Anyone been on this with success?
I have been diagnosed 150mg a day by my GP (I'm in the UK) with a view to easing symptoms of depression which seem to be attached to my monthly cycle - worse a week before it's due and during cycle.

My GP is hopeful it'll restore my energy and attention before I go back in 3 weeks...
I love the idea of avoiding anti-d's but am really down at the moment and it's really affecting my life now.

Sounds like you have a very sensible GP.

The evidence for AD's is remarkably poor so correcting nutrient deficiencies is getting to the root of the problem. However other common nutrient deficiencies that are associated with depression are MAGNESIUM, Vitamin D3, zinc, and omega 3. Poor sleep doesn't help either and so MELATONIN may also help.

The magnesium, omega 3 and vitamin d3 are all anti inflammatory agents and these all work in the brain to reduce inflammation. (Not surprisingly many of the anti depressants also double as pain medication for their ability to reduce inflammation in the brain)

You can get a 25(OH)D test to check your vitamin D level from City Assays Blood Spot Test Kit Order Line Tel: +44 (0)121 507 4278 Monday - Friday 09.00 - 17.00 UK time �25 or �20 if you have friends/relatives and bulk buy.
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However if you haven't been supplementing with effective strength (5000iu) vitamin D3 over the winter then it's probably worth supplementing first and testing after 3months. Effective strength D3 is best sourced (cheapest) from IHERB/VITACOST or other US discount supplier although some of the amazon/ebay deals aren't too expensive.

Omega 3 probably requires over 1000mg of EPA + DHA daily to make much difference. Simply Supplements triple strength fish oil are probably the cheapest UK source particularly if you belong to the cashback site Quidco.

Magnesium is best sourced from an ALBION MINERAL CHELATE or you can use epsom salts or dead sea salts (magnesium sulphate or magnesium chloride) in your bathwater If you search this site for magnesium you'll find several other threads on which is the best source of magnesium. Obviously food sources are best but you still should more than meet the RDA and that can be difficult.

I think perhaps it's worth pointing out that correcting micro-nutrient deficiencies takes time and you cannot expect to feel better immediately. It took me several years to get my bipolar depression under control. allow 8~12 weeks to see any change from omega 3 vitamin D intakes and the benefits will go on incrementally for probably 2~3 years before your reserves are fully recharged.

The zinc is to improve melatonin production. (don't overdo the zinc)
Bright light exposure midday and subdued evening light and total darkness while you sleep also improve melatonin production. That also is best sourced from Time Release melatonin supplements from the USA (you can't buy it otc in UK)

I should perhaps have made the point that these suggestions are complementary to your doctors prescription and not instead of. These are the most common micro nutrient deficiencies that occur from modern diets and they all work together so the sum is greater than the parts.

Thanks so much. What a wonderfully comprehensive reply. Is it worth my asking my GP to do a blood count to see what I'm lacking in? I'd happily supplement to avoid Anti-D's - though I know they have a 'role' if I can find a source then overall it's better to sort this out. I am vegetarian so it is possible I am lacking in Omega 3, this isn't in my multi-vits either so I'll need to sort that out.

Many nuts are very rich in omega3. A couple of seeds are as well. Here is a list of foods highest in omega3.
https://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-...ml?maxCount=20

You should be more concerned about b12 and consider taking a supplement, even though you are a vegetarian. This should be your one exception. You will get some B12 from your probiotics (friendly bacteria), but not enough for your needs.

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- Jim
"The most powerful force ever known on this planet is human cooperation � a force for construction and destruction.� (Jonathan Haidt)

I expect your multivits use magnesium oxide which has a very low (4%) absorption rate. The amount of vitamin d needs to be far higher than any multi provides.
I think it's far better that you sort out your diet so your what you are eating/drinking provides most of your daily requirement.

So for magnesium you can use a calculator
Slow-Mag Daily Magnesium Calculator
or you can use Nutritional data


Magnesium UPdate

Magnesium official RDA

However I'm not a vegetarian and I cannot see how it's possible to meet all your health needs from vegetarian foods. I think that's why most people who claim to be veggies also eat a bit of chicken or fish from time to time. It also explains Why Do Most Vegetarians Go Back To Eating Meat?
For most people, vegetarianism is temporary phase. Why?

I really don't believe it's possible to get sufficient omega 3 from plant sources
our brains really need EPA and DHA and the amount of ALA(plant form of omega 3) that's converted to EPA is trivial and the amount that ends up as DHA is even less. It's possible to buy DHA from algae at a price but you've got to be fairly affluent to afford it as to get over 1000mg of EPA+DHA when each capsule probably only provides 200mg means 5 caps a day and they aren't cheap. Prescription grade molecularly distilled fish oil is much cheaper.

Depression Inflammation Link

While there is a vegetarian form of vitamin D Vitamin D(3)(from lanolin the oils from sheeps wool) is more potent than vitamin D(2)(from irradiated mushrooms) in humans. trouble is the D2 speeds up the rate at which the body disposes of vitamin D so some people end up taking ridiculous amounts because their body is getting rid of it almost faster than they consume it.

Thanks I have eaten fish occasionally in the past so have thought about this and am going to add fish once a week as a way of trying to up my intake naturally.
I am not happy to eat meat / fish too much as I stopped because it was making me feel sick to the point of gagging. I eat a lot of soya / quorn products but mostly for protein. and do eat eggs regularly.

Hi Jane I am also vegetarian, I do eat fish, and organic eggs once in a while, but I don't believe you have to eat meat to be healthy, so long as you get the right amount of vitamins and minerals. I have just recently had full blood tests done for vitamins minerals and other things, but the only thing that let me down was cholesterol, which was my own fault as I was starting to pig out on cakes and crisps, so I am now on a different diet, hoping to get it down.I don't take any medications, only supplements, and I feel great.
I have just recently started to avoid anything with sugar, or artificial sweeteners in it as much as possible not that I used artificial sweetners anyway, and I think that helps as well.
I use to buy a lot of soy products but have gone off them as well after watching Elaine Hollingsworths video.

Hi Ozzie thanks for your comments - it's helpful as reassurance. I will be asking my GP for a blood count. If it's not available through him I'll have a look at the private one suggested before. I would like to be sure I am not lacking and therefore causing myself the symptoms. I have been careful in what I eat and eat eggs often - ususally daily or every second day and most often as an omelette so 2 or 3 eggs at a time.

I go off soy products too but am not familiar with the video you mentioned.. maybe I shouldn't watch it at the moment lol. Watching a bi-fishing vid is what stopped my eating fish as often.

I will start watching my vits more and keep that up, I am a veggie who eats lots of veggies so always took that to be a good thing. (I also like cakes though.. ooops).

I take a b complex every day