Certain nutrients have been shown to enhance an individual’s mood and encourage anti-Depression mechanisms within the body, while improving an individual’s ability to adjust to psychologically demanding situations.
The extract of the deep sea fish
Garum armoricum is branded under the name “
Adapton.” The active components of
Adapton have been shown to help the body adjust to emotionally and physically stressful situations. In England
Adapton is used for its
anti-Depression effects.
Studies have found that the blood level of
Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABa) is much lower in men with Depression than in healthy individuals. The low level of
GABa has been directly correlated with the length of the illness. Plasma
GABa levels could be a biochemical sign of a patient’s susceptibility to depression. The consistent, observable relationship between low blood-concentrations of
GABa in subjects in a state of
Depression supports the biochemical theory of
Depression.
One study revealed that normalizing the concentration of
L-tryptophan in the red blood cells ameliorated the symptoms of
Depression. The synergistic effect of
L-tryptophan and
anti-Depression medication from the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) group has also been investigated. In these studies,
L-tryptophan appears to augment the
anti-Depression effects of these medications. This study encouraged further research into the role of
L-tryptophan and its effects on
Depression, as well as its involvement in the serotonin mechanisms so closely related to
Depression. One revealing study, published in the journal
Archives of General Psychiatry in 1994, suggests that individuals with no prior history of
Depression, albeit with a family history of the condition, demonstrate sensitivity to
L-tryptophan levels. It was observed that the subjects in this group experienced a more acute decrease in mood level than the control group, with a corresponding
tryptophan depletion. This hypothesis is also consistent with theories that associate poor serotonin production as one of the probable cause of the
Depression.
L-tyrosine is an amino acid present in only moderate amounts in protein-rich foods.
L-tyrosine is a biochemical source for the production of the catecholamines: Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, Dopamine, hormones of the thyroid glands and the skin pigment called melanin.
It is believed that
L-tyrosine can act as an antidepressant in its role as a precursor in the synthesis of Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, and Dopamine. An increase in the concentration of these neurotransmitters in the brain has been correlated with antidepressant effects.