We now have proof of what I've long suspected:
Antidepressants don't work.
That's bad news for the millions of Americans who suffer
from depression.
This condition can cause a depressed mood; loss of interest
or pleasure in most activities, including sex; fatigue;
sleep problems; feelings of hopelessness and helplessness;
and difficulty thinking and making decisions.
Women have a 10 to 25 percent risk and men a 5 to 12
percent risk of developing severe major depression in their
lifetime.
Depression has different causes. And each cause needs a
different approach to treatment.
Yet many people believe that antidepressants drugs are the
answer. Today, one in ten Americans takes an antidepressant.
Unfortunately, new research shows that they don't work and
have significant side effects.
In fact, most patients taking antidepressants either don't
respond or have only partial response.
And 86 percent of people who take these drugs have one or
more side effects, including sexual dysfunction, fatigue,
insomnia, loss of mental abilities, nausea, and weight gain.
No wonder half the people who try antidepressants
discontinue them after just 4 months.
Now let's talk more about this new research.
A report published in a recent issue of "The New England
Journal of Medicine" looked at 74 studies involving 12
drugs and over 12,000 people. Some of these studies were
published -- and some weren't.
You see, drug companies don't have to publish all the
results of their studies. They only publish those they want
to.
The report's researchers really had to dig to find these
unpublished studies. When they did, they found that 37 of
38 trials with positive results were published, while only
14 of 36 negative studies were published.
And the negative published studies were twisted to imply
the drugs worked when they didn't.
Now that really is depressing news -- and there's no easy
fix.
However, Functional Medicine, on which my approach of
UltraWellness is based, can help.
Functional Medicine doesn't rely on drugs to suppress
symptoms, but uncovers the root causes of depression.
Let me tell you about a few of my patients.
A 23-year-old woman had been on various antidepressants
throughout her childhood and adolescence. We discovered
that she had food allergies, which cause inflammation. And
recent studies suggest that inflammation may be related to
depression.
The patient eliminated her food allergies and her
depression disappeared. She was able to stop taking her
medication -- and she lost 30 pounds to boot.
A 37-year-old had depression that didn't respond to drugs,
plus fatigue and a 40-pound weight gain.
When we got the very high levels of mercury out of her
body, she soon became happy, thin, and full of energy.
And a 49-year-old man had taken antidepressants for years
but was still severely depressed.
We treated his severe deficiencies of vitamin B12, B6, and
folate. Now he's free of depression.
As you can see, antidepressants are not the answer.
We need different solutions.
Try the following measures to help alleviate depression.
They are based on Functional Medicine which is the
foundation of my practice and the core of UltraWellness.
1. Try an anti-inflammatory elimination diet that gets rid
of common food allergens.
2. Check for hypothyroidism.
3. Treat vitamin D deficiency with at least 2,000 to 5,000
U a day of vitamin D3.
4. Take omega-3 fats in the form of 1,000 to 2,000
milligrams (mg) a day of purified fish oil. Your brain is
made of up this fat.
5. Take adequate B12 (1,000 micrograms, or mcg, a day), B6
(25 mg) and folic acid (800 mcg).
6. Get checked for mercury.
7. Exercise vigorously five times a week for 30 minutes.
This increases levels of BDNF, a natural antidepressant in
your brain.
These are just of few of the easiest and most effective
things you can do to treat depression. But there are even
more, which you can address by simply working through the 7
Keys to UltraWellness.
References
(1) Turner EH et al. 2007. Selective publication of
antidepressant trials and its influence on apparent
efficacy. New England Journal of Medicine. 358: 252-260.
(2) Eaton WW, Kalaydjian A, Scharfstein DO, Mezuk B, Ding
Y. 2007. Prevalence and incidence of depressive disorder:
the Baltimore ECA follow-up, 1981-2004. Acta Psychiatr
Scand.116(3):182-188.
----------------------------------------------------
Mark Hyman, MD is a pioneer in functional medicine,
practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak
preview of his book "The UltraSimple Diet" is available.
See The UltraWellness Blog for more on Depression:
http://www.ultrawellness.com/blog/
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