There are a wide range of supplement advertised as natural methods for treating depression, either as add-ons to pharmaceuticals or as alternatives.  But what works and what doesn’t?

Hello there, im new to this website, could you tell me more about a natural suppliment called 5-htp.

Hi Nattie
5-HTP is the precursor to the main mood regulating neurotransmitter called serotonin.  Providing the body with 5-HTP (extracted from the Griffonia plant seed) might therefore raise serotonin levels and help manage mood.  The general dose is around 100-300mg daily and it does appear to work well for some people (but not everyone).  Because 5-HTP is also derived from the amino acid tryptophan it is possible to increase levels of 5-HTP naturally through the diet by consuming protein foods known to be rich in tryptophan.  Some examples of food that are rich in tryptophan include dairy (milk and cheese), meat and fish.  Consuming oily fish like sardines or salmon a couple of times a week will also have the extra benefit of providing the omega-3 fatty acid EPA that also well documented for its ant-depressant properties.
Nina

Thanks NIna very useful info., thats very kind of you.ive started taking 50mg a day of 5Htp and it has certainly made a difference, my head feels calmer and problems just dont seem so “in my face”..im sleeping better too..I think they might be a more beneficial way of dealing with depression, im not getting the zombie like state that anti depressants leave you in.ive learned that you need to take a break from them, say 3 months after taking them.has anyone else tried 5-HTP… and what do you think of it?....

Hi Natty, I have taken 5 HTP and unfortunately I was one of those people Nina talks about for whom it didn’t make any difference.  The antidepressants never made any difference to me either apart from making me feel numb and put on lots of weight. 
I am so glad that you are feeling better.  EPA did for me what 5 HTP seems to be doing for you.  After years of being on antidepressants I begged my psychiatrist for something natural and he recommended EPA which is omega 3 fish oil.  I bought my first omegas on a cheap 2 for 1 offer and gave up as they didn’t make any difference but was then introduced to the pharmaceutical grade EPA, PharmEPA, that really improved my mood so much so that my psychiatrist weaned me off my antidepressants.  They can be taken alongside medication which helped as he could monitor my improvement without taking me off antidepressants first and we knew that it was them making the difference.  As I say Natty I am so pleased you are feeling better.  Long may it continue.  Helen

Hi Natty, hi Helen!  There is certainly a wide selection of products on the market targeted at helping depression and it’s about finding which one suits you best. Helen responded well to EPA and it’s worth just adding a note here for anyone who may be considering taking a fish oil to help manage their symptoms.  Firstly, there is an overwhelming choice of fish oils available and it really is a case of you get what you pay for, so going for the cheapest product may not be the wise move.  Based on research studies using fish oils to treat depression, it is clear now that pure EPA products are the way to go therapeutically speaking.  But what does this mean?  Generic fish oils will contain two types of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.  They have very different functions in the body and when it comes to anti-depressant actions we now know that EPA has to be in EXCESS of DHA and you need a at least 1 gram EPA daily.  Removing DHA from the oil frees up EPA and you are left with a therapeutically viable end product!  It is likely that Helen didn’t respond to the first fish oils she purchased for this reason.  Pharmepa EPA has been formulated to treat conditions that are known to respond to pure EPA and there is a very high success rate in those that use it.  In addition EPA looks after your cardiovascular system, helps with brain function (cognition, memory, learning etc), supports immune function and helps to keep inflammation in check! 
All the best
Nina