Supplements and Depression

 

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over 8% of Americans suffer from clinical depression during any given 2 week period. That is over 2.5 million people. But that is 2016 data. Indications are that the numbers have risen substantially during the Covid era, especially among young people. Antidepressant use has skyrocketed since 1999, leading it to become one of the most popular types of pharmaceutical drugs in the U.S., with approximately one in six Americans using them.

Given all of that, it is not a big surprise that supplement manufacturers view it as a marketing bonanza. "11 Herbs and Supplements to Help Fight Depression" offers the Healthline Nutrition web site (a dicey place to get nutrition information). "Helps Support Emotional Health" says Country Life Omega 3 Mood supplement. Do any of these actually do anything more than empty your wallet?

In a 2021 study published in JAMA Network, researchers assigned over 18,000 adults to take a daily does of fish oil. None of the participants had experienced depression in the previous 2 years. After following the participants for 5 years, the risk of depression was found to be higher in the fish oil takers (although not a lot higher). The same trial also studied the use of Vitamin D - with similar results.

If you are or think you may be suffering from depression, don't depend on supplements to help you overcome it. Don't count on them to lower your risk of developing it either. No matter what the bottle says. See your doctor or a mental health professional. Exercise. But save your money.