Dealing with Menopause Symptoms

As a physician, I was amazed to discover that zinc deficiency affects almost 1 in 3 persons globally. Mood swings are the most common symptoms associated with this mineral deficiency.

Also, anxiety, depression and aggressive behavior are among the most common psychological symptoms that exist in the industrialized and developing world

There are many reasons for these mental health conditions, but nutrition is one that is often overlooked and holds great promise. Because of the nutrient depletion of key minerals in fruits and vegetables due to industrial farming procedures and the large percentage of fast foods most people consume, correcting vitamin and mineral deficiencies is key to improving mental and physical health.

Previous research studies have shown a link between serotonin deficiency, a key brain chemical in depression.

Researchers at two Japanese Universities Junior College examined the impact zinc supplementation could have on mood, 30 young women and placed them randomly into 2 different groups-to receive either multivitamins and zinc plus multivitamins for ten weeks. The study participants were given 7 milligrams of zinc.

The multivitamins were given to prevent other vitamin deficiencies. They provided half of the recommended dietary allowances of vitamins A, D, B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid and niacin by the Japanese government.

At the end of the study, only the women taking zinc demonstrated reductions in depression and anger. Their zinc blood levels also increased significantly.

Interestingly, animal studies have found that only zinc deficient female animals experienced increased aggression. This new research appears to support the anger reducing impact in women proceeding zinc supplements noted the researchers, as well as the preceding research studies’ findings.

“Our results suggest that zinc supplementation may be effective in reducing anger and depression,” they researchers.

This study was reported in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “Although our findings are preliminary and should be interpreted with caution, they may prompt further investigations to evaluate the relationship between zinc nutrition and mood states, in women.

Presenters at the Pregnancy Meeting sponsored by the Society for Maternal-Fetal meeting, recently held in Chicago, revealed findings that acupuncture may be an effective treatment depression during pregnancy.

“Depression during pregnancy is an issue of concern because it has negative effects on the mother and the baby as well as the rest of the family,” said Dr. Schnyer, one of the study’s authors.

While the rates of depression in pregnant women are comparable to rates seen among similarly aged non-pregnant women and among women during the postpartum period, there are fewer treatment studies of depression during pregnancy than during the postpartum period.

Anti-depressant during pregnancy affects the mother and the developing baby.

150 participants with Major Depressive Disorder were randomly placed in a either a group that received acupuncture specific treatment for depression, or one of two active controls: control acupuncture (they didn’t receive acupuncture specific treatment, but another form of acupuncture) or massage.

The women received 12 sessions during a two month period. Junior acupuncturists masked to treatment assignment needled participants at points prescribed by senior acupuncturists. The mother’s symptoms of depression were rated at the beginning, and after four and eight weeks of treatment.

The women receiving the acupuncture specific treatment experienced a significantly greater decrease in depression severity compared to the combined controls or the non-specific acupuncture group alone. They also had a higher response rate (63.0%) than the combined controls or control acupuncture alone. Symptom reduction and response rates did not differ significantly between controls.

Mild and temporary side effects were reported in 43 of the 150 participants (20 in the depression specific group, 19 in the non-specific group and 4 in the massage group). Notably fewer participants reported side effects in the massage group than in the two acupuncture groups.

Dr. Schyner said, “The results of our study show that the acupuncture protocol we tested could be a viable treatment option for depression during pregnancy.