Could a Vitamin C Regimen Combat Your Depression?

Traditionally, vitamin C supplements are only prescribed to those with a deficiency related to a poor diet or an inadequate absorption rate of the vitamin. However, studies have indicated a relationship between higher doses of vitamin C and a decrease in depression. But is there really a strong connection between vitamin C and depression, and what causes this connection?

Vitamin C uses

Vitamin C serves many different purposes in the body. For example, it's required for the process of wound healing. Additionally, it's needed by the immune system to combat infections. When people don't receive an adequate amount of vitamin C their immune system is weakened, putting them more at risk for illness. It's also needed by certain neurotransmitters and for protein metabolism.

Vitamin C deficiency

A vitamin C deficiency will cause a person to experience a decrease in energy. This alone may not be able to cause depression, but it does have the potential to worsen the disorder, as a person who is depressed may already have a decrease in energy. In addition, having a lack of energy can take a toll on a person's mood. When an individual develops a vitamin C deficiency, as it progresses, the person may become depressed.

What studies say about vitamin C

For the past 75 years researchers have published the effects of vitamin C in large doses on depression. One study was conducted on 40 psychiatric patients. These patients were given one gram of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) each day. Toward the end of the study, patients saw tremendous improvements in their mood. In fact, symptoms of both mania and depression decreased drastically in these patients.

According to Mayo Clinic, numerous studies have been conducted with vitamin C and hospitalized patients. These individuals oftentimes have lower levels of vitamin C when compared to nonhospitalized patients. Research indicated an improvement in patients' mood after they began receiving vitamin C.

A study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information regarding vitamin C's effect on animals proved vitamin C to be an effective antidepressant.

Why it might be beneficial

It makes sense that a deficiency that causes depression and a decrease in energy may have an impact on a person's mood. Vitamin C is natural and plays a role in serotonin levels. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that's responsible for regulating mood and promoting relaxation. When a person has adequate levels of serotonin, it leads to better sleeping habits and increased energy. The person is less likely to have symptoms of depression when his or her serotonin level is balanced. This is why drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors effectively treat depression.

Vitamin C works with other chemicals in the brain as well. When this vitamin works with dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, it converts dopamine into norepinephrine. Norepinephrine has an impact on the regulation of mood. It's released as a stress hormone. This is why norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors like bupropion successfully treat depression.

Although vitamin C may have the potential to reduce the symptoms of depression, it's not a substitution for depression treatment. Depression therapy is the only effective cure for severe cases of depression. Depression rehab even offers holistic-driven approaches to treatment for those looking for an alternative course of action.