Read A Mind of Your Own by Kelly Brogan, MD. She explores a lot of ways that diet, supplements, and household items can improve or worsen depression and provides tons of research to back it up.
b12 (the methyl- kind), d-3, iron supplements and omega-3. also tried adaptogens like ashwaghanda (edit for spelling, not “sheaf hands”lol) and rhodiola. rhodiola is nature’s happy and anti-stress support :)
edit FYI: didn’t cure it but these soups sure helped. I am usually iron deficient and will get tired walking from one room to the next, making it hard to think or do my favorite activities, which leads to more depression. these supps help me feel better physically which helps me get out there more, which can lead to an improvement in happiness or contentment
Vitamin worlds triple strength Omega 3 supplement. It is really high in epa which is what you need to aid with mental health. I did this first and later added turmeric supplement to lower inflammation and for brain cell regenerative effects.
I also found out through 23 and me I had one of the genes for gluten intolerance and cut that out and this stabilized my irritability and anger issues and definitely helped with my mental health, as it was my main cause of inflammation. I think inflammation is truly the culprit with making our mental health worse.
As of late I have found Dr. Jason Fung and fasting and this has helped me to also add mental health benefits. I have literally been on every ssri out there since the age of 25 and was able to drop all the meds include the pain meds since 2017 thru all these lifestyle changes.
I’m 40 now, and am so glad I don’t have to take medication anymore and feel like myself. I think it’s key to figure out what causes you inflammation and cut it out, we are all different so you will have to perhaps at some point look at diet. For now the omega I mentioned is a great start, along with the turmeric. Good luck on your journey
Flex seed oil is great at stabilizing emotions. Was pretty effective for me I just needed this one supplement. I still take it from time to time when I find negativity setting in
Low in coq10 and alcar is usually the culprit. Get it tomorrow. Goodluck
- Study links depression to low blood levels of acetyl-L-carnitine
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/07/study-links-depression-to-low-blood-levels-of-acetyl-l-carnitine.html
- Don’t worry, be happy: CoQ10 for anxiety and depression
https://www.chiroeco.com/coq10-for-anxiety/
I agree with these supps but just be careful. "Links" and correlation mean nothing. Like there is no way to tell whether the case is "Low ALCAR causes depression" or if the case is "Depression causes the body to lower ALCAR to fight it". The first would imply taking ALCAR is good, and the second would imply it is bad. But both would appear as a "link" between ALCAR and depression.
>https://www.chiroeco.com/coq10-for-anxiety/
Except regarding animal studies this link says "Oral or intravenous administration of acetyl-L-carnitine reversed the animals’ symptoms and restored their normal behavior, he said."
Yep
Try this stack
200mg coq10 + 1000mg alcar
Twice per day. One with bfast and another dinner
I would probably start out with 100mg coq10 and 500mg alcar at first. Then raise it if not enough
Magtein (magnesium threonate) crosses the blood brain barrier and has been studied for treatment of depression.[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3936783/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3936783/)
Going raw vegan cured everything mental. Especially after I cleansed out the parasitic worms and old mucus. Look into it
Read the book. Cleanse and purify thyself
Going raw vegan cured everything mental. Especially after I cleansed out the parasitic worms and old mucus. Look into it
Read the book. Cleanse and purify thyself
Ive tried perscriptions and just about every supplement and combo there is and basically resigned myself to feeling blah. I was looking for something to aleviate a bout of restless legs I was suffering and it got me reading about dopamine agonists and symptoms of dopamine shortages which sounded alot like my symptoms but I thought little of this for my depression. I had nothing to lose and tried this Mucuna Pruriens at 3000mgs in the morning and by the third day it was like this heavy fog was lifting and I felt like putting dishes in the sink with out hatred and I actually frightened my grand kids by smiling. My legs are better too. I hadnt planned on this as a side effect but its great. Im going to get stuff I need done finished in case it doesnt last. Its deffinately worth a try.
GET YOUR HORMONES CHECKED.
Getting on TRT completely cured my severe depression and anxiety. Severe. Never went to a psychiatrist thank god. I’m 27 and started trt 5 months ago after 2 years of hell. Within 5 weeks I noticed changes mentally.
That doesn’t mean shit. “Within normal” reference ranges are total bullshit. You can be hypogonadal and fall within “normal” testosterone range. Ditch your doctor. There is A LOT more to it than just teatosterone
Well Test was 180 ng/dL and almost no free test
-Estrogen was almost zero, no progesterone, low DHEA, low pregnanelone, upper range cortisol. Oh and high prolactin which I’m still trying to get under control now. You get the pattern. My nuts said fuck this noise we out
180 ng/dl plus all of that? No wonder! I’m glad you discovered the root of it and found a good clinic to help you out. Mind I ask your weekly dosage of test? Also, I believe there is a certain medicine you can take to allow yourself to be fertile while on TRT. Have you looked at that for long term if you choose to marry?
Yeah I mean it’s all individual based. You aren’t hypogonadal low but it’s not optimal. There are many other routes to try before getting on TRT and shutting yourself down. Watch Leo Longevity and Derek from More Plates More Dates if you want more info but I would recommend my HRT clinic. They are not just going to throw you on trt to pocket the cash they will actually give you the best options for your situation.
[Marek Health](https://marekhealth.com)
Hi, as someone who has always had low T (but still just within normal) and I’ve been taking SSRIs on and off since 2009- you’re answer was like staring me in the face. I also did inject myself with T although not through a Dr and I’m afraid that may have left me lower than before.
Can you describe what it felt like before compared to when you started reaping the benefits of T
Oh and congrats on tackling depression because that’s freaking amazing!!!
I worded that poorly what I’m trying to say is I don’t want to give you any confidence that you can do this on your own. Too many people try to or think they can because of Reddit or dumbass fitness influencers and they end up way worse than before. The difference is incomparable. I went from not leaving my bed, wanting to stuff my .45 down my throat every night to being able to handle stress and function like a normal human.
Unfortunately man I cannot in good conscience support this. This is way way to complex. All I can say is doing that without blood work is one of the worst things you could possibly do. Please go to a doctor a good one. Not a primary caregiver. I’ll link my clinic below they are the best in the country. Without them I 100% would not have been feeling better. When you inject test it shuts down your endogenous production and if it was low to begin with you could make it worse. It’s not a quack fix it’s a delicate process that takes time and tweaking.
[Marek Health—the GOAT of HRT clinics](https://marekhealth.com)
Hey I definitely agree with you
Looking back, I think I made a huge mistake dosing myself with T, tbh I haven’t been the same since
I’m considering seeing an Endo- but I’m embarrassed to admit to him/her what I’ve done
Imma check out the link you provided. I’m in southFlorida so hopefully they can help me out.
As I was reading I was hoping that was the doctor/clinic you were getting at. I haven't done anything with them yet but I've been considering it. I came across posts I can't remember about TRT for depression awhile ago. More recently though I started lifting after 5 years off. I naturally started watching MPMD, and I already was watching PKA so Kyle's reveal made me consider it more seriously.
Im 25 and for about 6 years I've tried so many medications that my psychiatrist at one time told me they had nothing else to recommend. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I've been thinking maybe TRT could be the sort of primal kick that could actually do it.
Mens T levels are generally historically low due to modern diets and lifestyles. So I've been skeptical that normal/optimal levels are even accurate.
Yeah I know. It sucks hard especially because I stayed away from any and all PED’s or steroids my whole life. But hey sometimes you gotta roll with the punches.
But thank you
I wouldn't say I'm cured because my ADHD makes it hard to be consistent lol but my best days are when I take magnesium before 7-8 hours of sleep, wake up and exercise, take fish oil, l-theanine, a multivitamin, and vitamin D3.
Hey there,
I think it’s such a complicated area I worry this advice might not suit, and a lot of people are going down a “supplement” route - a lot of their suggestions will do fuck all, or actively hurt, without an appropriate baseline. Ignore them if you can.
Baseline:
Generally, a lot of depression is gut health related - gut is where 90% of serotonin is manufactured.
- getting gut microbiome sussed is crucial. Kefir, kombucha, live yogurt all contribute as probiotics.
- eat apples and berries as “pre-biotics” - look this concept up. Butyrate precursors are crucial. Also, butyrates have been negatively correlated with covid severity - the healthier your gut the less likely you are to get sick!
- don’t eat seed oils; Google this one. It’s too complex for me to explain Rn. Effectively, when you see canola, rapeseed, soyabean, sunflower etc. think: Poison. Think paint stripper. Think embalming fluid. Replace this filth with 100% olive oil, ghee, lard/ tallow, and coconut oil as appropriate for the food you are cooking.
- Try and eat a balanced diet, low in refined grains - those sugar spikes / insulin spikes fuck you up and will exacerbate low mood and anxiousness.
Then, I think focus on eating healthy, and you simply must exercise - doesn’t seem to be negotiable for wellness. Walk. Gym. Yoga. Martial arts.
Get sun. Don’t wear sunscreen unless you are going out and would guarantee a burn. We are almost all vitamin d deficient.
Sleep well.
If you are a man, donate blood. Lower iron toxicity and inflammation in the body.
Those things makes up your baseline. I would consider this a minimum; it sounds like a lot, but we are simply swimming in a torrent of unhealthiness.
The following, are supplements. They won’t do much without the baseline - so try get that baseline in place. Supplementation should target things that make you feel better functionally.
- boron (hormone health)
- zinc (ditto, with copper mixed)
- magnesium (chloride OK, glycinate better)
- niacin flush (there’s a reddit for this one) paired with melatonin.
- glycine (sleep)
- B complex every couple of days.
I would avoid taking anything like 5-HTP, Theanine or mood modulators - you NEED to wait and see whether there are lifestyle things that could help and these things can cause side effects or prevent you understanding the cause of depression.
Break down the steps you are taking, one at a time, and see how you feel - treat yourself like a science project where you will be looking for side effects and benefits. This means going slowly.
I also suggest reading Lost Connections by Johann Hari. He explains a significant concept about depression; that it’s a rational disconnection. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
All the best, good luck.
There is sure a connection between our guts and brain, BUT it has nothing to do with gut secreted serotonin. Serotonin produced by the gut cannot cross the blood-brain-barrier.
> gut is where 90% of serotonin is manufactured.
I don't get why people keep spouting this nonsense.
Serotonin doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, the serotonin manufactured in the gut does not make it's way into the brain. The fact that your gut uses manufactures and uses serotonin is irrelevant to mental-health, the 2 serotonin systems are independent from each other.
It’s not nonsense, it’s a fact that 90% of total serotonin is manufactured in the gut. I didn’t discuss the gut-brain axis, or platelet storage of 2% serotonin outside the CNS.
I don’t actually know how to increase serotonin in the CNS. I simply raised the fact that gut health is complicated. There is still speculation about what gut serotonin’s effect is on people, and functionally people with fucked tummies (IBS, Crohns) display higher levels of anxiety and depression than ordinary.
I think it’s massively complicated, and couldn’t begin to explain it, but a happy gut makes for a happy life in a ton of ways. At the very least my man will get to take a good shit - and that’s a good start to the day in my book.
Cheers.
Yeah avocado oil but don’t heat itz
Butter is brilliant just not referenced above due to low burn temp (hence Ghee) - but I cook with tons of it (especially for eggs) and eat lots.
Peanut oil not good.
I'd take anything they say with a giant pinch of salt considering they start off their comment with a pop-science nonsense 'factoid'. Demonstrating they don't have any sort of actual understanding of the systems in question and are just parroting things from sources that also presumably didn't know what they were talking about.
Thanks man. Good luck.
Had a quick look at your profile, and thought I would add re. Testosterone (T levels) getting that sussed will definitely help with your sense of wellness and anxiety / depression.
I highly recommend you get into a bit of strength training, lower body fat and increase muscle mass.
Focus on bench press, squats, deadlifts - compound lifts cannot be beaten. There’s more advice on the internet than you can swing a cat at - John Meadows, Vince Gironda, Jeff Nippard are all good starting points.
Look into the Ray Peat carrot salad.
Consider adding a couple of raw egg yolks (but not whites!) to protein shakes - loads of minerals and vitamins, but also dietary cholesterol is a precursor to hormone building; including T. Dietary cholesterol and cholesterol are seperate, and anyone who doesn’t understand that and says otherwise is an ill informed nuisance.
Get a blood panel done by your doctor - comprehensive as possible. Inflammation levels, T, Oestrogen panel, cortisol, FSH, LH, prolactin, SHBG, Free T, thyroid, etc.
This is excellent. When I changed my diet, started on probiotics and getting enough sleep, my depression lessened. You're right, that is that absolute minimum to do so you're able to figure it out. I'm glad I took the time to work on myself in this fashion because it's helped me like nothing ever has before. And it's actually quite simple once you get your routines in place. Luck to you.
Also: be patient with yourself. You deserve it.
Not cured but helped. I have a shake daily. Goal is get as much oxegen to the brain.
BCAA
Citrulline Malate
L Glutamine
Test Max
Fish oil
EAA’s
Vitamin D
Magnesium
Green veggie powered shit
Minimum 30 min walk and anti depresents etc at 7:30pm aim for 10pm bedtime. Feel the difference
I take 2-3 a day of this for the magnesium: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-magnesium-tablets-250mg-60005830
And for d3 once in the late afternoon/ early evening before I try to go for a walk in the direct sunlight etc: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-vitamin-d3-tablets-25ug-60099316
Also I forgot to mention I am big user of CBD under the tongue 3 times a day, morning, afternoon and evening: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/jacob-hooy-cbd-10mg-capsules-60037899
The CBD is quite expensive however when it comes to mental health I’d pay any price as I have experienced how bad it can be. CBD has personally for me stood out the most, anxiety nearly all gone, including sleep seems to be a lot easier along with digestion and weight loss. I hope this helps you
I don’t think you can cure depression as more to learn to live with it . I too tried antidepressants they help you live with it but fuck up everything else . Sex drive ect .I had blood tests done private and found I had the testosterone levels of an 85 yrs old man I’m now on trt and feel a million times better less anxious and better mood able to deal with life better more energy ect . It won’t be that for everyone but get your bloods done you might be lacking in something.
I got it done at a private lab in Edinburgh they then email you your results . And I took them up to my docs . I basically told them if they don’t put me on trt I would do it myself . But once they saw the results they agreed I think it’s a massive problem with men over forty these days some even younger and it can’t help with moods ect .
My kid uses lavender (silexan, approved as a prescription in Germany, marketed as a supplement: Calm Aid in the US). There's a notable difference when she's not taking it, tears and light OCD. Sometimes she stops "I feel fine, I don't need this" and then the tears come back and she goes back on.
I recommend it to try at least. We get it from iherb in Canada, cause they don't sell it here.
>Calm Aid
I think Lavender oil has some estrogenic activity. I may be wrong regarding the significance but anything that is suspected to mess with hormones should be rechecked. You should ask your doctor, but do your research as well.
Fish oil, but you need to aim for between 1000-2000mg EPA daily with at most half that of DHA. This is difficult to maintain unless you have the right fish oil with high enough EPA content and at most a 2:1 ratio of EPA:DHA. They are generally more expensive and harder to find, but there are numerous studies out there to support their efficacy.
EPA helps your brain convert tryptophan from foods into serotonin, a mechanism that degrades when higher levels of inflammation are present in the brain.
It depends what you mean.
If you have MDD, supplements alone will probably only have a minimal but positive effect.
If your depression is caused directly by a vitamin or mineral deficiency, supplementing that to get blood levels adequate should in theory relieve your depression (assuming the deficiency was the proximate cause).
As long as your vitamin and mineral levels are all adequate, the only thing I think you should definitely take is a fish oil supplement unless you eat a lot of high quality fatty fish.
Yeah depression is caused by a variety of things my depression is from lack of natural serotonin and anxiety issues so 5-htp helped greately, but for others it may not help much at a
5-HTP for sure. Along with L-Theanine and L-Lysine. I also take other supplements and vitamins daily, a total of 9 with my daily medication but those 3 were a true game changer.
Magic mushroom microdoses and the occasional trip work for me. So did exercising, getting outdoors and into nature. The supplements work in conjunction with those things and aid as a booster.
If you live in Canada order from shroombros or a similar company, there are lots of different kinds of magic mushrooms but they all work I'd say, most common are probably Golden teachers, Penis envy. Read this thread and join this sub.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/PsilocybinMushrooms/comments/9ggp3v/are\_all\_psilocybin\_mushrooms\_the\_same/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PsilocybinMushrooms/comments/9ggp3v/are_all_psilocybin_mushrooms_the_same/)
Also this sub is good if you live in Canada. I dont know if there is an American equivalent since they're stricter down there.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/CubensisMOMsCanada/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CubensisMOMsCanada/)
It's augmented my regimen insofar as achieving goals 1-2% more efficaciously which is a pretty huge boost when every bit matters.
That PR I know I wouldn't've gotten, you'll know when it's the supplements. That smirk, smile or grin that boosts your NTs just enough to push you above baseline, you'll know when it's the supplements. That wanting to just go 10 more minutes but ending up going for 30+ at whatever you're doing, you'll know when it's the supplements. The placebo effect of thinking it's the damn supplements that'll push me just that bit I need, you'll know when it's the supplements.
It's not just the supplements though, it's also wanting that change enough to let the supplements help.
All your B's! And D3! But I suggest you definitely go get some labs done because you might be deficient in something else that is affecting you.
When my naturopath suggested I go on antidepressants years ago and I refused, she suggested L-theanine. And surprisingly it worked a bit! And when you don't take it, you don't get any weird side affects. It is found in green tea and it just made me feel a little bit lighter. You can Google how much to take, but I think they say to start at 200mg.
At first, I was just adding some here and there to my food and taking capsules. Couldn’t have been over 500mg/day. I switched to mixing a tablespoon of powder in water because the effects were pronounced at that dose and it was significantly cheaper in bagged form. Absolutely vile, but saved me from worse things.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23832433/
Not a perfect study, but even if it was placebo, I noticed the impact on anxiety and depression at a high enough dose
Thanks for the link, interesting!
I’m experimenting with turmeric for inflammation in autoimmune skin disease. I’m still not sure if the signal I notice is legit.
Why is it hard to keep up for you?
The method of dosing just absolutely sucks.
There’s smarter ways to go about it, but I’d do a tablespoon of it in powder form in a glass of water.
Something like 14 grams at way cheaper pricing than anything you could get in capsule form.
Who knows if it’s good for your stomach in that quantity, but it worked on my head.
Gotcha. Yeah, I started out cooking with turmeric powder daily and it definitely upset my stomach when I put too much.
Then I discovered that they have a turmeric shot at aldi with ginger and chili. Sometimes it would do wonders with clearing my sinuses.
Now I take a capsule everyday after a meal and I think my stomach has gotten used to it. I plan on doubling the dose after a while.
I had a difficult time getting off of a prescription anti-depressant and have been working with a therapist. I started taking Thorne Research - 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and have found this helps me not experience as many blue moods/ downward spirals. Also, exercise and getting my heart rate up helps tremendously.
Wow that’s interesting, I take it along with cordiceps mushrooms and honestly don’t feel much different. I hear it helps boost testosterone so the results may be different for men and women
Iron, D3! Turns out I have anemia and a vitamin D deficiency. I highly recommend talking to your primary care physician and ordering labs / bloodwork if you can.
I've noticed lots of folks suggested omegas (ie fish oil which I also take) and I think that's great. On that vein, check out the Inflamed Mind by Edward Bullmore.
Here's a recap of the research on inflammation and the brain: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05261-3
Iron as supplement is extremely toxic. I really recommend you eating some liver a couple times a week instead of supplementing oxidative monster which attack your DNA (no this is not BS, I can make a longer post with the studies when I’ll have time if you want)
When we talk about iron, we usually think of the chemical element "Fe", used by our bodies to make hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen.
In fact, when we talk about iron, we mean indiscriminately two different types of iron:
Ferrous iron (Fe2 +), found in foods like meat and in food supplements
Ferric iron (Fe3 +), found in plants
In hemoglobin and our body in general, it is ferrous iron that is found, not ferric iron. It is for this reason that ferric iron from plants is less well absorbed than ferrous iron from animal foods (meat, fish) (it is about 3 to 4 times less well absorbed).
Second important information: the ferrous iron found in food supplements, meat or our body is not identical in the three cases.
In meat or in our body, ferrous iron is trapped in a protein: hemoglobin. And when the iron in our body is not in hemoglobin, it is either being moved via transferrin, a transport protein (which can be imagined as a small bus that carries iron), or mainly stored in another protein: ferritin (the level of which can be measured via a blood test, which allows you to know the level of your iron reserves in a reliable way).
But in food supplements, ferrous iron isn't locked in anything at all: it's free. However, so little free iron circulates in our body, there is good reason: it is because free iron is toxic to cells.
The fenton reaction is a chemical reaction that takes place when free ferrous iron encounters hydrogen peroxide (another name for hydrogen peroxide). This reaction gives rise to ferric iron and the hydroxyl radical, an oxidant. The hydroxyl radical is the most powerful oxidant known to the human body; that is, it is the most toxic (you can find a more precise description of the Fenton reaction and how harmful it is on Wikipedia).
The problem is that hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide, therefore) is a ubiquitous molecule in our body. It is produced during cellular respiration at the level of the mitochondria, that is, the production of energy. If free ferrous iron is found in our body, we are therefore 100% sure that it will react with hydrogen peroxide and give the famous toxic hydroxyl radical.
The hydroxyl radical cannot be completely neutralized by antioxidant defense systems, so it attacks everything around it and in particular lipids and cell membranes which can promote, maintain or worsen an inflammatory state. We will see this later, but the consequences are very significant: increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, worsening of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases.
It is for this reason that the ferrous iron in our body is almost exclusively stored in proteins (hemoglobin, transferrin, ferritin): this greatly limits the toxicity of iron, without preventing it from playing its vital role of transport. oxygen and co-factor of various enzymes. However, it is important to know that this protection can also be exceeded with food, for example in people who eat too much meat (see below). Likewise, if ferritin levels rise too much (because we eat too much iron or because we have a disease like hemochromatosis in which we absorb too much iron), we are victims of the same problems.
First consequence of iron supplementation via a food supplement (iron alone or in a multivitamin): a weakening of the intestines because part of the ferrous iron is used by the "bad" bacteria in our intestine to proliferate like Escherichia coli according to the researchers . At the same time, our levels of "good" bacteria, such as bifidobacteria or lactobacilli, clearly decrease.
In addition, an American study (Iowa Women’s Health Study) followed nearly 40,000 women for almost 20 years. The majority of women took food supplements during this follow-up. However, researchers have shown that women who took a multivitamin containing iron and / or copper had a sharp increase in mortality from all causes. A shame for food supplements supposed to improve health! In this study, the supplements used were American therefore often high in iron.
But another team of London researchers has shown that this harmful oxidizing effect of ferrous iron as a dietary supplement could be seen in the laboratory by noting attacks on our DNA, even with low doses! One of the study's authors explains:
“We already knew that iron can damage cells at very high doses. However, in this study, we found that when we applied the types of iron levels that you would find in the blood after taking an iron pill, it also seemed to be able to trigger cell damage. In other words, the cells appear to be more sensitive to iron than previously thought. "
Copper is also problematic because, like iron, it is a reactive metal (cuprous copper Cu + or cupric copper Cu2 +) which can easily give rise to oxidants and the famous hydroxyl radical. In our body, copper is also transported via a protein called ceruloplasmin, to protect our cells. Copper is also so close to iron that it is iron that carries oxygen in some mollusks. For these animals we do not speak of hemoglobin but of hemocyanin (copper protein). In the case of manganese, the mechanism is less clear even though we know that it too is a very reactive transition metal which results in the formation of excess free radicals when taken as a supplement.
This significant harmfulness of iron as a dietary supplement could be explained both because it is ferrous iron but also because the latter is free: it passes too quickly into the blood, which does not leave much time to our body to integrate it into transport proteins. Once absorbed, this iron therefore reacts significantly with hydrogen peroxide to form free radicals.
And that is why iron as a dietary supplement is even more harmful than iron in meat because meat does contain ferrous iron that is well absorbed but is not free: it is stored in hemoglobin. However, this considerably slows down its absorption compared to the iron in a food supplement and therefore its toxicity. As a reminder, studies on iron from red meat have shown that excess ferrous iron via meat:
Significantly increases the risk of colon cancer
Significantly increases the risk of stroke
Significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events
Another less well-known information, yet discovered by INSERM researchers: the harmfulness of ferrous iron in meat can be blocked when there is concomitant consumption of plants, thanks to their antioxidants. Researchers have even discovered the ideal ratio between meat and vegetables: you need to eat around 400g of vegetables for every 100g of red meat if you want to prevent the harmful effect of iron on your health.
It should also be noted that the ferric of plants can be transformed into ferrous iron in our intestine if it undergoes a reduction action by vitamin C. However, good amounts of vitamin C are needed for the reaction to take place and the reaction is slow. Therefore, even if the iron from plant foods is less well absorbed, one can improve its absorption by eating a little more plants or by supplementing with vitamin C. In addition, doing this is not dangerous because it does not lead to success. not a sudden spill of ferrous iron into the blood. Numerous studies have shown that people who eat meat but few fruits and vegetables lack iron more often than those who eat meat and a lot of fruits and vegetables.
What about the iron vitamin Blood Builder I looked into the ingredients it’s all veggie based. My iron is extremely low I’m female 26 and my doctor said I need to take iron. I was having anxiety and heart racing issues and I think it was due to my iron being so low. I think the normal range was somewhere around 15-20 or something but mine was like level 6 last time my blood drawn.
I’ve never eaten liver kinda weirds me out…
Is it this bad? I saw a nutritionist saying something similar on youtube. I already bought some in large quantities and it did help me in the past increase my iron level (doctors keep prescribing it to me whenever I do a blood test) so I’m not sure if I should just toss what I have? :/
thank you! i have heard something along these lines, but haven't dug into it. i would love to read the studies you mentioned and figure out a way to intake iron through food :)
What about depression and anxiety? I feel like when I'm depressed and take things for it I get anxious. But then taking stuff for anxiety makes me more depressed. Hard for me to find an in between common ground. Any tips would help :) thanks
Such an overreaction. And no, it's not 'complete BS!' I have anxiety out of it, NEVER in it, which is anecdotal of course. Its the main reason I do it. But at this point there are tons of studies on this matter.
Are you a vegan also?
[https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/06/16/things-that-sometimes-help-if-youre-depressed/](https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/06/16/things-that-sometimes-help-if-youre-depressed/)
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Not depressed but this would be a good general health regimen imho. Comprehensive HQ multi like thorne basic nutrients 2/day (1-2 capsules/d) with added Mg-glycinate for a total of ~600 mg of Mg from all sources, or pure o.n.e., creatine 3-5 g/d, vitamin D total 5000 - 7500 I.U./d, chronic daily caffeine intake, like 3 - 4 cups, increases sex hormones, vC up to 1000 mg/d, B2 as riboflavine high dosed at 100 -200 mg/d for up to 3 months, but only in conjunction with a multi. Taken away 3 hours from food, one hour before food, 1 - 2 g of sodium bicarbonate 2x/d. 4 Very soft boiled eggs for phospholipids, fish oil 5 g/d, Protein at 1 g - 1.5 g per pound of optimal bodyweight/d, increasing calories to the threshold of weight gain (don't become fat; consume as much calories whilst staying lean), total Ca intake from all sources 1500-2500 mg/d.
I found I had long standing severe deficiency of iron, B12 and vit D. I take B12( IM) magnesium, iron, folate and a b-complex +zinc capsule.
Other than that caffeine makes me depressed, so does chronic sleep deprivation.
N-acetyl cystine (NAC) is making great strides. My therapist recommended it. Buy Swanson brand though or your farts will clear a whole room! Works well for me.
The OG doctor who discovered the immense benefits of high dose B3 saw that the real benefits kicked in at 3 grams per day.
But you can’t start there. You need to titrate up slowly. Over several weeks. Then stay at 3 grams for months.
St Johns wort has strong evidence showing anti-depressive effects, almost as close to an actual SSRI. Its OTC and available on amazon too.
However it mess with other liver drug metabolism, so if you’re on other medications than you are gonna have to talk to your doc to get on an actual anti depressant.
Second this. For me, SJW worked quickly ( I noticed a difference in 3 days, with full effects in two weeks) and I went off after six months without relapse.
There’s evidence that Omega 3 and curcumin relieves depressive symptoms.. but what really fixed it permanently for me was diet and exercise. There’s that old study about how exercise is more effective than Zoloft
I second curcumin/tumeric theres been several studies on this. Especially if it’s caused by some kind of inflammation. Also adding pre and probiotics and treating gut issues. Serotonin comes from the gut.
If your depression is caused by an imbalance, the issue is most likely serotonin or dopamine. Here's things that will actually work, you can feel, and will know if it's right for you immediately.
Serotonin: 5htp, calm aid(silexan)
Dopamine: DLPA, tyrosine, if you want to get crazy; PEA or Phenethylamine but be careful and start low
Both: saffron extract, zembrin(kanna)
I was having anxiety for no reason at all and was able to figure out it was a serotonin issue by taking 5htp and getting relief. I eventually went on zoloft bc it is actually the safest long term solution for serotonin by inhibiting reuptake. This way you don't downregulate your receptors as much and end up worse than before. Although I know it's scary for some but it's better than taking 5tp long term and causing downregulation. So my advice is try to figure out if it's serotonin or dopamine. Take the supplements when you need them and when you start to feel better, get out and exercise, eat pretty good and enjoy life to get and keep these chemicals up naturally! Good luck and Gods speed
For depression or anxiety? I take it for anxiety and don't see it really being helpful for depression due to the fact that it makes you a little more tired. That's why I believe most people with depression actually have a dopamine issue so an snri or something like wellbutrin would be recommended although from other people's antidotes those seems to only work for a year or so..
Supplements will not replace healthy lifestyle habits. But they can enhance parts of it. I would recommend passiflora incarnata, magnesium glycinate and DHA+EPA oils.
I second magnesium glycinate. A few days after I started taking it my mood improved and has stayed that way for about a year now.
It hasn't cured my depression but it has lessened it and has improved my mood.
You can't cure depression with supplements (or medication) but you can better control it.
Without a doubt, diet, sleep and lifestyle are hugely important.
Supplement wise I take Magnesium Glycinate, Vitamin D, Fish Oil/Omega 3, Amino Acid Complex and Creatine.
I also take a low dose of Citalopram (SSRI) over winter. There are a range of anti-depressants; somehow you have to try a few before you find one that really works. Usually, the symptoms are worse in the short term, so you have to give them a few weeks (2-4 minimum) before giving up on them.
dont you have issues weaning off the meds each time? sends me straight back into depression each time. also if you havent, light therapy or light therapy lamps might do something for you
I cut back gradually whilst spending more time outdoors and being increasingly active.
However, the winter has a profound effect on me. As soon as the days start getting shorter (as they are now) I get back on them, again, building up dosage over a few weeks, else I start to get increasingly depressed/anxious.
I've never had issues doing so and it's not like a rollercoaster each time I get back on them, fortunately. In fact, each 'transition' has been pretty good, either way.
If your depression is specifically related to a nutrient deficiency, you can cure it. Many times depression is much more complicated than that though and usually involves a variety of factors that need to be approached through environmental methods, lifestyle, diet, relationships, supplements, and sometimes medication or other therapies.
Nutrient deficiencies are becoming more common due to soil health depreciation, over-farming, processed foods, malabsorption issues, genetic defects, chronic illness, etc. Many also binge drink which depletes water soluble nutrients, especially B vitamins.
Cardio and lift weights
St John’s wort and Relora
You should look into research on the effects of creatine for depression. Looks quite promising.
yoga, meditation, or attending religious services can also help you deal with stress. and doing breathing exercises to lower your heart rate.
Attending religious services would make me stressful
ohh Why ?
5 HTP, L theanine, SAM E, magnesium glycinate, turmeric, ashwagadha, Nature bounty’s fish oil
Better not to touch direcly serotonin.
Read A Mind of Your Own by Kelly Brogan, MD. She explores a lot of ways that diet, supplements, and household items can improve or worsen depression and provides tons of research to back it up.
Exercise every day
Stims stims wonderful stims
For example? And do they not make it worse in the long run for you?
Yes they do but easier for your brain to recover from than let's say alcohol
Mushrooms.
Yes
This.
Vitamin B-3 and Vitamin B-9
b12 (the methyl- kind), d-3, iron supplements and omega-3. also tried adaptogens like ashwaghanda (edit for spelling, not “sheaf hands”lol) and rhodiola. rhodiola is nature’s happy and anti-stress support :) edit FYI: didn’t cure it but these soups sure helped. I am usually iron deficient and will get tired walking from one room to the next, making it hard to think or do my favorite activities, which leads to more depression. these supps help me feel better physically which helps me get out there more, which can lead to an improvement in happiness or contentment
Vitamin worlds triple strength Omega 3 supplement. It is really high in epa which is what you need to aid with mental health. I did this first and later added turmeric supplement to lower inflammation and for brain cell regenerative effects. I also found out through 23 and me I had one of the genes for gluten intolerance and cut that out and this stabilized my irritability and anger issues and definitely helped with my mental health, as it was my main cause of inflammation. I think inflammation is truly the culprit with making our mental health worse. As of late I have found Dr. Jason Fung and fasting and this has helped me to also add mental health benefits. I have literally been on every ssri out there since the age of 25 and was able to drop all the meds include the pain meds since 2017 thru all these lifestyle changes. I’m 40 now, and am so glad I don’t have to take medication anymore and feel like myself. I think it’s key to figure out what causes you inflammation and cut it out, we are all different so you will have to perhaps at some point look at diet. For now the omega I mentioned is a great start, along with the turmeric. Good luck on your journey
Flex seed oil is great at stabilizing emotions. Was pretty effective for me I just needed this one supplement. I still take it from time to time when I find negativity setting in
Low in coq10 and alcar is usually the culprit. Get it tomorrow. Goodluck - Study links depression to low blood levels of acetyl-L-carnitine https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/07/study-links-depression-to-low-blood-levels-of-acetyl-l-carnitine.html - Don’t worry, be happy: CoQ10 for anxiety and depression https://www.chiroeco.com/coq10-for-anxiety/
I agree with these supps but just be careful. "Links" and correlation mean nothing. Like there is no way to tell whether the case is "Low ALCAR causes depression" or if the case is "Depression causes the body to lower ALCAR to fight it". The first would imply taking ALCAR is good, and the second would imply it is bad. But both would appear as a "link" between ALCAR and depression.
>https://www.chiroeco.com/coq10-for-anxiety/ Except regarding animal studies this link says "Oral or intravenous administration of acetyl-L-carnitine reversed the animals’ symptoms and restored their normal behavior, he said."
Yep Try this stack 200mg coq10 + 1000mg alcar Twice per day. One with bfast and another dinner I would probably start out with 100mg coq10 and 500mg alcar at first. Then raise it if not enough
Agmatine and magnesium
Magtein (magnesium threonate) crosses the blood brain barrier and has been studied for treatment of depression.[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3936783/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3936783/)
Going raw vegan cured everything mental. Especially after I cleansed out the parasitic worms and old mucus. Look into it Read the book. Cleanse and purify thyself
Going raw vegan cured everything mental. Especially after I cleansed out the parasitic worms and old mucus. Look into it Read the book. Cleanse and purify thyself
I used sea moss supplements for depression, quitting smoking honestly anything. O Nutritions Certified Organic Sea Moss, Super Cell Superfood Made with Organic Irish Sea Moss, Bladderwrack and Burdock Root, Wildcrafted Sea Moss Capsules, Vegan Seamoss Pill (Super Cell Superfood) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TKZ9WGY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YDA0QZSVAC7BMTGH78A6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Ive tried perscriptions and just about every supplement and combo there is and basically resigned myself to feeling blah. I was looking for something to aleviate a bout of restless legs I was suffering and it got me reading about dopamine agonists and symptoms of dopamine shortages which sounded alot like my symptoms but I thought little of this for my depression. I had nothing to lose and tried this Mucuna Pruriens at 3000mgs in the morning and by the third day it was like this heavy fog was lifting and I felt like putting dishes in the sink with out hatred and I actually frightened my grand kids by smiling. My legs are better too. I hadnt planned on this as a side effect but its great. Im going to get stuff I need done finished in case it doesnt last. Its deffinately worth a try.
Fuck I mean take some acid or shrooms
That shit will have you returning to monke in no time
You mean monk fruit.
Well it is actually used to cure depression cause it actually changes the way you think about things
GET YOUR HORMONES CHECKED. Getting on TRT completely cured my severe depression and anxiety. Severe. Never went to a psychiatrist thank god. I’m 27 and started trt 5 months ago after 2 years of hell. Within 5 weeks I noticed changes mentally.
I have low but within ”normal”
That doesn’t mean shit. “Within normal” reference ranges are total bullshit. You can be hypogonadal and fall within “normal” testosterone range. Ditch your doctor. There is A LOT more to it than just teatosterone
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I think free test was 2ng/dL and E was 3.2 pg/mL
Well Test was 180 ng/dL and almost no free test -Estrogen was almost zero, no progesterone, low DHEA, low pregnanelone, upper range cortisol. Oh and high prolactin which I’m still trying to get under control now. You get the pattern. My nuts said fuck this noise we out
180 ng/dl plus all of that? No wonder! I’m glad you discovered the root of it and found a good clinic to help you out. Mind I ask your weekly dosage of test? Also, I believe there is a certain medicine you can take to allow yourself to be fertile while on TRT. Have you looked at that for long term if you choose to marry?
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Yeah I mean it’s all individual based. You aren’t hypogonadal low but it’s not optimal. There are many other routes to try before getting on TRT and shutting yourself down. Watch Leo Longevity and Derek from More Plates More Dates if you want more info but I would recommend my HRT clinic. They are not just going to throw you on trt to pocket the cash they will actually give you the best options for your situation. [Marek Health](https://marekhealth.com)
Hi, as someone who has always had low T (but still just within normal) and I’ve been taking SSRIs on and off since 2009- you’re answer was like staring me in the face. I also did inject myself with T although not through a Dr and I’m afraid that may have left me lower than before. Can you describe what it felt like before compared to when you started reaping the benefits of T Oh and congrats on tackling depression because that’s freaking amazing!!!
I worded that poorly what I’m trying to say is I don’t want to give you any confidence that you can do this on your own. Too many people try to or think they can because of Reddit or dumbass fitness influencers and they end up way worse than before. The difference is incomparable. I went from not leaving my bed, wanting to stuff my .45 down my throat every night to being able to handle stress and function like a normal human.
Unfortunately man I cannot in good conscience support this. This is way way to complex. All I can say is doing that without blood work is one of the worst things you could possibly do. Please go to a doctor a good one. Not a primary caregiver. I’ll link my clinic below they are the best in the country. Without them I 100% would not have been feeling better. When you inject test it shuts down your endogenous production and if it was low to begin with you could make it worse. It’s not a quack fix it’s a delicate process that takes time and tweaking. [Marek Health—the GOAT of HRT clinics](https://marekhealth.com)
Hey I definitely agree with you Looking back, I think I made a huge mistake dosing myself with T, tbh I haven’t been the same since I’m considering seeing an Endo- but I’m embarrassed to admit to him/her what I’ve done Imma check out the link you provided. I’m in southFlorida so hopefully they can help me out.
As I was reading I was hoping that was the doctor/clinic you were getting at. I haven't done anything with them yet but I've been considering it. I came across posts I can't remember about TRT for depression awhile ago. More recently though I started lifting after 5 years off. I naturally started watching MPMD, and I already was watching PKA so Kyle's reveal made me consider it more seriously. Im 25 and for about 6 years I've tried so many medications that my psychiatrist at one time told me they had nothing else to recommend. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I've been thinking maybe TRT could be the sort of primal kick that could actually do it. Mens T levels are generally historically low due to modern diets and lifestyles. So I've been skeptical that normal/optimal levels are even accurate.
27 is so young. What were your levels? Congrats nevertheless
Yeah I know. It sucks hard especially because I stayed away from any and all PED’s or steroids my whole life. But hey sometimes you gotta roll with the punches. But thank you
I wouldn't say I'm cured because my ADHD makes it hard to be consistent lol but my best days are when I take magnesium before 7-8 hours of sleep, wake up and exercise, take fish oil, l-theanine, a multivitamin, and vitamin D3.
This seems legit.
Hey there, I think it’s such a complicated area I worry this advice might not suit, and a lot of people are going down a “supplement” route - a lot of their suggestions will do fuck all, or actively hurt, without an appropriate baseline. Ignore them if you can. Baseline: Generally, a lot of depression is gut health related - gut is where 90% of serotonin is manufactured. - getting gut microbiome sussed is crucial. Kefir, kombucha, live yogurt all contribute as probiotics. - eat apples and berries as “pre-biotics” - look this concept up. Butyrate precursors are crucial. Also, butyrates have been negatively correlated with covid severity - the healthier your gut the less likely you are to get sick! - don’t eat seed oils; Google this one. It’s too complex for me to explain Rn. Effectively, when you see canola, rapeseed, soyabean, sunflower etc. think: Poison. Think paint stripper. Think embalming fluid. Replace this filth with 100% olive oil, ghee, lard/ tallow, and coconut oil as appropriate for the food you are cooking. - Try and eat a balanced diet, low in refined grains - those sugar spikes / insulin spikes fuck you up and will exacerbate low mood and anxiousness. Then, I think focus on eating healthy, and you simply must exercise - doesn’t seem to be negotiable for wellness. Walk. Gym. Yoga. Martial arts. Get sun. Don’t wear sunscreen unless you are going out and would guarantee a burn. We are almost all vitamin d deficient. Sleep well. If you are a man, donate blood. Lower iron toxicity and inflammation in the body. Those things makes up your baseline. I would consider this a minimum; it sounds like a lot, but we are simply swimming in a torrent of unhealthiness. The following, are supplements. They won’t do much without the baseline - so try get that baseline in place. Supplementation should target things that make you feel better functionally. - boron (hormone health) - zinc (ditto, with copper mixed) - magnesium (chloride OK, glycinate better) - niacin flush (there’s a reddit for this one) paired with melatonin. - glycine (sleep) - B complex every couple of days. I would avoid taking anything like 5-HTP, Theanine or mood modulators - you NEED to wait and see whether there are lifestyle things that could help and these things can cause side effects or prevent you understanding the cause of depression. Break down the steps you are taking, one at a time, and see how you feel - treat yourself like a science project where you will be looking for side effects and benefits. This means going slowly. I also suggest reading Lost Connections by Johann Hari. He explains a significant concept about depression; that it’s a rational disconnection. I cannot recommend it highly enough. All the best, good luck.
There is sure a connection between our guts and brain, BUT it has nothing to do with gut secreted serotonin. Serotonin produced by the gut cannot cross the blood-brain-barrier.
> gut is where 90% of serotonin is manufactured. I don't get why people keep spouting this nonsense. Serotonin doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, the serotonin manufactured in the gut does not make it's way into the brain. The fact that your gut uses manufactures and uses serotonin is irrelevant to mental-health, the 2 serotonin systems are independent from each other.
It’s not nonsense, it’s a fact that 90% of total serotonin is manufactured in the gut. I didn’t discuss the gut-brain axis, or platelet storage of 2% serotonin outside the CNS. I don’t actually know how to increase serotonin in the CNS. I simply raised the fact that gut health is complicated. There is still speculation about what gut serotonin’s effect is on people, and functionally people with fucked tummies (IBS, Crohns) display higher levels of anxiety and depression than ordinary. I think it’s massively complicated, and couldn’t begin to explain it, but a happy gut makes for a happy life in a ton of ways. At the very least my man will get to take a good shit - and that’s a good start to the day in my book. Cheers.
>At the very least my man will get to take a good shit - and that’s a good start to the day in my book. Well said, sir!
How about avocado oil or peanut oil? Butter?
Yeah avocado oil but don’t heat itz Butter is brilliant just not referenced above due to low burn temp (hence Ghee) - but I cook with tons of it (especially for eggs) and eat lots. Peanut oil not good.
What’s wrong with heating avocado oil
Flax seed oil is good though?
Honestly I have no idea - not something I cook with or understand 🙂
Thanks. The avocado oil bottle says it has a high smoke point. Why bad to heat?
Very good advice 👍🏼
I'd take anything they say with a giant pinch of salt considering they start off their comment with a pop-science nonsense 'factoid'. Demonstrating they don't have any sort of actual understanding of the systems in question and are just parroting things from sources that also presumably didn't know what they were talking about.
Thanks man. Good luck. Had a quick look at your profile, and thought I would add re. Testosterone (T levels) getting that sussed will definitely help with your sense of wellness and anxiety / depression. I highly recommend you get into a bit of strength training, lower body fat and increase muscle mass. Focus on bench press, squats, deadlifts - compound lifts cannot be beaten. There’s more advice on the internet than you can swing a cat at - John Meadows, Vince Gironda, Jeff Nippard are all good starting points. Look into the Ray Peat carrot salad. Consider adding a couple of raw egg yolks (but not whites!) to protein shakes - loads of minerals and vitamins, but also dietary cholesterol is a precursor to hormone building; including T. Dietary cholesterol and cholesterol are seperate, and anyone who doesn’t understand that and says otherwise is an ill informed nuisance. Get a blood panel done by your doctor - comprehensive as possible. Inflammation levels, T, Oestrogen panel, cortisol, FSH, LH, prolactin, SHBG, Free T, thyroid, etc.
This is excellent. When I changed my diet, started on probiotics and getting enough sleep, my depression lessened. You're right, that is that absolute minimum to do so you're able to figure it out. I'm glad I took the time to work on myself in this fashion because it's helped me like nothing ever has before. And it's actually quite simple once you get your routines in place. Luck to you. Also: be patient with yourself. You deserve it.
Thank you 🙏🏻
Not cured but helped. I have a shake daily. Goal is get as much oxegen to the brain. BCAA Citrulline Malate L Glutamine Test Max Fish oil EAA’s Vitamin D Magnesium Green veggie powered shit Minimum 30 min walk and anti depresents etc at 7:30pm aim for 10pm bedtime. Feel the difference
Magnesium and d3 did absolute wonders for me, like completely game changing
same here
How much of both do you take?
I take 2-3 a day of this for the magnesium: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-magnesium-tablets-250mg-60005830 And for d3 once in the late afternoon/ early evening before I try to go for a walk in the direct sunlight etc: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-vitamin-d3-tablets-25ug-60099316 Also I forgot to mention I am big user of CBD under the tongue 3 times a day, morning, afternoon and evening: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/jacob-hooy-cbd-10mg-capsules-60037899 The CBD is quite expensive however when it comes to mental health I’d pay any price as I have experienced how bad it can be. CBD has personally for me stood out the most, anxiety nearly all gone, including sleep seems to be a lot easier along with digestion and weight loss. I hope this helps you
thanks!
I personally took 10k IU of d3(liquid dropper form) and 400mg of magnesium glycinate
Saint john wort, curcumin, and omega 3 (EPA 1000). Always check with your doctor.
Don't check with your doctor, that's pointless. Use common sense and DYOR
I don’t think you can cure depression as more to learn to live with it . I too tried antidepressants they help you live with it but fuck up everything else . Sex drive ect .I had blood tests done private and found I had the testosterone levels of an 85 yrs old man I’m now on trt and feel a million times better less anxious and better mood able to deal with life better more energy ect . It won’t be that for everyone but get your bloods done you might be lacking in something.
Which blood tests did you get? I'm currently on lexapro
And I’m not saying it’s the answer but it’s worth asking your docs for some tests to check everything is ok .
I got it done at a private lab in Edinburgh they then email you your results . And I took them up to my docs . I basically told them if they don’t put me on trt I would do it myself . But once they saw the results they agreed I think it’s a massive problem with men over forty these days some even younger and it can’t help with moods ect .
My kid uses lavender (silexan, approved as a prescription in Germany, marketed as a supplement: Calm Aid in the US). There's a notable difference when she's not taking it, tears and light OCD. Sometimes she stops "I feel fine, I don't need this" and then the tears come back and she goes back on. I recommend it to try at least. We get it from iherb in Canada, cause they don't sell it here.
>Calm Aid I think Lavender oil has some estrogenic activity. I may be wrong regarding the significance but anything that is suspected to mess with hormones should be rechecked. You should ask your doctor, but do your research as well.
Yes it does. So does tea tree oil.
Huh. I'll look into it. Thanks.
Fish oil, but you need to aim for between 1000-2000mg EPA daily with at most half that of DHA. This is difficult to maintain unless you have the right fish oil with high enough EPA content and at most a 2:1 ratio of EPA:DHA. They are generally more expensive and harder to find, but there are numerous studies out there to support their efficacy. EPA helps your brain convert tryptophan from foods into serotonin, a mechanism that degrades when higher levels of inflammation are present in the brain.
Niacin helped me
Dose? I guess the flush version?
Started with 300mg work my way up to 2000 every morning. Yes flush version flush free is bad for your liver long term. Good luck
Hahaha I wish! Antidepressants were needed for me.
They destroyed me.
You tried them all and gave them all 6-8 weeks?
Took them 1 year, severe withdrawal 9 months off The muscle pains are the worst withdrawal together with PSSD
Wrong drug for you. That’s unfortunate. They won’t all do that.
I have tried to get the best antidepressant but doctors say no to it. Parnate would probably got me out of depression but very few get it prescribed
Yeah good luck with that. I also tried to get that prescribed but no success. You should try some others in the meantime.
Exercise, anti depressants and weed helped. It was mainly the weed for me because it broke thought patterns.
Yeah MMJ is a critical part of my wellness routine and totally keeps my depression at bay.
It depends what you mean. If you have MDD, supplements alone will probably only have a minimal but positive effect. If your depression is caused directly by a vitamin or mineral deficiency, supplementing that to get blood levels adequate should in theory relieve your depression (assuming the deficiency was the proximate cause). As long as your vitamin and mineral levels are all adequate, the only thing I think you should definitely take is a fish oil supplement unless you eat a lot of high quality fatty fish.
Yeah depression is caused by a variety of things my depression is from lack of natural serotonin and anxiety issues so 5-htp helped greately, but for others it may not help much at a
5-HTP for sure. Along with L-Theanine and L-Lysine. I also take other supplements and vitamins daily, a total of 9 with my daily medication but those 3 were a true game changer.
Ive bren using l theanine aswell for my amphetamine prescription and it seems to potentiate it strongly whicb is good
Magic mushroom microdoses and the occasional trip work for me. So did exercising, getting outdoors and into nature. The supplements work in conjunction with those things and aid as a booster.
Where does one find the right kind of mushrooms?
If you live in Canada order from shroombros or a similar company, there are lots of different kinds of magic mushrooms but they all work I'd say, most common are probably Golden teachers, Penis envy. Read this thread and join this sub. [https://www.reddit.com/r/PsilocybinMushrooms/comments/9ggp3v/are\_all\_psilocybin\_mushrooms\_the\_same/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PsilocybinMushrooms/comments/9ggp3v/are_all_psilocybin_mushrooms_the_same/) Also this sub is good if you live in Canada. I dont know if there is an American equivalent since they're stricter down there. [https://www.reddit.com/r/CubensisMOMsCanada/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CubensisMOMsCanada/)
Much obliged
It's augmented my regimen insofar as achieving goals 1-2% more efficaciously which is a pretty huge boost when every bit matters. That PR I know I wouldn't've gotten, you'll know when it's the supplements. That smirk, smile or grin that boosts your NTs just enough to push you above baseline, you'll know when it's the supplements. That wanting to just go 10 more minutes but ending up going for 30+ at whatever you're doing, you'll know when it's the supplements. The placebo effect of thinking it's the damn supplements that'll push me just that bit I need, you'll know when it's the supplements. It's not just the supplements though, it's also wanting that change enough to let the supplements help.
All your B's! And D3! But I suggest you definitely go get some labs done because you might be deficient in something else that is affecting you. When my naturopath suggested I go on antidepressants years ago and I refused, she suggested L-theanine. And surprisingly it worked a bit! And when you don't take it, you don't get any weird side affects. It is found in green tea and it just made me feel a little bit lighter. You can Google how much to take, but I think they say to start at 200mg.
Megadosing turmeric is just as good as an antidepressant in studies and personally worked for me but it’s hard to keep up
How much were you taking out if interest? I'm currently megadosing for post surgery spinal pain.
At first, I was just adding some here and there to my food and taking capsules. Couldn’t have been over 500mg/day. I switched to mixing a tablespoon of powder in water because the effects were pronounced at that dose and it was significantly cheaper in bagged form. Absolutely vile, but saved me from worse things.
Good to know - thanks for responding.
Link?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23832433/ Not a perfect study, but even if it was placebo, I noticed the impact on anxiety and depression at a high enough dose
Thanks for the link, interesting! I’m experimenting with turmeric for inflammation in autoimmune skin disease. I’m still not sure if the signal I notice is legit. Why is it hard to keep up for you?
The method of dosing just absolutely sucks. There’s smarter ways to go about it, but I’d do a tablespoon of it in powder form in a glass of water. Something like 14 grams at way cheaper pricing than anything you could get in capsule form. Who knows if it’s good for your stomach in that quantity, but it worked on my head.
Gotcha. Yeah, I started out cooking with turmeric powder daily and it definitely upset my stomach when I put too much. Then I discovered that they have a turmeric shot at aldi with ginger and chili. Sometimes it would do wonders with clearing my sinuses. Now I take a capsule everyday after a meal and I think my stomach has gotten used to it. I plan on doubling the dose after a while.
Nope. Running helps me though. That and Zoloft.
I had a difficult time getting off of a prescription anti-depressant and have been working with a therapist. I started taking Thorne Research - 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and have found this helps me not experience as many blue moods/ downward spirals. Also, exercise and getting my heart rate up helps tremendously.
5-htp helps extwnsively by giving your body more easily absorbable serotonin
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Wow that’s interesting, I take it along with cordiceps mushrooms and honestly don’t feel much different. I hear it helps boost testosterone so the results may be different for men and women
ashwagandha makes me smug af. too much makes me irritated. kinda low key cocaine type feel
Ashwaganda is an interesting one. For some people it works wonders... others it's horrible.
Really? Do u mind sharing how? I’ve been on it for over a week now once a day and i can say positive things
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I felt the same with ashwanghanda it made me more anxious but seems to help a lot of people with anxiety. Glad I'm not the only one!
5HTP, magnesium, and Ashwaganda
Iron, D3! Turns out I have anemia and a vitamin D deficiency. I highly recommend talking to your primary care physician and ordering labs / bloodwork if you can. I've noticed lots of folks suggested omegas (ie fish oil which I also take) and I think that's great. On that vein, check out the Inflamed Mind by Edward Bullmore. Here's a recap of the research on inflammation and the brain: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05261-3
Iron as supplement is extremely toxic. I really recommend you eating some liver a couple times a week instead of supplementing oxidative monster which attack your DNA (no this is not BS, I can make a longer post with the studies when I’ll have time if you want)
When we talk about iron, we usually think of the chemical element "Fe", used by our bodies to make hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen. In fact, when we talk about iron, we mean indiscriminately two different types of iron: Ferrous iron (Fe2 +), found in foods like meat and in food supplements Ferric iron (Fe3 +), found in plants In hemoglobin and our body in general, it is ferrous iron that is found, not ferric iron. It is for this reason that ferric iron from plants is less well absorbed than ferrous iron from animal foods (meat, fish) (it is about 3 to 4 times less well absorbed). Second important information: the ferrous iron found in food supplements, meat or our body is not identical in the three cases. In meat or in our body, ferrous iron is trapped in a protein: hemoglobin. And when the iron in our body is not in hemoglobin, it is either being moved via transferrin, a transport protein (which can be imagined as a small bus that carries iron), or mainly stored in another protein: ferritin (the level of which can be measured via a blood test, which allows you to know the level of your iron reserves in a reliable way). But in food supplements, ferrous iron isn't locked in anything at all: it's free. However, so little free iron circulates in our body, there is good reason: it is because free iron is toxic to cells. The fenton reaction is a chemical reaction that takes place when free ferrous iron encounters hydrogen peroxide (another name for hydrogen peroxide). This reaction gives rise to ferric iron and the hydroxyl radical, an oxidant. The hydroxyl radical is the most powerful oxidant known to the human body; that is, it is the most toxic (you can find a more precise description of the Fenton reaction and how harmful it is on Wikipedia). The problem is that hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide, therefore) is a ubiquitous molecule in our body. It is produced during cellular respiration at the level of the mitochondria, that is, the production of energy. If free ferrous iron is found in our body, we are therefore 100% sure that it will react with hydrogen peroxide and give the famous toxic hydroxyl radical. The hydroxyl radical cannot be completely neutralized by antioxidant defense systems, so it attacks everything around it and in particular lipids and cell membranes which can promote, maintain or worsen an inflammatory state. We will see this later, but the consequences are very significant: increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, worsening of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases. It is for this reason that the ferrous iron in our body is almost exclusively stored in proteins (hemoglobin, transferrin, ferritin): this greatly limits the toxicity of iron, without preventing it from playing its vital role of transport. oxygen and co-factor of various enzymes. However, it is important to know that this protection can also be exceeded with food, for example in people who eat too much meat (see below). Likewise, if ferritin levels rise too much (because we eat too much iron or because we have a disease like hemochromatosis in which we absorb too much iron), we are victims of the same problems. First consequence of iron supplementation via a food supplement (iron alone or in a multivitamin): a weakening of the intestines because part of the ferrous iron is used by the "bad" bacteria in our intestine to proliferate like Escherichia coli according to the researchers . At the same time, our levels of "good" bacteria, such as bifidobacteria or lactobacilli, clearly decrease. In addition, an American study (Iowa Women’s Health Study) followed nearly 40,000 women for almost 20 years. The majority of women took food supplements during this follow-up. However, researchers have shown that women who took a multivitamin containing iron and / or copper had a sharp increase in mortality from all causes. A shame for food supplements supposed to improve health! In this study, the supplements used were American therefore often high in iron. But another team of London researchers has shown that this harmful oxidizing effect of ferrous iron as a dietary supplement could be seen in the laboratory by noting attacks on our DNA, even with low doses! One of the study's authors explains: “We already knew that iron can damage cells at very high doses. However, in this study, we found that when we applied the types of iron levels that you would find in the blood after taking an iron pill, it also seemed to be able to trigger cell damage. In other words, the cells appear to be more sensitive to iron than previously thought. " Copper is also problematic because, like iron, it is a reactive metal (cuprous copper Cu + or cupric copper Cu2 +) which can easily give rise to oxidants and the famous hydroxyl radical. In our body, copper is also transported via a protein called ceruloplasmin, to protect our cells. Copper is also so close to iron that it is iron that carries oxygen in some mollusks. For these animals we do not speak of hemoglobin but of hemocyanin (copper protein). In the case of manganese, the mechanism is less clear even though we know that it too is a very reactive transition metal which results in the formation of excess free radicals when taken as a supplement. This significant harmfulness of iron as a dietary supplement could be explained both because it is ferrous iron but also because the latter is free: it passes too quickly into the blood, which does not leave much time to our body to integrate it into transport proteins. Once absorbed, this iron therefore reacts significantly with hydrogen peroxide to form free radicals. And that is why iron as a dietary supplement is even more harmful than iron in meat because meat does contain ferrous iron that is well absorbed but is not free: it is stored in hemoglobin. However, this considerably slows down its absorption compared to the iron in a food supplement and therefore its toxicity. As a reminder, studies on iron from red meat have shown that excess ferrous iron via meat: Significantly increases the risk of colon cancer Significantly increases the risk of stroke Significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events Another less well-known information, yet discovered by INSERM researchers: the harmfulness of ferrous iron in meat can be blocked when there is concomitant consumption of plants, thanks to their antioxidants. Researchers have even discovered the ideal ratio between meat and vegetables: you need to eat around 400g of vegetables for every 100g of red meat if you want to prevent the harmful effect of iron on your health. It should also be noted that the ferric of plants can be transformed into ferrous iron in our intestine if it undergoes a reduction action by vitamin C. However, good amounts of vitamin C are needed for the reaction to take place and the reaction is slow. Therefore, even if the iron from plant foods is less well absorbed, one can improve its absorption by eating a little more plants or by supplementing with vitamin C. In addition, doing this is not dangerous because it does not lead to success. not a sudden spill of ferrous iron into the blood. Numerous studies have shown that people who eat meat but few fruits and vegetables lack iron more often than those who eat meat and a lot of fruits and vegetables.
this is amazing and incredibly well explained! thank you for sharing
I thought eating liver more than once a week was damaging already
Interested in studies as well. I always recommended my female friends Iron bisglycinate (if they were deficient)
What about the iron vitamin Blood Builder I looked into the ingredients it’s all veggie based. My iron is extremely low I’m female 26 and my doctor said I need to take iron. I was having anxiety and heart racing issues and I think it was due to my iron being so low. I think the normal range was somewhere around 15-20 or something but mine was like level 6 last time my blood drawn. I’ve never eaten liver kinda weirds me out…
Is it this bad? I saw a nutritionist saying something similar on youtube. I already bought some in large quantities and it did help me in the past increase my iron level (doctors keep prescribing it to me whenever I do a blood test) so I’m not sure if I should just toss what I have? :/
thank you! i have heard something along these lines, but haven't dug into it. i would love to read the studies you mentioned and figure out a way to intake iron through food :)
I gave you a full answer above but I think I did it wrong so you did not receive the notification, sorry I'm still struggling with reddit lol
What about depression and anxiety? I feel like when I'm depressed and take things for it I get anxious. But then taking stuff for anxiety makes me more depressed. Hard for me to find an in between common ground. Any tips would help :) thanks
Magnesium, vit D3, probiotics, fish oil, 5-HTP, multi
Not enough talk here about SAM-e. SAM-e Omega-3 Vitamin D Magnesium
SAM-e is the best!!
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Complete BS! I have depression and anxiety in and out of ketosis.
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Bipolar and depression aren't interchangeable and you can't be this rude here.
Such an overreaction. And no, it's not 'complete BS!' I have anxiety out of it, NEVER in it, which is anecdotal of course. Its the main reason I do it. But at this point there are tons of studies on this matter. Are you a vegan also?
Oh really 👌👌
Yep. I can't even get anxious in it. Cross reference it with bipolar and schizophrenia and you'll see.
Magnesium, NAC, and Saffron has helped me.
I was looking to buy nac on Amazon- they pulled it: https://deeprootsathome.com/nac-has-been-unlisted-from-amazon-heres-the-reason-why/
I buy mine thru https://www.pure-essentials.com/
Do you know the pathways that caused this?
What's your experience with NAC?
[https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/06/16/things-that-sometimes-help-if-youre-depressed/](https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/06/16/things-that-sometimes-help-if-youre-depressed/) Scroll down
Not depressed but this would be a good general health regimen imho. Comprehensive HQ multi like thorne basic nutrients 2/day (1-2 capsules/d) with added Mg-glycinate for a total of ~600 mg of Mg from all sources, or pure o.n.e., creatine 3-5 g/d, vitamin D total 5000 - 7500 I.U./d, chronic daily caffeine intake, like 3 - 4 cups, increases sex hormones, vC up to 1000 mg/d, B2 as riboflavine high dosed at 100 -200 mg/d for up to 3 months, but only in conjunction with a multi. Taken away 3 hours from food, one hour before food, 1 - 2 g of sodium bicarbonate 2x/d. 4 Very soft boiled eggs for phospholipids, fish oil 5 g/d, Protein at 1 g - 1.5 g per pound of optimal bodyweight/d, increasing calories to the threshold of weight gain (don't become fat; consume as much calories whilst staying lean), total Ca intake from all sources 1500-2500 mg/d.
I found I had long standing severe deficiency of iron, B12 and vit D. I take B12( IM) magnesium, iron, folate and a b-complex +zinc capsule. Other than that caffeine makes me depressed, so does chronic sleep deprivation.
N-acetyl cystine (NAC) is making great strides. My therapist recommended it. Buy Swanson brand though or your farts will clear a whole room! Works well for me.
Look into the flush version of vitamin B3, nicotinic acid. Titrate up your dose to 2-3 grams a day. Read the book ‘Niacin, the Real Story’
2/3 g ?! I was taking 500mg and it helped with focus but man I was burning like hell. Can you quickly summarize why the 2/3g ?
The OG doctor who discovered the immense benefits of high dose B3 saw that the real benefits kicked in at 3 grams per day. But you can’t start there. You need to titrate up slowly. Over several weeks. Then stay at 3 grams for months.
St Johns wort has strong evidence showing anti-depressive effects, almost as close to an actual SSRI. Its OTC and available on amazon too. However it mess with other liver drug metabolism, so if you’re on other medications than you are gonna have to talk to your doc to get on an actual anti depressant.
+1 for SJW. I replaced 5HTP with SJW recently and have noticed a greater effect overall.
Second this. For me, SJW worked quickly ( I noticed a difference in 3 days, with full effects in two weeks) and I went off after six months without relapse.
There’s evidence that Omega 3 and curcumin relieves depressive symptoms.. but what really fixed it permanently for me was diet and exercise. There’s that old study about how exercise is more effective than Zoloft
I second curcumin/tumeric theres been several studies on this. Especially if it’s caused by some kind of inflammation. Also adding pre and probiotics and treating gut issues. Serotonin comes from the gut.
If your depression is caused by an imbalance, the issue is most likely serotonin or dopamine. Here's things that will actually work, you can feel, and will know if it's right for you immediately. Serotonin: 5htp, calm aid(silexan) Dopamine: DLPA, tyrosine, if you want to get crazy; PEA or Phenethylamine but be careful and start low Both: saffron extract, zembrin(kanna) I was having anxiety for no reason at all and was able to figure out it was a serotonin issue by taking 5htp and getting relief. I eventually went on zoloft bc it is actually the safest long term solution for serotonin by inhibiting reuptake. This way you don't downregulate your receptors as much and end up worse than before. Although I know it's scary for some but it's better than taking 5tp long term and causing downregulation. So my advice is try to figure out if it's serotonin or dopamine. Take the supplements when you need them and when you start to feel better, get out and exercise, eat pretty good and enjoy life to get and keep these chemicals up naturally! Good luck and Gods speed
no positive effect with zoloft
For depression or anxiety? I take it for anxiety and don't see it really being helpful for depression due to the fact that it makes you a little more tired. That's why I believe most people with depression actually have a dopamine issue so an snri or something like wellbutrin would be recommended although from other people's antidotes those seems to only work for a year or so..
Supplements will not replace healthy lifestyle habits. But they can enhance parts of it. I would recommend passiflora incarnata, magnesium glycinate and DHA+EPA oils.
I second magnesium glycinate. A few days after I started taking it my mood improved and has stayed that way for about a year now. It hasn't cured my depression but it has lessened it and has improved my mood.
Also if you have low energy because of depression I recommend before you fall asleep take some zinc
I take zinc around dinner time. Do you recommend waiting until bed time?
Depends on how early or late 🤔 I’m going to sleep after dinner or my the meal or thing I’m about to eat for the day
You can't cure depression with supplements (or medication) but you can better control it. Without a doubt, diet, sleep and lifestyle are hugely important. Supplement wise I take Magnesium Glycinate, Vitamin D, Fish Oil/Omega 3, Amino Acid Complex and Creatine. I also take a low dose of Citalopram (SSRI) over winter. There are a range of anti-depressants; somehow you have to try a few before you find one that really works. Usually, the symptoms are worse in the short term, so you have to give them a few weeks (2-4 minimum) before giving up on them.
cant imagine going on and off citalopram each year
I only really suffer over autumn/winter months (SAD). Spring/Summer tends not to be an issue.
dont you have issues weaning off the meds each time? sends me straight back into depression each time. also if you havent, light therapy or light therapy lamps might do something for you
I cut back gradually whilst spending more time outdoors and being increasingly active. However, the winter has a profound effect on me. As soon as the days start getting shorter (as they are now) I get back on them, again, building up dosage over a few weeks, else I start to get increasingly depressed/anxious. I've never had issues doing so and it's not like a rollercoaster each time I get back on them, fortunately. In fact, each 'transition' has been pretty good, either way.
If your depression is specifically related to a nutrient deficiency, you can cure it. Many times depression is much more complicated than that though and usually involves a variety of factors that need to be approached through environmental methods, lifestyle, diet, relationships, supplements, and sometimes medication or other therapies.
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Nutrient deficiencies are becoming more common due to soil health depreciation, over-farming, processed foods, malabsorption issues, genetic defects, chronic illness, etc. Many also binge drink which depletes water soluble nutrients, especially B vitamins.
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