Pharmacological drugs have become generally accepted as the primary form of treatment for depression, but simple modifications to diet should be another option taken into consideration. Antidepressant drugs are often expensive and have negative side effects, but some dietary supplements and or changes in diet are less of a financial burden and less physically detrimental. In studies of the role diet plays in depression, specific nutrients have been identified, including omega-3 lipids, zinc, folate, vitamin B12, and tryptophan, which shows particular promise in the treatment of depression. Although combinations of nutrients or treatments could negatively interact, further research could identify those combinations as well as combinations that most beneficial.
"Diet Modifications to Treat Depression: A Potential Supplement to Pharmacological Medications,"
Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal in Psychology: Vol. 10
, Article 11.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/intuition/vol10/iss2/11