Antidepressants are useless at beating depression

09 December 2009 This article appeared in What Doctors Don't Tell You.

Even though their annual sales are recorded in the billions of dollars, antidepressants aren’t doing their job. Most people with clinical depression aren’t being helped by the drugs, a new study has discovered. Researchers reckon that a brain protein called monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) is responsible for most cases of clinical depression, and yet they are not affected by the antidepressants. This would explain why earlier studies have discovered the drugs are useless in half of all cases of depression.
Early generations of antidepressants developed in the 1970s did target MAO-A proteins, but they were dropped because of adverse reactions, especially with some foods. Since then, antidepressant research has moved away from the MAO-A protein, and has produced drugs that are less effective. Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, who measured the effectiveness of antidepressants with the aid of advanced brain imaging technology, say that time has proved to be a better healer than the drugs, and many people with depression see the production of the protein normalise by itself. (Source: Archives of General Psychiatry, 2009; 66: 1304).

So what other options do you have?

Firstly, look at your diet. Eliminate caffeine and alcohol as they are both mood and hormone disruptors. Make sure you are getting plenty of Omega 3 in your diet by eating oily fish at least 3 times a week. Include protein foods such as dairy products, meats, fish, wheat, oats,which contain tyrosine, a precursor to the mood elevating compound dopamine. Have lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and eliminate junk/processed foods.

Take regular, gentle exercise to help generate serotonin the "feel good" hormone. As a precursor of serotonin, 5-HTP can be an effective way to increase serotonin levels and may be helpful in depression. St Johns Wort can be useful in cases of mild to moderate depression.

~Try talking therapies. Coaching or stress counselling can be a really useful way to help put your problems in a context where you can feel more in control. Make a habit of putting aside time daily to think about and be grateful for what's good about your life. Focus on the positive and what you want, rather than what you don't want.

You may find the Stress Solutions programme at www.myhealthnetwork.co.uk useful. It's full of information and ideas to help anyone lead a healthy, stress free life.