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Supplements for depression

rhoadx

Member
Been going through a situational depression. Any supplements that may help with this. Don't want to take antidepressants
 
Hello rhoadx,

I too have had t deal with depression, an my my understanding it's a very specific problem and affects everyone differently. I myself am still looking for the right combination of supplements to help me combat depression but also boost my cognitive performances and found some of those go well together.
Aside from the basics of eating right(whatever diet works for you, it's good to test different ones), exercise, and getting enough sleep. Also look into getting counseling from a self help service, a lot of places offer counseling for free and can often help a lot with depression. There is also online counseling trhough certain universities that may also help. For supplements I've researched a few and tried a few, I'm still looking for the best supplement or combination that will work for me but so far I've looked at;

Omega 3's - This one has been researched a lot an has a lot of backing, these help by limiting inflammation that may cause some neurological disorders. Along with being the building fats to what your brain is made of. I started taking this daily and gave generally felt a bit better since.

L-Tyrosine - A precursor to dopamine, a key neurotransmitter that can increase the "feel good" feelings which a lot of depressed people have issues with. I've found it worked for me, but after about a week it stopped having the same effect. I still take it occasionally but I now just try to get more protein in my diet to get the same affect.

5-htp - I used t take this in the evenings before bed, it's suppose to help with serotonin levels, I found it made my tired in the mornings and figured my depression was more dopamine related rather than serotonin.

St. Johns Wort - I've heard good things about this and hearing it may work better than most anti-depressants from the drug company's. I think it works similar to 5-htp and treats serotonin symptoms which is why I don't really take it.

There's lots of research out there, and there may be a lot of trial and error to find what works. You should also not be afraid to talk to your doctor in that they might have a prescription that could really help you.

Also I must let you know that I am not a doctor and that depression can be a serious illness, It's up to you to find proper medical help if you feel that it may be affecting your life and that the stuff I listed here on this site has worked for me but will probably not work for everyone.
 
Supplements will not help major depressive disorder. If you don't want to use antidepressants, then you need to see a psychologist for therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
 
Not a doctor but Ive had the same problem and right now Im using SAMe and its helping a little. I havent tried anything else so I cant compare but the SAMe is helping for sure.
 
Wont same a supp cant help but I hope that you seek help from a qualified professional to help point yourself in the right direction. Also seek comfort and support in your friends and family if possible. Wish ya the best and Im sure the AM community is here to help you along your journey
 
1. Go see a doctor.
2. Make an appointment with your doctor.
3. Go visit a doctor.


Don't play around with this stuff. The last thing you want is to waste a few years trying to find a "solution" yourself. Because you won't, you'll find a band-aid solution.

And before you think your doctor will only give you drugs, counselling can be some of the best "medicine" for depression. Understand why you are depressed and THEN figure out how to solve it, not the other way around.
 
No offense to all responders, but op has said this is situational. No need to believe he has major depressive disorder.

Exercise can help for sure. Talk about what youre going thru with people whom you trust personal friends or if you can, professional counselors. In my experience, MD's hand out the scrips too easy. But, they can be necessary at times.

Vitamin D can help along with other nutritional components if youre defecient. Last resort should be anti depressant. Ive battled this before and still have occasional dysthymia. Its not always overcoming depression, its learning to manage it. If you're a Christian a good Christian counselor can help.

These are just suggestions if its truly situational. Not fixes. If you feel comfortable doing so, id be happy to do anything I could via pm.
 
good2Badawg said:
No offense to all responders, but op has said this is situational. No need to believe he has major depressive disorder.

Exercise can help for sure. Talk about what youre going thru with people whom you trust personal friends or if you can, professional counselors. In my experience, MD's hand out the scrips too easy. But, they can be necessary at times.

Vitamin D can help along with other nutritional components if youre defecient. Last resort should be anti depressant. Ive battled this before and still have occasional dysthymia. Its not always overcoming depression, its learning to manage it. If you're a Christian a good Christian counselor can help.

These are just suggestions if its truly situational. Not fixes. If you feel comfortable doing so, id be happy to do anything I could via pm.
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Only problem is you're assuming OP is telling the truth. Sometimes people don't want to believe they have a problem with anxiety/depression. Better safe than sorry.
 
Exercise
Vitamin D (preferably from sunlight)
5-HTP
Methyl B-Complex (Jarrow B-Right is good)
TMG (B-complex and TMG = poor man's SAMe)
 
rhoadx said:
Been going through a situational depression. Any supplements that may help with this. Don't want to take antidepressants
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Best advice is go to a doctor. Supplements that help may not be enough and no one wants to be depressed or deal with anxiety. Go to a doctor it's amazing at the help you can get.
 
There are natural SSRIs and but I think when dealing with depression it is best to seek the advice of a professional than trying to self treat it. A regular doctor would be able to give you a anti-depressant to make things better.

Since the depression is situation I would recommend seeing a therapist to get a better understanding of what is going on.
 
PuZo said:
Only problem is you're assuming OP is telling the truth. Sometimes people don't want to believe they have a problem with anxiety/depression. Better safe than sorry.
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I agree, some people are less than honest with themselves or unaware of what they are actually sufferng from. But, ill take him at face value. However, I also said "if this is truly situational"...

MD's in my experiences will listen to symptoms prescribe their best guess at an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety med or combo. I went this route. Hated life even more than I hated depression. Rather feel the pain than like an emotionless automaton.

After several months, it passed. Had to find ways to survive one day at a time. It was longest extent it ever set in, but i learned I have some mild to moderate anxiety and occassional dysthymia. Not something that cant be lived with, nor must be medicated. So, thats the route I took. And, to give credit where credit is due, my relationship with Christ was a tremendous anchor for me and helped maintain hope and some perspective.
 
Synapsin said:
Supplements will not help major depressive disorder. If you don't want to use antidepressants, then you need to see a psychologist for therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
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Best post ITT

Patuba said:
There are natural SSRIs and but I think when dealing with depression it is best to seek the advice of a professional than trying to self treat it. A regular doctor would be able to give you a anti-depressant to make things better.

Since the depression is situation I would recommend seeing a therapist to get a better understanding of what is going on.
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Name one natural SSRI
 
Not everybody wants to take antidepressants. Ive had many friends on them and from what ive heard from them, its not worth it. I have heard pretty much all of them feel dead inside, thats not a cure. A doctor will just push those pills, they make a lot of money on them and coming off is a bitch. One of my friends takes zoloft and sleeps 12 hours a day and is still tired. Another guy I knew killed himself while on them, so obviously they dont work imo.
 
I should of said there are natural SSRIs but products that are believed work on seratonin, I'm not sure if they are reuptake inhibitors or not.

I am sorry to hear about your friends. You need to find the best solution that works for you. If you are against anti-depressants then I would encourage you to see a therapist but that is up to you. I hope you find some remedy for your depression.
 
Having some experience with this:

1. People facing the issues as the OP are best served by figuring out what is going on emotionally, and then looking at alternative ways to deal with it. This can take place by self-directed reading, a counselor, or MD - or some combination thereof. MDs, IMO, will look to a pharmacological way of treating the symptoms, but those DO NOT ADDRESS the PROBLEM.
2. Self-directed reading is, IMO, always a good thing. We do not intuitively know certain things, and it may take a lot of hard work to figure out what the problem is, and what needs to be done to address it.
3. Some of the herbal/vitamin combinations may help address some of the symptoms, but the underlying issues have to be dealt with.
4. SSRIs are not magic, and some (like Paxil) have a rather NASTY withdrawal process.
5. I see nothing wrong with trying to deal with the symptoms OTC, with the understanding that it is not a proper evaluation.
6. If you do not have GOOD counselor (and you may only know that after you have had a BAD one), I suggest at least confiding in a close friend (who is a true friend), who will maintain confidentiality and give you healthy advice; again - this is hard to assess until you have some experience.

Good luck.

P.S. - While SSRIs are not magic, they CAN serve a purpose and allow you to temporarily deal with things that might otherwise be overwhelming. I do not agree that taking Paxil or Wellbutrin results in someone walking around in a zomby-like state. That simply is not true.
 
51FTY said:
Not everybody wants to take antidepressants. Ive had many friends on them and from what ive heard from them, its not worth it. I have heard pretty much all of them feel dead inside, thats not a cure. A doctor will just push those pills, they make a lot of money on them and coming off is a bitch. One of my friends takes zoloft and sleeps 12 hours a day and is still tired. Another guy I knew killed himself while on them, so obviously they dont work imo.
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i took zoloft for years at the max dose and felt anything but dead inside. i did really well on zoloft. i had only minimal sides the first week. i was a great drug for me. anti-depressants can make a huge positive difference if you find the right one. your friends clearly haven't. i wouldn't just go to your regular dr. either. they have virtually no training at all in mental issues and anti-depressants. they do what the drug reps tell them to do a lot of the time. i would see a phychiatrist.
 
A formula that seems to help:
Low dose Zoloft
Sam-E 200-400mg
Mucuna Pruriens 250-500mg
D3
omegas
St Johns.(I really prefer liquid form)
Folate rich foods(spinach)
long distance running
 
Matthersby said:
A formula that seems to help:
Low dose Zoloft
Sam-E 200-400mg
Mucuna Pruriens 250-500mg
D3
omegas
St Johns.(I really prefer liquid form)
Folate rich foods(spinach)
long distance running
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Great catch on the Omega 3. I completely forgot to list it.

SAMe is great, but pricey. Both SAMe and TMG raise SAMe (I believe methionine does as well). TMG and methionine are inexpensive. Re Methionine - there should be some caution. I have read that Methionine can increase the toxic amino acid homocysteine levels, especially without adequate B6, B12, folic acid intake. TMG may assist here also.

Here is a somewhat relevant link: Invalid Link Removed

More on TMG - Trimethylglycine (TMG), also known as betaine, is the amino acid, glycine, attached to three methyl (CH3) groups. When TMG donates a single methyl group, it is converted to dimethylglycine (DMG), which is then still capable of donating two methyl groups. These groups can be added to homocysteine, which is subsequently converted to methionine and, ultimately, to SAMe. TMG has been found to protect liver cells and lower homocysteine, and may also support healthy mood. In healthy volunteers with normal plasma homocysteine concentrations, TMG supplementation lowers plasma fasting homocysteine, dose-dependently, to as much as 20% with a 6g/d dose. It also reduces the increase in homocysteine after methionine loading by up to 50%.
 
rhoadx said:
thank you all for the replies. it does show how supportive of a community it is here on AM
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Hey, hope we can at least be an emcouragement to you as you go through this.

The most important thing I could stress is DO SOMETHING. You recognize somethings not well, just dont let it end there. Whether you take any or all of.our advice, youve started already getting help by just posting here. Keep fighting!

There is hope. You can feel better again and more importantly live with a sense of wellness and joy. It will probably take some time and a combination of things to get where you want to be, just dont give up.
 
You definitely should seek help from a professional when it comes to depression, but I know many people cant afford or dont feel that their symptoms are severe enough to spend the cash on one. I did have a little bit of depression at one time(caused by a bad breakup) and I was one who didnt have the money to seek help, so I did just get on St Johns Wort and it honestly did help a lot. Not sure if it was just cause I wanted it to and I got a placebo effect or what, but I did feel much better within days.
 
burpees said:
Yomimbe is great for depression.
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^LOLS that one made me laugh i cant believe some people took you seriously. That would be like saying Ephedrine,caffeine is great for anxiety. I hate straight yohimbe i cant think of one supp that makes me feel worst.
 
My way of dealing with depressions unhealthy old habits having a way of sneaking back into my life
 
If you really want to get to the root of this, do 23&me genetic testing, have a clinical nutritionist analyze your results, and try to resolve gut imbalances and folate deficiencies, amongst a few other genetic issues.
 
Matthersby said:
If you really want to get to the root of this, do 23&me genetic testing, have a clinical nutritionist analyze your results, and try to resolve gut imbalances and folate deficiencies, amongst a few other genetic issues.
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I am not sure if you have heard about this: Invalid Link Removed
 
ericool007 said:
^LOLS that one made me laugh i cant believe some people took you seriously. That would be like saying Ephedrine,caffeine is great for anxiety. I hate straight yohimbe i cant think of one supp that makes me feel worst.
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Sometimes the best remedy is laughter

Flew over some of the peoples head on here tho
 
Isn't rhodiola supposed to help with depression?
 
OP - how long ago did the event occur?

Everyone goes through some sort of event that causes bouts of depression in life. If it happened recently, give it some time. If its been several months with no improvement, then its time to seek help.

In my experience, the best treatment is speaking with a trusted person that has successfully overcome a similar experience. As others have suggested, it could be a friend, family, or therapist. Sometimes just talking about it will help. I've done this in the past and it has helped immensely.

Drugs, OTC or not, won't provide a long term solution.
 
Eliminate junk food
Soda
Gluten

And start going for nice jogs OUTSIDE listening to some positive music

Make short term goals and accomplish them , helps keep your mind Alittle occupy
 
Beau said:
I am not sure if you have heard about this: Invalid Link Removed
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Oh, absolutely.... I have 23&Me, MTHFR support, and a few others on my Facebook. They've been going crazy this last week with petitions to stop the FDA's bullying on the matter. Keeping the public sick and on meds makes ALOT of people very wealthy.
 
Matthersby said:
Oh, absolutely.... I have 23&Me, MTHFR support, and a few others on my Facebook. They've been going crazy this last week with petitions to stop the FDA's bullying on the matter. Keeping the public sick and on meds makes ALOT of people very wealthy.
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Yes, I believe the FDA and Big Pharma are incestuous, increasingly to the point of wanting to keep viable products and services at bay from people seeking to be responsible for their own health and well being.
 
Are we missing the point here. Isn't situational depression part of life; a psychologically healthy response to certain situations, for example a one sided termination of a relationship. Obviously its a different story when it comes to chronic depression.
 
That is important to remember, however even situational depression can lower serotonin et c. levels and a med or supplement to boost it, even just temporarily, is an accepted practice. Sometimes just a little nudge to help one get through the worst is more pragmatic than getting all of temporary stressors out of your life...ie, it has save my mother-in-law from me many times;)
 
saggy321 said:
Are we missing the point here. Isn't situational depression part of life; a psychologically healthy response to certain situations, for example a one sided termination of a relationship. Obviously its a different story when it comes to chronic depression.
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It is unless its an extreme case or not appropriately dealt with.
 
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