A Natural Answer for Depression
Q: My daughter was recently diagnosed with depression. I hate to see her suffer, but am concerned about the serious side effects of prescription drugs. Is there anything else we can try?
Dr. Wright: In over 30 years of practice, I've found that depression can almost always be cleared up with an individualized amino-acid supplement program.
Most patented antidepressants "work" by boosting the levels of mood-regulating neurotransmitters in the brain. Amino acids do the same thing -- but without the unpleasant side effects like nausea, sleeplessness, and decreased libido. And since I've found that most depressed patients have low levels of amino acids, it's always made more sense to me to put back what they're missing, rather than give them an artificial "band-aid" solution.
Usually, when my patients add the specific combination of amino acids determined by their personal test results to their supplement programs, they start feeling better in just a few weeks. And it usually stays away for good.
You can have your fasting essential amino acids checked with a blood test. If your levels are low, make sure to use a blend of all eight essential amino acids (including tryptophan) individualized for you. And, just as importantly, make sure to look for the cause of your low levels. It probably won't surprise you to learn that, quite often, that cause turns out to be hypochlorhydria, or low stomach acid.
If that's the case, then add injections of vitamin B12 with folic acid to your program: These are always a good idea for anyone with low stomach acid. Individualized amino acids along with these injections can frequently help your depression clear up over a few weeks to a few months time. If this isn't effective enough, you may want to consider adding the mineral rubidium.
As you can tell, all of this may be a little complicated, so it's best to work with a physician skilled and knowledgeable in nutritional and natural medicine to help you coordinate it all. For a list of such physicians in your area, contact the American College for Advancement in Medicine (800-532-3688; www.acam.org).
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Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. has degrees from both Harvard University (cum laude) and the University of Michigan. More than any other doctor, he practically invented the modern science of applied nutritional biochemistry and he has advanced nutritional medicine for nearly three decades.
As of today, Dr. Wright has received over 35,000 patient visits at his now-famous Tahoma Clinic in Washington State.
To learn more about Dr. Wright, and to sign up for his free Health e-Tips eLetter, please visit www.wrightnewsletter.com.
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Comments
juliasmith julia smith
Thank for sharing it with us
Anonymous
I really have a question.
I am in trouble with the family because my background is in Geriatric Nutrition and I cannot come up with something that will help my grand-daughter-in-law with a mental problem. I do not want her in the clutches of main stream medicine's psycho folks. She hears voices that are not there. As I get the picture, it is like being in a crowded room full of talkative people. She is in her mid course in College for a PhD in English Lit - is 29 years old and has been married to my grandson for a little over three years. The voices really hurt her concentration, as well as preventing a good night's sleep, and I'm wondering if there is some natural remedy that I may not have heard about (been retired for 23 years) that might help her.
Any comment will be read very carefully and very much appreciated.
Anonymous
How effective is amino acid supplementation? Are there any studies I can review?
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