Depression is more than feeling "blue" for a day or two. Clinical depression is triggered by a variety of emotional triggers and can last many months, often years. According to PBS.org, major depression affects approximately 15 million American adults, although the majority can be helped with therapy, medication or life changes. Depression results from disruptions in brain chemistry, both neurotransmitters and hormones. Some vitamins help regulate these chemicals and elevate mood. Depression is a serious clinical condition that can lead to suicidal behavior, so consultation with a medical professional is always recommended.
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1, or thiamine, is important for the metabolism of glucose into usable forms of energy for the brain. Without glucose and thiamine, the brain rapidly runs out of energy, which leads to fatigue, confusion, irritability, anxiety and depression, according to "Biochemistry of Human Nutrition." Diabetics who take too much insulin suffer from similar symptoms because not enough glucose remains in the blood to supply the brain. Thiamine deficiencies also cause memory problems and insomnia, which can compound depression.
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, is involved in cellular metabolism, but it is also required for the formation of a variety of hormones, the uptake of amino acids and the production of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a brain chemical that regulates mood and can mitigate feelings of anxiety and some types of depression, as cited in "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism." Pantothenic deficiency, although fairly rare, eventually leads to fatigue, anxiety and depression.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is essential for liberating glucose from amino acids and glycogen, which is used as fuel by the brain with the help of thiamine. Pyridoxine is also required for the synthesis of neurotransmitters and hormones used by the brain to communicate and regulate mood. Serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline are all chemicals that rely on pyridoxine for synthesis. According to "Human Biochemistry and Disease," serotonin regulates mood, stress tolerance, appetite, pain sensitivity and sleep cycles.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is important to the central nervous system because it is needed to produce myelin, the protective and insulative sheath surrounding neurons. Prolonged deficiency manifests in neurological dysfunction that is similar to symptoms experienced by those with Alzheimer's diseases, such as reduced cognition, faulty short-term memory and depression, as discussed in "Vitamins: Fundamental Aspects in Nutrition and Health."
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is more hormone-like in its functions and is important for healthy bones, strong immunity and mood regulation. Vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sun exposure is associated with seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, which manifests as depression and reduced cognition. A study published in a 2006 edition of the "American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry" discovered that vitamin D deficiency was linked with depressed mood and reduced cognitive performance in older men with mild degrees of Alzheimer's disease.
References
- PBS.org: Depression Statistics
- "Biochemistry of Human Nutrition"; George Gropper; 2000
- "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism: 5th Edition"; Sareen S. Gropper, et al.; 2009
- "Human Biochemistry and Disease"; Gerald Litwack; 2008
- "Vitamins: Fundamental Aspects in Nutrition and Health"; Gerald F. Combs, Jr.; 2008
- "American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry"; Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Low Mood and Worse Cognitive Performance in Older Adults; C.H. Watkins, et al; December 2006
