B Vitamins
There are many B vitamins that are crucial for many reactions to take place in the body including making red blood cells and giving your body energy. B-Vitamins can be found in an array of foods such as eggs, chicken, fish, dairy, leafy greens, papaya, fruits, and vegetables.
How B Vitamins Can Help With Depression
While folate or folic acid is a B vitamin (B9), there are a few more important B Vitaminsinvolved in mood regulation, such as B1, B3, B6, and B12. All of these vitamins play an important role in the central nervous system, and a deficiency any of them can contribute to depression. Additionally, in a 2015 systematic review, long term use was found to decrease relapse into depression.
Pros
Taking B vitamins may contribute to a possible increase in mood, energy, cognition, and immunity.
Cons
There may be side effects from over-supplementation.
Contraindications
There are no known contraindications for B vitamins.
Side Effects
Large doses can cause flushing, nerve damage, impaired kidney function, heart conditions, and some drug interactions, such as fluorouracil, calcitriol, capecitabine, doxercalciferol, paricalcitol, and others.
Use
Most B-vitamins are packaged as a "B-complex" supplement, although you can get them individually as well. However, not all B-complex vitamins are created equal. Be sure to purchase one that contains 200mg choline, 100 percent biotin, folate, and B12. Additionally, if your B-complex vitamin already contains folate, there is no need to take an additional folate supplement.
How to Evaluate Claims About Natural Depression Cures
It can be difficult to figure out what is true and what is false when reading about health claims. Here are some tips on how to decide if the claims you're reading are valid:
- Use evidence-based articles, peer reviewed journals, or scientific studies to determine if a remedy claim is legitimate.
- Do not get your information off of social media like Facebook or Pinterest.
- Fact check your findings. Look for other studies that back up the information you found.
- Make sure the information you found isn't sponsored by a supplement or pharmaceutical company.
- Herbs and supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so be sure to choose reliable companies such as Pure Encapsulations, Xymogen, or Designs for Health.
- Any changes in supplementation should be discussed with physician prior to taking it. All herbs and supplements taken should be reported to your primary health care provider.
