Best Supplements For Depression?

[Makrosky]

I have tried most of those supplements; MB is really the only one I have not experimented at all. Dosage might be an issue. After experimenting a little while, most of the time I give up as I see no significant change. I took progesterone with high hopes. I had to take large dosages (25 drops 5-6 times a day) as otherwise I was having cramps in my uterus. In the meantime, I had an abnormal bone growth in my left foot, so I decided to stop and switched to pregnenolone. Currently I am taking about 500mg pregnenolone. Also i am on 4 grains of NDT ( with still low pulse and temperature).

I am taking Haidut's b vitamins. Maybe I need to raise the amount. B6 is the only one I didn't experimented in large dosage as I am scared that it might distort my sleep.

Theanine is the only thing that helps with my sleep, but if i take more than 100mg, it gives me a headache the next day, like a drunk feeling.

I was going to recommend what haidut and greg suggested. Don't forget tianeptine, it lowers stress like crazy. Low dose 1P-LSD twice per week can be also useful. Also check if you have endotoxin problems, it's quite common.

 

[Hugh Johnson]

What is the best way to deal with depression without increasing appetite?

Let me give you some background. I've always had a depressive personality, used Zoloft (SSRI) in the past ( and it help, or I thought it did at the time.) in the last few years, I am under serious stress: two young autistic kids, difficult relationship with husband, financial situation etc. i cannot change many of those things, at least in the near term. I am hypothyroid, suffering from insomnia, and many other problems.

The only way I am dealing with my situation is by eating. That is how I have always been. I have always been a bit overweight, chubby. I do not have a history of low carb- paleo etc. it is very hard for me to control my appetite when I am stressed and/or depressed. But it feels like things are getting out of control recently.

Is there a way to deal with depression without stimulating my appetite, like Zoloft did in the past?

Thanks

Are you sure you are depressed? A lot of doctors diagnose depression in people who are just responding to a bad situation. You seem to be in a really hard situation, so being stressed out and not feeling all that good seems like a natural response. If that is the case, trying to treat it like a depression, a disease, is not going to work. What could work is giving yourself more resources by improving your energy production and by improving your situation.

In any case, eating helps regardless of the cause. It lowers stress hormones. Haidut has posted a number of times about fat-free diets, and how the body does not really make fatty acids out of carbs. So it might be easier for you to simply restrict fat, while eating as much carbs as you feel like.

 

[sladerunner69]

I would say pregnenelone plus a high sugar diet with adequate protein are the essential factors here. Try to utilize therapies like bright light, meditation, vitamins that will blunt the stress response and help you overcome your own psychological barriers. With pregnenelone there are very few things that will ahve a detrimental impact on my stress levels, when speaking of environmental circumstances (test grades, females, work issues)

 

[StrongMom]

Are you sure you are depressed?

For sure I am stressed out! i am fighting this all myself. Nobody believes in what I am trying for my children. I am constantly being discouraged, yelled and let down by my close family and friends. In the meantime as I do not see much improvement I am losing hope. I don't know if that is technically called depression or not, but I feel down.

 

[thegiantess]

For sure I am stressed out! i am fighting this all myself. Nobody believes in what I am trying for my children. I am constantly being discouraged, yelled and let down by my close family and friends. In the meantime as I do not see much improvement I am losing hope. I don't know if that is technically called depression or not, but I feel down.

Gosh. I really feel for you, from one mom of young kids to another. I am sure none of this will be profoundly helpful, but just thought I would throw out some strategies that I use when stressed. I think the most essential supplement I take is magnesium. When stressed, 600 mg a day. You've tried the salted orange juice thing? And I know you said you are trying to steer clear of food, but a low calorie drink that helps me to sleep when I am stressed is lowfat milk, heated, with some honey/sugar and bit of cocoa. Take that with some Theanine and 600 of magnesium and it is very calming.

I can't imagine the sort of rabbit holes you have been down trying to figure out what is best or could possibly help for your kids. I know how isolating it can be when you don't have support from close family and friends on things that are important. When you have doubts, speak the truth to your heart that you know best for your kids.

 

[Hugh Johnson]

Nobody believes in what I am trying for my children. I am constantly being discouraged, yelled and let down by my close family and friends. In the meantime as I do not see much improvement I am losing hope.

For what it's worth, I believe you. Your primary problems does not seem to be you physiology.

About those people who mistreat you, are they giving you material support? Money, babysitting, place to stay in? If they are not, set boundaries or simply cut them out of your life. You have rights, and those people have no right to bully you. If you do set boundaries, you will likely be attacked, I hope you will see this video:

Codependency Recovery Stages. The Journey toward Healing and Self Love. Relationship Expert

Be careful, though, if you are financially dependant on the abusers.

Other than that, there might be support groups for single mothers, abused spouses, parents of autistic children or something like that where you might get psychological support and maybe arrange babysitting. Please, try to seek help, you are not supposed to go through life alone.

 

[StrongMom]

Thanks for the support everyone. Yes I need help and am extremely time constraint. I am constantly being asked why nobody in the world is doing what I am doing for my children, why medical doctors with years of education and experience do not treat autism the way I am treating. Sometimes the arguments and judgements are quite painful.

 

[misery guts]

Magnesium taurate or glycinate (200mg - 400mg daily) reversed major depression in less than 7 days. Glycine and taurine on their own also have these effects.

Hi Haidut,

Do you think Magnesium Bisglycinate would have a similar effect? Or one of the other cheaper magnesium supplements?

 

[haidut]

Hi Haidut,

Do you think Magnesium Bisglycinate would have a similar effect? Or one of the other cheaper magnesium supplements?

The magnesium bisglycinate is the more chemically accurate name for magnesium glycinate, so yes it should work. The study did not look at things like magnesium oxide or carbonate so not sure if they will have the same effects.

 

[nullredvector]

Tried antibiotics?

 

[misery guts]

The magnesium bisglycinate is the more chemically accurate name for magnesium glycinate, so yes it should work. The study did not look at things like magnesium oxide or carbonate so not sure if they will have the same effects.

Ah, ok. Out of interest, when we metabolize either the biglycinate or taurinate form of magnesium, does the glycine/taurine become avavilable to the body the way pure glycine/taurine would be? As in, are you effectively taking a magnesium AND glycine/taurine supplement with this formulation? And one other question.. I've been seeing calcium mentioned positively quite a lot in Peat's articles/elsewhere on the forums. Would you be willing to give a ballpark guess at what a reasonable measure of calcium should be supplemented along with 400mg of magnesium glycinate?

Tried antibiotics?

Edit: actually I'm going to make a new thread about this!

 

[haidut]

Ah, ok. Out of interest, when we metabolize either the biglycinate or taurinate form of magnesium, does the glycine/taurine become avavilable to the body the way pure glycine/taurine would be? As in, are you effectively taking a magnesium AND glycine/taurine supplement with this formulation? And one other question.. I've been seeing calcium mentioned positively quite a lot in Peat's articles/elsewhere on the forums. Would you be willing to give a ballpark guess at what a reasonable measure of calcium should be supplemented along with 400mg of magnesium glycinate?



Edit: actually I'm going to make a new thread about this!

Yes, you are getting taurine/glycine when you take the respective magnesium salt. The calcium can be taken liberally, but I think about 2,000mg daily was shown to have optimal effects on metabolism. Higher doses did not increase respiration more but the higher dose may have even more potent effect on things like prolactin and PTH.

 

[Mmmaurshmallows]

I can only imagine what kind of stress you are under, and I don't pretend to know as much as some here on this forum do regarding depression. But I can reassure you that your desire to eat when you feel depressed is actually a good thing. Your body knows that it needs something (maybe a b vitamin) to combat the depression. So I'd let myself eat whatever it is I am craving when depressed (keeping it as peaty as I could) and not stress out even more than you are now about overeating. A non-depressed person has a good appetite, so even having an appetite is a sign that your depression is fixable. Whatever you do, don't worry about weight gain. You may not be as chubby as you think you are. We are all of us living in a society that glamorizes extreme thinness. And I'll end this by saying what I say so often on this forum (especially to women) sugar, sugar, sugar. It's a wonderful thing:)

"Sugar, sugar, sugar...it's a wonderful thing"

 

[Mmmaurshmallows]

What about sunlight or just walking in a nice green environment full of nature.
Just try to take your children and husband and do something together outside of your four walls.
Sunlight in combination with nature is such a powerful calming inherited supplement, try to take it. Being sourrended by nice people will also work wonders.
I would consider facing your own mental problems first, supplements may support some kind of wellbeing, but if you don't deal with the black hole in the depths of your soul, it will always prevent you from being happy and healthy.
Keep it up

:10

"What about sunlight or just walking in a nice green environment full of nature."

...sounds lovely!

 

[Mmmaurshmallows]

Aside from the diet, which you probably already do properly, a few supplements have been studies successfully for depression in humans. Methylene blue reversed both unipolar and bipolar depression in as little as 2 weeks in doses of 15mg daily. Magnesium taurate or glycinate (200mg - 400mg daily) reversed major depression in less than 7 days. Glycine and taurine on their own also have these effects. Thiamine (B1), pyridoxal (B6) and niacinamide (B3) have profound anti-stress action and have also been found to reverse some cases of depression. The amino acid theanine seems capable of reversing conditions related to PTSD and childhood trauma (including sexual abuse) in doses of 400mg - 800 daily. Given its anti-serotoin effects and the mandatory role of serotonin for the formation of any traumatic memory, this is not surprising. Theanine is also glutamate antagonist and the glutamaatergic system is upregulated in depression. Substances that lower cortisol can also reverse depression, so vitamin B6, glycine, DHEA, pregnenolone, progesterone, etc can all help.
There are tons of pharma drugs that can help as well, mostly the ones that oppose serotonin and/or promote dopamine.

Hey Dude!
Thanks again for sharing some great advice! This ones getting bookmarked and shared!

 

[Mmmaurshmallows]

For sure I am stressed out! i am fighting this all myself. Nobody believes in what I am trying for my children. I am constantly being discouraged, yelled and let down by my close family and friends. In the meantime as I do not see much improvement I am losing hope. I don't know if that is technically called depression or not, but I feel down.

Sounds like you're doing a great job and working hard trying to turn things around for you and your sons, in spite of all the many challenges you are faced with. And dealing with the medical and school, etc establishment, especially when it comes to kids, I can only imagine the flack you're getting.
As a nutritionist I share lots of unconventional nutrition and medical info with people alot, including to nurses (they can be some of the hardest to talk to). And since I know I'm right...and most importantly...taking these important opportunities to help change minds and make a difference...I just speak with authority, and don't back down.
This is your life and your children and you're doing what any tiger mother would do, protect her cubs at all cost. I applaud you.
Like Marikay said...sugar, sugar, sugar! My bedtime pills are 2 homemade marshmallows dipped in a little salt. Very kid friendly!

 

[haidut]

Hey Dude!
Thanks again for sharing some great advice! This ones getting bookmarked and shared!

Thanks, and I just found out that another pro-Peat supplement has very strong track record in treating depression and at quite low doses. The supplement is inosine and I will be posting on that soon. The human equivalent doses for depression were as little as 100mg daily for 4 weeks. The effects increased up to 1,500mg daily. Inosine is an adenosine receptor agonist and as such can be helpful for pretty much any condition that involves neuroexcitotoxicity. It is being studied right now in humans for Parkinson disease and TBI.

 

[blackkzeus]

Watch out for Inosine. It's supposedly a good cognitive enhancer but can cause Kidney stones Uric Acid and Inosine Increases IQ, Productivity and Lifespan - Selfhacked

 

[kaybb]

I just realized (from another thread) that @StressedMom's kids are very young. So I take back to ProgestE suggestion. I do think that a sugar solution (one part sugar, one part heated water with a pinch of salt) is an excellent thing to add to apple juice, milk, oj, etc. You can also give it to them by the spoonful. They'll love it. And I wouldn't push any vegetables on them (save for a few baby carrots if they can handle them).

In your opinion what is wrong with offering the vegetables ? I have a friend in this same situation so I am gather info.

 

[marikay]

In your opinion what is wrong with offering the vegetables ? I have a friend in this same situation so I am gather info.

Digestion problems often accompany vegetables in young children and, except for carrots, vegetables provide very lithe benefit. Sugar with a little salt is very calming and kids love it.