms of depression. However, this supplement can cause serious side effects for some people and may also interact with other medicines. You should talk to your doctor before taking it.
4. L-Methylfolate
L-methylfolate is an active form of folate (the natural form of vitamin B9, notes the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). “L-methylfolate may be helpful for someone with depression, especially if they have a folate deficiency,” says Chanoff.
Some research indicates that L-methylfolate may be beneficial for depression. One research article suggested that L- methylfolate may help relieve symptoms of depression when taken alongside other antidepressants among people whose depression hasn’t gotten better with medication alone.
In addition to being sold as a supplement, a prescription medical food product called Deplin contains L-methylfolate. Deplin is designed to help antidepressants work better.
The daily recommended intake of folate for most people is 400 micrograms, according to the NIH. It’s worth noting that most adults in the United States get enough folate in their diets.
“Before I would recommend [a supplement], I would work with people to get more folic acid from food,” says Chanoff. Leafy greens, lentils, beans, and other fortified foods contain folate, she adds.
The Bottom Line L-methylfolate may help some depression medications work better. However, more conclusive research is needed to confirm its effectiveness. Moreover, most people are able to get enough folate from diet alone.
5. St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort is a plant that’s available in the form of a dietary supplement. It’s commonly been used for depression and other health concerns, per the NIH.
“St. John’s wort has data supporting its effectiveness for mild to moderate depression,” notes Chanoff. It may be as effective as prescription antidepressant medicines for mild to moderate depression, though it’s not yet clear whether it could help with severe depression, according to the Mayo Clinic.
However, it’s very important that you don’t try St. John’s wort without talking to your doctor first. St. John’s wort can cause dangerous and sometimes life-threatening drug interactions, and it’s not always safe for people who already take other medicines, notes the NIH. For instance, the supplement can hinder the effectiveness of these drugs:
“You have to be very, very mindful when using St. John’s wort, and never use it with antidepressants,” says Lewis. That’s because both St. John’s wort and certain antidepressants can affect serotonin levels, and taking them together can lead to a rare but potentially life-threatening reaction called serotonin syndrome. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome may include rapid heartbeat, agitation, restlessness, high blood pressure, confusion, intense sweating, headache, or diarrhea, among other symptoms.
In other words, St. John’s wort may likely only benefit some people with mild to moderate depression who aren’t already taking prescription antidepressants.
The Bottom Line St. John’s wort can be an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, but it can also interact with many medications, including antidepressants, so it’s not the right option for everyone. You should talk to your doctor before taking this supplement.
6. Probiotics
Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live organisms that boost the amount of healthy bacteria in your gut, according to the Mayo Clinic. Fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut are rich in probiotics.
“Probiotics can help promote gut health, and we now have a much better understanding of how connected the gut is to the brain,” says Chanoff. Research has shown that people with conditions like depression have differences in the composition of their gut bacteria compared with people without depression, and these differences were linked to more severe symptoms.
In a small study published in June 2023 in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers found that people whose symptoms weren’t relieved enough by antidepressant medicines reported significant improvements in depressive symptoms after adding probiotics to their usual treatment.
The Bottom Line Probiotics may help some people with depression balance their gut health, which could help improve depressive symptoms.
RELATED: Major Depressive Disorder and the Gut Microbiome: Are They Related?
7. Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral that helps support the immune system, promote healthy muscle and nerve function, and keep the heartbeat balanced, according to MedlinePlus.
“Magnesium can be used to help people with insomnia and anxiety, and there are some studies looking at magnesium for depression,” says Chanoff.
One study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that having low levels of magnesium in the body was significantly associated with an increased risk for depression.
Another study, published in June 2017 in PLoS One, showed that daily magnesium supplementation improved symptoms of mild to moderate depression in adults within two weeks. However, larger, more involved studies are needed to prove that magnesium is effective for depression.
The Bottom Line Magnesium could be helpful for some people with depression, but more research is needed to determine its effectiveness. Your doctor can help you figure out if you have a magnesium deficiency and whether a supplement could benefit you.
8. Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that’s best known for helping you sleep, according to the NIH.
“Insomnia and struggles with getting good sleep [often] go with depression,” says Lewis. “If we can help someone sleep better, that can also help their depression.” A review published in 2018 in Current Pharmaceutical Design showed that melatonin helped lessen symptoms in some people with depression.
While there’s no standard recommended dosage for melatonin, 1 to 3 mg two hours before bedtime appears to be safe, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The Bottom Line Melatonin may improve sleep, which could also help depressive symptoms like difficulty sleeping.
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