Turmeric may be a great alternative depression treatment, according to some recent research and analysis of previous studies.
It is time to start taking care of our mental health. It is an aspect of health that has been swept under the rug for a long time, but is now finally starting to be talked about.
According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, major depressive disorder affects about 14.7 million American adults, which is about 6.7 percent of the population. That number is steadily increasing as well.
It is well known that diet can affect our physical health, but recent research is starting to show associations between healthy foods and mental health too.
It is safe to say, there is no spice in the world known by scientists that is more powerful for health than turmeric.
Turmeric has received a lot of attention lately due to the power of social media and the overwhelming number of studies on the potent spice.
MEDLINE, the medical study database for example has over 10,000 studies on turmeric alone.
According to a meta-analysis of six short term studies, curcumin was found to be a safe and well tolerated treatment for depression patients. The study authors reported that curcumin could serve as a “novel depressant.”
Three of the studies also reported anxiety-relieving effects.
Another recent study from Australia examined the anti-depressant effects of curcumin. The trial was placebo controlled.
Compared to the placebo, the patients who received curcumin showed significant improvement of depression symptoms.
One more scientific review from the Journal of Psychopharmacology analyzed curcumins effects on psychiatric disorders. The researchers noted:
“[C]urcumin can influence an array of biological activities. Many of these, such as its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective and monoaminergic effects are dysregulated in several neuropsychiatric disorders …
[I]n vitro, animal and human studies investigating … curcumin as a treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder … and autism are reviewed … It is concluded that curcumin is a promising, natural agent for many of these conditions …”
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REFERENCES:
1. “Curcumin – A Novel Treatment Alternative for Depression.” Mercola.com. Mercola.com, n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.
2. “Clinical Use of Curcumin in Depression: A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.
3. “Efficacy of Curcumin, and a Saffron/curcumin Combination for the Treatment of Major Depression: A Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study.” Journal Of Effective Disorders. Journal Of Effective Disorders, n.d. Web. 21 May 2017.
4. “Curcumin for Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Review of in Vitro, Animal and Human Studies.” Journal of Psychopharmacology. Journal of Psychopharmacology, n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.
