Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review

Depression is a serious mental and mood disorder with global health and economic burden. This burden may be overwhelming in low income countries, although there are insufficient data. Most antidepressant formulations are predicated on the monoamine, neuroendocrine and neuro-inflammation hypotheses,...

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Main Authors: Moses B. Ekong, Clementina F. Iniodu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-12-01
Series:IBRO Neuroscience Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667242121000257
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author Moses B. Ekong
Clementina F. Iniodu
author_facet Moses B. Ekong
Clementina F. Iniodu
author_sort Moses B. Ekong
collection DOAJ
description Depression is a serious mental and mood disorder with global health and economic burden. This burden may be overwhelming in low income countries, although there are insufficient data. Most antidepressant formulations are predicated on the monoamine, neuroendocrine and neuro-inflammation hypotheses, with little or no cognizance to other neurochemicals altered in depression. A nutritional strategy with or without conventional antidepressants is recommended, as nutrition plays vital roles in the onset, severity and duration of depression, with poor nutrition contributing to its pathogenesis. This review discusses nutritional potentials of utilizing omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and herbs or their phytochemicals in the management of depression with the aim of reducing depression burden. Literature search of empirical data in books and journals in data bases including but not limited to PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar that might contain discussions of sampling were sought, their full text obtained, and searched for relevant content to determine eligibility. Omega-3 fatty and amino acids had significant positive anti-depression outcomes, while vitamins and minerals although essential, enhanced omega-3 fatty and amino acids activities. Some herbs either as whole extracts or their phytochemicals/metabolites had significant positive anti-depression efficacy. Nutrition through the application of necessary food classes or herbs as well as their phytochemicals, may go a long way to effectively manage depression. This therefore will provide inexpensive, natural, and non-invasive therapeutic means with reduced adverse effects that can also be applied alongside clinical management. This nutritional strategy should be given more attention in research, assessment and treatment for those with depression and other mental illness in low income countries, especially in Africa.
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spelling doaj.art-47909521cb14454d9f41a2a2d46ae8112022-12-21T21:35:14ZengElsevierIBRO Neuroscience Reports2667-24212021-12-01111528Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A reviewMoses B. Ekong0Clementina F. Iniodu1Corresponding author.; Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, NigeriaDepartment of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, NigeriaDepression is a serious mental and mood disorder with global health and economic burden. This burden may be overwhelming in low income countries, although there are insufficient data. Most antidepressant formulations are predicated on the monoamine, neuroendocrine and neuro-inflammation hypotheses, with little or no cognizance to other neurochemicals altered in depression. A nutritional strategy with or without conventional antidepressants is recommended, as nutrition plays vital roles in the onset, severity and duration of depression, with poor nutrition contributing to its pathogenesis. This review discusses nutritional potentials of utilizing omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and herbs or their phytochemicals in the management of depression with the aim of reducing depression burden. Literature search of empirical data in books and journals in data bases including but not limited to PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar that might contain discussions of sampling were sought, their full text obtained, and searched for relevant content to determine eligibility. Omega-3 fatty and amino acids had significant positive anti-depression outcomes, while vitamins and minerals although essential, enhanced omega-3 fatty and amino acids activities. Some herbs either as whole extracts or their phytochemicals/metabolites had significant positive anti-depression efficacy. Nutrition through the application of necessary food classes or herbs as well as their phytochemicals, may go a long way to effectively manage depression. This therefore will provide inexpensive, natural, and non-invasive therapeutic means with reduced adverse effects that can also be applied alongside clinical management. This nutritional strategy should be given more attention in research, assessment and treatment for those with depression and other mental illness in low income countries, especially in Africa.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667242121000257Depression burdenDepression classificationDepression treatmentFoodHerbal extracts. Phytochemicals
spellingShingle Moses B. Ekong
Clementina F. Iniodu
Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review
IBRO Neuroscience Reports
Depression burden
Depression classification
Depression treatment
Food
Herbal extracts. Phytochemicals
title Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review
title_full Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review
title_fullStr Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review
title_full_unstemmed Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review
title_short Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review
title_sort nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries a review
topic Depression burden
Depression classification
Depression treatment
Food
Herbal extracts. Phytochemicals
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667242121000257
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