Education for Personalized Medicine

Five Causes of Depression that You Need to Know About

Saturday, 15 November 2008 10:42 by cnelson-dooley

After watching this presentation, you should be able to:

Identify the underlying biochemical causes of depression, migraine headache, and fatigue
Determine when and why to test your amino acids, neurotransmitter catabolites, or food antibodies
Effectively interpret lab results and design a treatment plan for the person suffering with migraine headache, fatigue, or depression

Would you be surprised if someone told you poor nutrition can cause depression ? Do you want to look for the root causes of your symptoms?

If you have depression, migraine headache, or fatigue, you need to know your test results for:

Plasma amino acids, especially tryptophan
Urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetate
Urinary vanilmandelate and homovanillate
Serum IgG4 food antibodies
Gut dysbiosis

These test results are often abnormal in people suffering with depression, migraine, or fatigue. Integrative medical doctors can recommend nutritional treatments and dietary modification to improve the underlying abnormalities and reduce symptoms for the long-term, without side effects. That means that you don’t have to put up with depression, migraine headache, or fatigue for the rest of your life. With some simple tests and nutritional treatments, you can relieve your depression, decrease the frequency and severity of migraines, and increase your energy levels.

Learn more about the testing profiles discussed in this post at the Metametrix.com website:

You might also be interested in this Case Study about the Triad Profile in depression and Migraine Headache.

About the Author

Cass Nelson-Dooley is the Research Coordinator at the Metametrix Institute, where she educates clinicians about the use of laboratory data in patient care. She is co-author of, "Nutrient and Toxic Elements" in Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine. Ms. Nelson-Dooley completed a Fulbright scholarship and Master of Science in Ethnopharmacology. She has published in journals such as The Journal of Nutrition, Obesity Research, and Current Medicinal Chemistry.

References

D'Andrea G, Perini F, Terrazzino S, Nordera GP: Contributions of biochemistry to the pathogenesis of primary headaches. Neurol Sci 2004; 25 Suppl 3:S89-92
Melzack R: From the gate to the neuromatrix. Pain 1999; Suppl 6:S121-6
Millichap JG, Yee MM: The diet factor in pediatric and adolescent migraine. Pediatr Neurol 2003; 28(1):9-15
Packard RC, Ham LP: Pathogenesis of posttraumatic headache and migraine: a common headache pathway? Headache 1997; 37(3):142-52
Cananzi AR, D'Andrea G, Perini F, Zamberlan F, Welch KM: Platelet and plasma levels of glutamate and glutamine in migraine with and without aura. Cephalalgia 1995; 15(2):132-5
D'Andrea G, Cananzi AR, Joseph R, Morra M, Zamberlan F, Ferro Milone F, Grunfeld S, Welch KM: Platelet glycine, glutamate and aspartate in primary headache. Cephalalgia 1991; 11(4):197-200
Ferrari MD: Biochemistry of migraine. Pathol Biol (Paris) 1992; 40(4):287-92
Ferrari M, Odink J, Bruyn G: Biochemical differences between classic migraine, common migraine and tension headache, in New trends in clinical neurology, migraine, and other headaches. Edited by Ferrari M, Lataste X. Canforth, Parthenon Publishing, 1989, pp 151-160
D'Andrea G, Canazi AR, Ferro-Milone F, Joseph R, Grunfeld S, Welch KM: Platelet levels of glutamate and aspartate in normal subjects. Stroke 1989; 20(2):299-300
Smith KA, Fairburn CG, Cowen PJ: Relapse of depression after rapid depletion of tryptophan. Lancet 1997; 349(9056):915-9
Ille R, Spona J, Zickl M, Hofmann P, Lahousen T, Dittrich N, Bertha G, Hasiba K, Mahnert FA, Kapfhammer HP: "Add-On"-therapy with an individualized preparation consisting of free amino acids for patients with a major depression. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2007; 257(4):222-9
Stang PE, Yanagihara PA, Swanson JW, Beard CM, O'Fallon WM, Guess HA, Melton LJ, 3rd: Incidence of migraine headache: a population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Neurology 1992; 42(9):1657-62
Van den Bergh V, Amery WK, Waelkens J: Trigger factors in migraine: a study conducted by the Belgian Migraine Society. Headache 1987; 27(4):191-6
Peatfield RC, Glover V, Littlewood JT, Sandler M, Clifford Rose F: The prevalence of diet-induced migraine. Cephalalgia 1984; 4(3):179-83
Robbins L: Precipitating factors in migraine: a retrospective review of 494 patients. Headache 1994; 34(4):214-6
Egger J, Carter CM, Soothill JF, Wilson J: Oligoantigenic diet treatment of children with epilepsy and migraine. J Pediatr 1989; 114(1):51-8
Egger J, Carter CM, Wilson J, Turner MW, Soothill JF: Is migraine food allergy? A double-blind controlled trial of oligoantigenic diet treatment. Lancet 1983; 2(8355):865-9

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Tags:		depression, fatigue, migraine headache, fibromyalgia, food allergy
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Comments

December 11. 2008 11:06

This presentation is very important for psychologists, because we are now receiving the right to medicate our clients (Louisiana, New Mexico). Since psychologists have a proud history of being scientists first and technicians second, and since Prozac shows up in our drinking water, and since health researchers are finally admitting that it’s easier to prevent disease than to cure it (e.g. cancer), we should be very interested in this type of information.

The presentation is a concise, interesting, and understandable review of what’s underneath some forms of depression. It is well worth the short time it takes to watch it online.

Dr. Julie Nelson

December 19. 2008 11:04

Thank you for your comment. Increasing endogenous synthesis of neurotransmitters using nutrition can be an effective, low-risk, adjunctive treatment for patients suffering with depression, anxiety, or migraine headache and the scientific literature supports this approach. Laboratory testing and nutritional and dietary interventions can be important tools for doctors treating complex patients.

I applaud the psychologists out there who are considering the role of nutrition and gut health in their clients’ mental and emotional healthcare. With the tools to correct nutritional and immunological imbalances, mental health professionals could fundamentally change the way we look at, and treat, depression and anxiety.

cnelson-dooley

January 5. 2009 12:45

A good diet can also help with depression. Just adding 8 glasses of water to your diet every day can also help. Just last week i had to replace the water filter in my refrigerator because i was drinking so much. You can really tell the difference. I have some websites if you are interested. Good luck to everyone with depression and keep hope.

Refrigerator Filters

January 6. 2009 17:33

There are many possible factors that contribute to depression and this presentation covered a few important ones. A poor diet could certainly cause amino acid insufficiency or gut dysbiosis, thereby leading to depression. A poor diet would also make it hard for the body to heal from these types of problems. Thanks for highlighting that quantity and quality of water are also important in a comprehensive healthcare plan for patients suffering with depression.

cnelson-dooley