Depression Natural Remedies

Depression is pretty complicated condition and in many cases medicine cannot be effective. When traditional medical treatment of depression is not effective or if client is suffering from severe side effects of antidepressants, it would be recommended to switch to natural remedies. There are several natural remedies which could be useful and effective during different types of depression.

List of effective natural remedies and herbal supplements for depression include:

• St. John’s wort,
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids,
• Vitamin B6,
• SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine),
• 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan),
• Valerian, Schisandra chinensis,
• Passionflower,
• Calcium and Magnesium.

 

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

St. John’s Wort is the most popular in depression treatment. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a bushy, low-growing plant which usually covered with yellow flowers during whole summer.

St. John’s Wort can be very effective during depression – it’s positive effect could be also explained by its detoxification ability.

Some professionals don’t recommend use other medication during treatment with St. John’s Wort because of liver super-activity.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are very special acids which are found in fish oil as well as in some certain plants and nut oils. You can easily find special dietary supplements with Omega-3 fatty acids. This product can be also discovered in flax seed oil, fish-oil supplements, and algal oils.

It was noted that Omega-3 fatty acids can improve symptoms of depression.

Vitamin B6

It is well known that during production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine (brain chemistry), human body needs certain amount of Vitamin B6 which is also required for normal nerve cell communication.

As serotonin deficit is one of reasons of depression, Vitamin B6 could be considered as a compensation factor for increasing the missing part of serotonin.

SAMe (S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine)

Surprisingly it was noted that sometimes SAMe could be as effective as antidepressants during treatment of depression.

Actually so called “SAMe” is a substance found in every human cell – it is the abbreviation for S-adenosyl-L-methionine (called also “sammy”). It is dietary supplement which could be recommended during depression.

5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)

5-HTP is the abbreviation for 5-hydroxytryptophan – it is considered very natural treatment because it is produced by human body and in human brain it can be converted to serotonin. During depression the 5-hydroxytryptophan can increase the level of serotonin which is lacking during depression.

5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) can be extracted from African plant called “Griffonia simplicifolia”.

Valerian

Valerian is widely used natural remedy – it is just a flowering plant with pink or white flowers. Natural supplements are usually prepared from Valerian roots and rhizomes (underground stems).

Valerian is recommended for several health conditions including depression, sleep disorders, headaches, irregular heartbeat and trembling.

Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis – so called “Chinese Prozac”)

Schisandra chinensis is growing in Northern China and Russian Far East. According to herbal specialists the Schisandra is effective during stress and depression triggered by stress. Schisandra’s berries have several useful abilities – they improve mood, break up anxiety, support adrenal glands, improve libido and insure liver detoxification.

Experts recommend Schisandra capsules (500mg) to be used twice a day – it should not be taken in the evening.

Passionflower (Passion flowers, Passion vines)

During the Victorian era the Passionflower was very popular for treatment of anxiety which is a common symptom of depression. Passionflower is known as a relaxation herb which can calm down. Even if you are stressed and cannot control yourself, Passionflower could be a good solution.

Experts recommend to use Passionflower extract regularly – about 40-45 drops per day.

Calcium and Magnesium

Calcium and Magnesium should be considered as depression prevention elements. Medical studies demonstrated positive effect of Calcium and Magnesium during stress – these elements can reduce the stress, muscle tension and sleep problems.

If you use 500mg calcium citrate with 250 mg magnesium an hour before bed, it could prevent development of several depression symptoms (especially sleep disorders).