Originally published February 23 2005
Certain foods help fight depression, says new study; salmon and walnuts among items named
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Certain foods that contain high quantities of omega-3 fatty acids and/or a nutrient called uridine, such as salmon, herring, walnuts, sugar beets, and beet molasses, may have natural depression-fighting qualities, according to a research report published in Biological Psychiatry. Scientists have long known that nations consuming large quantities of fish had low levels of both heart problems and clinical depression.
Could your next meal help relieve depression?
Perhaps, if the menu includes fatty fish like salmon or herring fish, walnuts, sugar beets or beet molasses.
Those foods contain substances that had an antidepressant effect in tests on rats, researchers report in the Feb. 15 issue of Biological Psychiatry.
The substances are omega-3 fatty acids (search) and uridine (search).
Abundant omega-3 fatty acids are found in certain fish --- especially in fatty fish like salmon and herring --- as well as walnuts and flaxseed.
Studies have found that societies that eat lots of fish have lower depression rates, possibly due to omega-3 fatty acids.
But in America, where fish isn't a dietary staple, depression is common.
Nearly 19 million people per year in the U.S. have depression, says the National Institute of Mental Health (search).
The new study comes from William Carlezon Jr., PhD, and colleagues from McLean Hospital's psychiatry department.
Lastly, they tried combining lower doses of both uridine and omega-3 fatty acids.
The rats stopped acting helpless and did their best, even though the test was still stacked against them.
The uridine injections acted right away, but the omega-3 fatty acids took 30 days to kick in.
That's about as long as it takes for people to get depression relief from many antidepressant drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (search) (SSRIs), say the researchers.
Any supplements added to your regular medications have the potential to cause a serious interaction, so check with your health care provider to make sure it's safe.
As for uridine, sugar beets and beet molasses are food sources.
Diet may be one piece of the puzzle, but depression is too serious to handle on your own.
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