We all experience occasional sadness, but if your blues are persistent and you're baffled as to why, you may be one of the approximately 10% of Americans who suffer from depression.
The good news is that there is medicine to assist; fluoxetine, citalopram, and sertraline are just a few of the most often given antidepressants.
The bad news is that these potent, mind-altering medications come with a laundry list of unpleasant side effects, including anxiety, nausea, indigestion, diarrhea, sleeplessness, weight gain, and even impotence, despite their shown efficacy and relative safety.
Keep in mind that depression has the potential to be a very serious illness. Be sure to discuss your symptoms with your doctor before switching medications or using dietary supplements.
Looking for a natural remedy for depression may be on your mind if you are worried about these adverse effects. Three are listed below:
John's wort
It has long been known that the yellow-flowered plant Hypericum perforatum, also known as St. John's Wort, contains natural antidepressant properties.
Clinical studies have revealed that St. John's Wort, which has been used for centuries as a folk treatment for depression, acts on the brain similarly to the commonly prescribed SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) without the unpleasant side effects.
St. John's Wort is just as effective as SSRIs in treating mild to moderate depression, according to a large-scale scientific meta-analysis of 27 studies that tested it as an antidepressant in 2017. A more recent analysis of 26 meta-analyses found that St. John's Wort had significantly fewer side effects than SSRIs.
Saffron
The flavorful, crimson-colored spice derived from the saffron crocus is used by many chefs to enhance soups and stews, but can it also enhance your mental health? Research indicates that it could.
Saffron demonstrated clinical outcomes comparable to those of the antidepressant medication Fluoxetine, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by a group of Italian and Iranian scientists in 2018. As a result, saffron should be regarded as "a suitable and safer alternative to Fluoxetine."
Although research is still under progress, the early findings are promising. Just last year, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized scientific experiment demonstrated that giving 100mg of saffron daily to type 2 diabetes patients for 8 weeks not only "substantially" reduced sadness, but also "enhanced sleep quality and general quality of life"!
Curcumin
The authors of a recent article published in the peer-reviewed Planta Medica journal believe that this bright yellow powder made from the spice turmeric is one of the three most promising potential alternatives to prescription medications for treating depression. Despite its relative youth, turmeric is one of the most clinically studied natural antidepressants.
(St. John's Wort and saffron are the other two!)
A scientific evaluation of human studies published earlier this year highlighted that Curcumin has been well tolerated, with minor to no negative effects. Three novel Curcumin extracts have already been authorized by the FDA as "generally regarded as safe".
In six of the seven studies that were examined, "positive antidepressant effects" were documented.
Results were "promising in lowering psychiatric impairments" in a wide spectrum of mental health conditions, from depression to schizophrenia, according to a second, more comprehensive evaluation of 65 preclinical research, 15 clinical trials, and open-label studies conducted between 2005 and 2021.
Final Words of Advice
While there are pharmaceutical medications widely regarded as safe and helpful in treating depression, plant-based therapies are becoming more and more well-liked as natural alternatives with less side effects. Depression is a significant mental health problem that affects millions of Americans.
Nevertheless, before using any herbal treatments for depression, especially if you're already taking medicine or have a pre-existing medical problem, you should always talk to your doctor.
References:hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder-statistics
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032716315920
bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/8/e028527.long
dovepress.com/the-efficacy-of-crocus-sativus-saffron-versus-placebo-and-fluoxetine-i-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PRBM
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijcp.14334
thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/a-1517-6882
cfsanappsexternal.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/?set=GRASNotices&sort=GRN_No&order=DESC&startrow=1&type=basic&search=curcumin
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40263-022-00901-9
mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/2/353