Archive for the ‘Depression’ Category

Study links vitamin D deficiency to depression

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

A vitamin D deficiency is a symptom of many conditions, which now include depression, according to a new study in this week’s Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Of the 12,600 adults that participated in the study, researchers found that those who reported symptoms of depression had the lowest vitamin D levels. The connection to the condition is not yet definite, but the source suggests a reciprocal relationship.

“Vitamin D deficiency may result in depression, or depression may increase risk for low vitamin D levels,” WebMD reports.

The sun’s rays give off doses of vitamin D, therefore one scenario we can attribute the deficiency to is that depressed people may not spend enough time outdoors. This is true in the case of seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression. Sufferers are also apt to an unhealthy diet, which could lead to lower vitamin D levels as well.

Dr. E. Sherwood Brown, a researcher and professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, recommended that patients with depression get tested for low vitamin D and if needed, take supplements.

Patients may also want to consider adding more vitamin D-rich foods to their duet, such as fish and fortified dairy products, reports the news outlet.

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Migraines and depression may be linked, study says

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Researchers have discovered what may be a reflexive relationship between depression and migraines, reports The Huffington Post.

According to a new study published in Headache, those with migraines are 60 percent more likely to develop depression, and those suffering from the mental illness are 40 percent more likely to experience migraines.

While there is no clear “cause-and-effect” relationship, researcher Geeta Modgill of the University of Calgary says that something worth investigating is certainly going on with each condition.

The study was completed using the healh records of more than 15,000 Canadian patients over the course of 12 years, according to Medical News Today. The results support a previous study published in Neurology suggesting a genetic link between depression and migraines.

“People with migraines may be genetically predisposed to have depressive symptoms,” said the news provider.

Health information was taken from the Canadian National Population Health Survey between 1994 and 2006. Patients were assessed every two years from the start of the survey.

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Americans using antidepressants more than ever

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

Photo source: drugfreehomes.org

Antidepressant use is on the rise, as non-psychiatrists are increasingly prescribing the medications for conditions other than mental illness, according to HealthDay.

A recent study published in this month’s Health Affairs has found that many people are taking antidepressants like Lexapro, Paxil and Prozac for a number of other reasons besides a mental health diagnosis, making them the third most popularly prescribed drugs in the country. Researchers voiced concerns over whether doctors and their patients are aware of the risks that could come with use of a medication outside of its intended purpose.

“Both consumers and prescribers of antidepressants should be more knowledgeable about the indications (or symptoms) that antidepressants are better for,” Dr. Ramin Mojtabai, one of the study’s authors and associate professor of psychiatry at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told the news source. More than 10 percent of Americans currently take antidepressants, which he attributes to coping with the stresses of life. The doctor warns that there could be consequences in the long run that patients and their caregivers should take into consideration, such as withdrawal.

“Although these drugs do not have many acute side effects, there may be more long-term adverse effects. Pharmaceutical companies aren’t interested in long-term effects because they don’t need that for FDA approval,” Mojtabai told HealthDay.

The health records of more than 233,000 people from 1996 to 2007 were examined in the study. The data revealed a jump from 4 to 9 percent in the number of prescriptions written for antidepressants by non-psychiatrists, with 6.4 percent of patients suffering from a non-mental illness. Prescriptions for persons with a mental health diagnosis, such as depression, increased by 44 percent, reports the news provider.

Many of the individuals who used antidepressants during this time period without a mental health condition suffered from diabetes or heart disease, or complained of insomnia, sexual dysfunction and other issues.

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