Study: Supplements Don’t Prevent Depression

By: Yassmine ElSayed

CAIRO, Mar. 6 (SEE) - A new study suggested that preventing depression isn't as simple as taking a dietary supplement every day, as people who took a multivitamin every day for a year were just as likely to develop depression as those who took a placebo.

The study, which was published in the journal JAMA, was spurred by earlier research suggesting that certain diets and low levels of certain nutrients are linked with a higher risk of depression.

"Diet and nutrition held promise as one means to reach large numbers of people" and potentially lower their risk of depression, study co-author Ed Watkins, a professor of experimental and applied clinical psychology at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, said in a statement. "However, this trial convincingly demonstrates that nutritional supplements do not help to prevent depression."

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

Feeling sad or having a depressed mood

Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed

Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting

Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

Loss of energy or increased fatigue

Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)

Feeling worthless or guilty

Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions

Thoughts of death or suicide

Symptoms must last at least two weeks for a diagnosis of depression.

Also, medical conditions (e.g., thyroid problems, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency) can mimic symptoms of depression so it is important to rule out general medical causes.

Depression can strike at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression. Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime.

Depression is different from sadness or grief/bereavement. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being “depressed.”

But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each inpidual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways:

- In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest (pleasure) are decreased for most of two weeks.

- In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common.

For some people, the death of a loved one can bring on major depression. Losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression for some people. When grief and depression co-exist, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression. Despite some overlap between grief and depression, they are different. Distinguishing between them can help people get the help, support or treatment they need.