Blood tests for Depression and Mood Disorders

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> SSRI-Research

 

> 1 Sep 2004 08:47:32 -0000

> [sSRI-Research] File - Blood tests for

> Depression and Mood Disorders

>

>

> Depression and Mood Disorders

>

http://www.gsdl.com/assessments/finddisease/depression/

>

> Feelings of hopelessness, chronic apathy, and low

> energy levels are some of

> the crippling symptoms of depression. Depression can

> appear as a consequence

> of a life change such as divorce, death of a family

> member, or loss of

> work‹or it may insidiously unfold without a clear

> cause. For this disorder,

> the well-known adage, " sound body-sound mind "

> reveals a simple basic truth.

> That's because depression is commonly intertwined

> with a vast number of

> diverse conditions and illnesses--and uncovering

> potential imbalances can be

> a powerful tool for an effective natural and

> holistic approach to emotional

> healing.

>

> Depression and Amino Acids: The building blocks of

> protein, amino acids are

> crucial source material for the production of

> important brain

> neurotransmitters. Imbalances can result in several

> major dysfunctions of

> the central nervous system linked to depression.

>

> Depression and Thyroid Function: A substantial

> portion of patients with

> depression suffer from thyroid hormone imbalances

> that may make them more

> treatment-resistant.

>

> Depression and Allergy: Depression seems to

> predispose individuals to

> increased immune hypersensitivity to a wide range of

> food and environmental

> allergens.

>

> Depression and Melatonin: Imbalances of the pineal

> hormone melatonin are

> linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder and other mood

> and behavior problems.

> Disrupted secretion patterns of melatonin can also

> seriously interfere with

> sleep, worsening existing symptoms of depression.

>

> Depression and Adrenal Hormones: Overly high levels

> of the adrenal hormone

> cortisol often underlie the biochemical pattern

> characteristic of

> depression, particularly when stress and obesity are

> also part of the

> clinical picture.

>

> Depression and Digestive Function: A faulty

> digestive process can result in

> the malabsorption of key nutrients necessary for

> maintaining healthy mood

> patterns and overall feeling of well-being.

> Overgrowth of certain intestinal

> yeasts such as Candida albicans can also trigger

> mood swings.

>

> Depression and Toxins and Nutrients: Overexposure to

> heavy metal toxins like

> lead and mercury have been clinically shown to

> induce a psychiatric symptoms

> such as anxiety and depression. Mineral nutrient

> imbalances can also cause

> resistance to treatment.

>

> Depression and Glucose and Insulin Tolerance:

> Fluctuating blood sugar

> levels, particularly in diabetic patients, can

> result in increased

> depression, tension, and fatigue.

>

> Depression and Vitamins: The B-vitamins play an

> important role in the proper

> metabolism of important brain neurotransmitters

> linked to mood and behavior.

>

> Depression and Fatty Acids: Fatty acid deficiencies

> could significantly

> contribute to symptoms of depression, particularly

> in those at high risk of

> omega-3 deficiencies, such as alcoholics and post

> partum women.

>

> Depression and Female Hormones: Female hormone

> imbalances may help explain

> why women are much more prone to certain types of

> depression than men.

>

>

>

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> provider use only and is

> part of the GSDL communication links with our

> physician customers.

 

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