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Methylation And Mood

 
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Depression is more than just a bout of the blues. While we all feel sad and low from time to time, some people experience these feelings intensely and persistently for long periods of time (weeks, months or even years). Depression is not something that people can just "snap out of" – it is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.  

In Australia, it is estimated in any one year, around one million adults are suffering depression.

Alarmingly, the success of antidepressant drug therapy is not high, with studies suggesting that the majority of depressed patients do not experience remission when treated with a first-line antidepressant. Therefore, it is essential that we continue the search for more effective mood disorder management. Integrative approaches may complement pharmaceuticals, or, offer an alternative in cases where negative side effects or contraindications are noted.

...the majority of depressed patients do not experience remission when treated with a first-line antidepressant.

The process of methylation appears to be one very important piece of the mood puzzle. Methylation is the essential biochemical process involving the addition of methyl groups to a vast range of compounds in the body. These methylation processes are important for normal gene function, detoxification, cardiovascular health, regulation of inflammation and energy production. In the brain, methylation plays a critical role, and is responsible for the production and metabolism of hormones and neurotransmitters such as melatonin, serotonin, cortisol, adrenalin and noradrenaline. If methylation is impaired, the critical balance between hormone and neurotransmitter production and breakdown is affected, adversely impacting mood and cognition. 

In this infographic, we explore the methylation cycle, the nutrients upon which it depends and how supporting this cycle can support patients with depression.


 


References

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  9. Carpenter DJ. St. John’s wort and S-adenosyl methionine as “natural” alternatives to conventional antidepressants in the era of the suicidality boxed warning: what is the evidence for clinically relevant benefit? Altern Med Rev 2011;16(1):17-39. [PDF]
     
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Melissa Lee
Melissa is a designer turned nutritionist, who has combined the two modalities to create purposeful designs for various health publications and websites. Having initially studied Multimedia Systems Design, she then went on to complete a BHSc in Nutritional Medicine which led to her involvement in the integrative medicine industry and eventually to FX Medicine.