Nutrition and depression

**JJson** · Posted On: 9/04/2007 11:38pm

Is there any link between nutrition and depression? Are there any nutrients which will improve mood? There are websites which say St John's Wort is a good natural suppliment which helps people with minor depression. Does it work?

**Bry** · Posted On: 9/05/2007 9:32am

JJSon

There can be a link to depression and nutrition. I say can because my limited knowledge of depression tells me there are different kinds and different causes.

I know there is research that has shown Omega 3 fatty acids can help. Google search Omega 3 fatty acids and benefits. Also certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies can affect your mood.

I really depends on what kind of depression you have. Have you been diagnosed? or is it more of a recent feeling.

Stress can also cause depression, so finding a good stress reliever is of value, but then again a healthy diet can help alleviate stress.

If you are truly interested in this topic, do some google searches and see what you come up with. Then bring it back here to discuss, or take it to your doctor and ask questions.

Bry

**Vulgar42Ox** · Posted On: 9/05/2007 10:18pm

theres certainly a link between nutrition and depression. since the internet's completely anonnymous im comfortable saying i've commited suicide and was dead technically for 30 seconds. being through all the depression treatment on top of the hardcore medication most doctors reccomended to me, Omega 3's, fish oil, standard multivitamin, and b12. but if your depression is serious consult someone before it gets horrible, or private message me because im more then willing to talk to anyone going through what i went through .

**kwoww** · Posted On: 9/05/2007 10:21pm

A good diet will in general give you more energy, especially since depressed people can feel a lack of motivation or listlessness (I used to be one of those people, I should know).

Also, a good diet will make you look healthier which could lead to a self-esteem boost.

**new2bjj** · Posted On: 9/05/2007 10:37pm

Dude, see a doctor. Also, get a lot of exercise, and are you using drugs or alcohol to cope with things? If you are using drugs and booze, all the vitamins in the world aren't going to counter act the drugs/booze. Also, if you are getting high, things like prozac, etc, are ineffective. make sure that you are hanging around people that have a positive influence, not just comiserating.
Any way, good luck.

**JJson** · Posted On: 9/06/2007 12:37am

I don't do drugs or smoke or anything like that.

I feel a lack of energy. Sometimes I am fatigued for no reason. I work by the computer for a couple hours and feel dead tired and want to take a nap. One person said it is the monitor causing eye strain and to switch to a LCD because it is easier on the eyes.

The reason I asked about nutrition is because my eating consists of fast food or pre-packaged foods. Not very much home made food. I probably drink too much soda. I get a second wind at night and have a hard time falling asleep. Mornings are horrible for me. It takes me two hours to feel awake.

I want to try some natural suppliments to see if they work. I will try the Omega 3 tablets and a multivitamin.

**RunningDog** · Posted On: 9/06/2007 12:53am

Originally Posted by JJson

The reason I asked about nutrition is because my eating consists of fast food or pre-packaged foods. Not very much home made food. I probably drink too much soda. I get a second wind at night and have a hard time falling asleep. Mornings are horrible for me. It takes me two hours to feel awake.

I normally have a very healthy diet, wholegrains, fresh veg, lean meat, fruit for snacks, yadda yadda yadda.
Sometimes this lapses for a while, I eat takeaways for a week or two, and very soon I start to feel like you described - fitness levels drop, so does concentration span and general motivation.
Anecdotal evidence, yes, but backed up by about 5000 scientific studies. You know what you need to do, you just need to find the motivation to do it (tricky when your motivation's depressed by eating crap all the time). Good luck.

**new2bjj** · Posted On: 9/06/2007 1:16am

If you drink and eat fast food all the time, you will be miserable. All that high fructose corn syrup is like a drug. I just wanted to make sure it was nothing to severe. Anyway, eat whole foods, complex carbs, etc- don't eat crap and then take supplements. The crap will win.

**JJson** · Posted On: 9/06/2007 1:36am

Originally Posted by new2bjj

If you drink and eat fast food all the time, you will be miserable. All that high fructose corn syrup is like a drug. I just wanted to make sure it was nothing to severe. Anyway, eat whole foods, complex carbs, etc- don't eat crap and then take supplements. The crap will win.

I've heard really bad things about high fructose corn syrup. Why do fast food places mix it into everything? Why can't a hamburger be beef and two slices of bread?

The one nutrient which can make me feel like crap is iron. I started reading labels and most of the pre-packaged food has iron even when there are no other nutrients in the food. Too much iron and I get winded faster than if I have no iron.

I think I have a George Foreman grill laying around. I'm going to try cooking fish on it tomorrow for dinner. I hope it does not taste like rubber.

**Asriel** · Posted On: 9/06/2007 3:30am

Fructose is twice as sweet as Glucose so they only have to put in half as much.

I don't know if that is the reason but it certainly makes sense. As the others have said, if you're living on fast food and soda, that will more than likely be the cause of your problems. You're basically poisoning your body.

You need to eat things like fresh Veg, low GI foods, fruit etc. Check out www.myprotein.co.uk and go to their nutrition forum. You'll pick up a lot of useful info from there.