Nutritional Treatment for Depression

Nutritional deficiency can hamper the functioning of neurotransmitters and this can lead to depression. Deficiency in serotonin, an essential biogenic amine in neurotransmission, is seen as a prime cause for depression. Certain amino acids have properties similar to neurotransmitters and supplementation of these amino acids is a treatment for anxiety and depression.

Nutritional treatment for depression mainly focuses on replenishing the nutrients through dietary changes, vitamin and mineral supplementation and treatment with specific amino acids. Several studies have pointed out that nutritional treatment can reduce depression considerably, when complemented with other important forms of treatment. Certain mild forms of depression can be solved with nutritional treatment. In several cases, supplementation of amino acids is seen as an alternative to antidepressant drugs.