Treating depression naturally

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Better than Prozac

 

 

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Better than Prozac

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By: Jason Feirman

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Summary: Treating depression with common food components might be as

effective as using traditional drugs.

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If you walked into your therapist's office and he told you to stop

taking Prozac and start eating more fish, you'd probably think he was

crazy. But a new study has found that a combination of common food

components might be as effective in treating depression as traditional

drugs.

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Scientists at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital looked at how uridine

and omega-3 fatty acids could prevent depressive-like symptoms in

laboratory rats. They found that each substance has antidepressant-like

effects but together they are more effective than either is alone. It's

a case of one plus one equals three.

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Despite their powerful therapeutic effects, both uridine and omega-3

fatty acids are naturally occurring ingredients found in ordinary

foods.

Cold-water fish such as salmon and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty

acids, as are walnuts. Molasses and sugarbeets are good sources of

uridine.

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Researchers tested the two agents on rats that were forced to swim, a

situation from which it was impossible to escape. It creates severe

stress that induces a depression-like state of inaction and immobility.

The stress, mediated by hormones, activates genes in key brain regions

known to influence activity levels and mood.

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When fed alone to rats, uridine had an immediate effect in relieving

depression,; the rats became less immobile in the forced swim test.

Omega-3 fatty acids also reduced indicators of immobility, but it took

a

solid month of steady consumption of dietary supplements containing

omega-3 fatty acids for the animals to show signs of improved mood.

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Researchers then performed another experiment in which they fed the

rats

normally ineffective amounts of uridine with supplements containing

omega-3 fatty acids. After ten days of treatment, rats showed signs of

reduced immobility, increased swimming and increased climbing.

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No one is sure why the combination of uridine and omega-3 fatty acids

is

so effective at relieving depression, but the researchers have some

theories. Uridine affects the synthesis of nerve cell membranes and

their fluidity, which in turn has an impact on all transactions that

must take place.

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In addition, uridine influences the levels of neurotransmitters such as

dopamine and norphinephrine. Both are important brain chemicals that

effect mood, moobility and general arousal.

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Omega-3 fatty acids are also known to affect the fluidity of nerve cell

membranes. They may be affecting the ability of serotonin to dock at

the

cell membrane, the first step before it unloads its cargo. Serotonin is

a neurotransmitter which plays an important role in depression, bipolar

disorder and anxiety.

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Indeed, it is possible that uridine and omega-3 fatty acids act like a

good song and dance act. Uridine may rev up membrane synthesis and then

the omega-3s are on hand to slip smoothly into the nerve cell

membranes.

There they can facilitate a whole range of processes, including

improving the action of serotonin.

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Membrane fluidity may be especially important for mitochondria, the

little energy factories found inside all cells of the body, including

nerve cells. Omega-3 acids seem to boost the flexibility of

mitochondrial membranes while uridine delivers raw material for the

mitochondrial furnace.

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