Depression

Depression is characterised by feelings of low self-esteem, pessimism and despair. It can range from a transient low mood to potentially life-threatening, severe clinical depression. The causes of depression may be multifactorial, including psychological, physiological and organic factors such as nutrient deficiencies, drugs, alcohol, caffeine, hypoglycaemia and hypothyroidism, low nutrient status, dealing with chronic pain and disease, work and family related stress, loss of a loved one, undiagnosed subclinical hypothyroidism and hypoadrenalism (often caused by long-term stress). For women, hormonal changes at childbirth and menopause may be contributing factors. For men, it may be hormonal (testosterone) changes at andropause.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression: Clinical depression is more than just feeling depressed. The official definition of clinical depression is based on the following eight criteria: poor appetite accompanied by weight loss, or increased appetite accompanied by weight gain, insomnia or excessive sleep habits, physical hyperactivity or inactivity, loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, or decrease in sex drive, loss of energy, feelings of fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach or inappropriate guilt, diminished ability to think or concentrate, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced naturally by the body from the essential amino acids L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan). 5-HTP is produced commercially by extraction from the seeds of the African plant Griffonia simplicifolia or other plant sources. In the central nervous system, serotonin is involved in controlling the regulation of sleep, depression, anxiety, appetite, temperature, sexual behaviour and pain sensation. Other cells outside the brain such as platelets make and use serotonin, however the brain can only use that which is produced in the brain, as serotonin cannot pass the blood brain barrier.

The transport of L-Tryptophan across the blood brain barrier can be inhibited by stress and lack of Vitamin B6. 5-HTP is the active intermediate metabolite between L-Tryptophan (sourced as an amino acid in protein) and serotonin. About 70% of oral dosing penetrates the blood stream and it can be taken with food (unlike L-Tryptophan). 5-HTP readily crosses the blood brain barrier, not requiring a transport molecule as does L-Tryptophan. 5-HTP may increase other neurotransmitters. The availability of melatonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and beta-endorphin may be increased with oral administration. This provides 5-HTP with some unique brain chemistry normalising ability.

Standard medication may be required to help control conditions such as sleep loss, anxiety and depression. The long term use of some pharmaceutical medication brings untoward side effects, dependency and, in many cases, depletion of essential nutrients that are required for normal function and the protection from disease processes.

Conventional methods of treatment for depression include psychotherapy and anti-depressant medication. Standard medical treatment for low moods is the use of MAO inhibiters and tricyclic antidepressants. These retard the breakdown of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine, thus increasing their concentration in the central nervous system.

References. American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV-TR. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.