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Detox & Depression
Depression is increasingly recognized as a complex, multisystemic condition that extends well beyond neurotransmitter imbalance. Growing evidence reveals a compelling connection between compromised detoxification pathways and the development of depressive symptoms, suggesting that reduced capacity to eliminate toxins can drive systemic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and neurochemical alterations. This evolving perspective broadens understanding of depression’s underlying…
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Hypothyroidism & Depression
We have previously reported on the strong link between hypothyroidism and depression. A new study published in the International Journal of Academic Medicine and Pharmacy adds more data to this association. The study sought to determine the correlation between thyroid dysfunction and depression severity among 300 patients at a psychiatry outpatient clinic who were diagnosed…
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Depression & the Microbiome
Results of a small pilot study published in May 2023 in Neuroscience explored connections between the gut microbiome and depression among young adults. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on stool samples from 40 young adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 42 healthy controls, with results controlled for multiple confounders, including demographics, alcohol or cigarette…
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Probiotics & Depression
JAMA Psychiatry recently published the results of a small randomized clinical trial evaluating the use of probiotics as an adjunctive treatment for inadequately controlled depression. Set in London, 50 outpatients with a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) score greater than 13 (indicating at least mild depression)…
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Processed Foods & Risk for Depression
Analysis of a cohort study evaluating the association between the consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) and depression was recently published in JAMA Network Open. UPF refers to energy-dense and micronutrient-poor packaged products, generally rich in fat, sugar, and salt. This prospective study was conducted within the Nurses’ Health Study II, between 2003 to 2017, and…
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Is there a Link Between Thyroid & Depression?
“The involvement of the thyroid gland and thyroid hormones is generally believed to be important in the aetiopathogenesis of major depression. […] Augmentation of antidepressant therapy with the co-administration of thyroid hormones (mainly T3) is a well-documented treatment option for refractory depressed patients.” (Source)
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Depression: Could Bacteria be a Culprit?
Recent research has revealed that the microbiome that lives in the digestive tract may play a significant role in depression.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month | Plus 3 Key Tools to Thrive
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, both in the US and UK, drawing attention to the importance of mental health in all areas of life. The event is a step in removing the stigma surrounding mental health, so that people can reach out and get the much-needed help they require.
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Researchers Pinpoint 6 Genes Linked to Mental Health
A new report that studied genetic variants linked to mental health was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry on January 7, 2020, documenting the results of a large genome-wide analysis of 200,000 military veterans. The study led by Joel Gelernter, the Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry, professor of genetics and of neuroscience at Yale…
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Lighten Up with Lithium
Lithium (Li) or “lithos” from the Greek word for “stone” was discovered in 1817 by Johan Arfvedson of Sweden. Lithium is usually sourced from hard rock mineral mining or extraction from mineral-rich brines. Current literature also explores agro-mining using plants to abstract the trace element from the soil, which accumulates in the above ground parts…