Depression is a cognitive state associated with hopelessness and apathy. Clinical depression is a realm for medical doctors to address, but subclinical ennui might be counteracted with some supplements. Consider physical exercise as well, it might help a little.
The Human Effect Matrix looks at human studies (excluding animal/petri-dish studies) to tell you what what supplements affect Depression
| Grade | Level of Evidence |
|---|---|
| A | Robust research conducted with repeated double blind clinical trials |
| B | Multiple studies where at least two are double-blind and placebo controlled |
| C | Single double blind study or multiple cohort studies |
| D | Uncontrolled or observational studies only |
| Level of Evidence | Supplement | Change | Magnitude of Effect Size | Scientific Consensus | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Fish Oil |   Notable | Fish oil supplementation has been noted to be comparable to pharmaceutical drugs (fluoxetine) in majorly depressed persons, but this may be the only cohort that experiences... show | ||
| C | Creatine | Notable | Notable due to seeming to be related to serotonin and augmenting SSRI therapy, and appears to have a gender difference (efficacy in females) which needs to be explored more. | ||
| C | Dehydroepiandrosterone | 100% See study | No significant interactions with depression noted | ||
| C | Panax Ginseng | Minor | 100% See study | Anti-depressive effects may be secondary to reducing menopausal symptoms | |
| C | Nicotine | 100% See study | No significant influence on depressive symptoms | ||
| C | S-Adenosyl Methionine | Notable | 100% See 2 studies | Has been noted to augment SSRI therapy (similar to Creatine) and monotherapy with SAMe appears to be of similar potency to tricyclic antidepressants for some studies. | |
| C | Vitex Agnus Castus | Minor | 100% See 2 studies | Can attenuate depressive symptoms that occur during PMS secondary to reducing PMS symptoms in general. | |
| C | Bacopa Monnieri | Minor | 100% See 2 studies | An anti-depressive effect has been noted, but to a relatively small magnitude. Requires more context-based evidence | |
| C | Rhodiola Rosea | Notable | 100% See study | Limited evidence, but up to a halving of symptoms has been noted with higher doses of Rhodiola | |
| C | Yamabushitake | Minor | 100% See study | Decrease in depressive symptoms has been noted, which may be secondary to attenuating menopausal symptoms | |
| C | L-Tyrosine | 100% See study | Depressive symptoms that occur during acute stressors have not been affected by Tyrosine supplementation; chronic depression not yet researched | ||
| C | Ganoderma Lucidum | Minor | 100% See study | Depression as a symptom of cancer-related fatigue was reduced, may not hold inherent antidepressive effects | |
| C | Kava | Minor | 100% See 2 studies | Depressive symptoms have been reduced vicariously through reductions in anxiety; per se antidepressant effects of kava uncertain | |
| C | Maca | Minor | May reduce depression in postmenopausal women, unlikely to occur in otherwise healthy youth | ||
| D | Holy Basil | Minor | 100% See study | A decrease in depressive symtoms during generalized anxiety disorder has been noted | |
| D | Magnesium | Minor | 100% See study | Reduced depressive symptoms have been found in elderly diabetics | |
| D | Lavender | Minor | 100% See study | Depression as a side effect of anxiety appears to be reduced | |
| D | Royal Jelly | Minor | 100% See study | Reduction in irritability noted with Royal Jelly may be secondary to reducing symptoms associated with menopause | |
| D | Uridine | Minor | 100% See study | Depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder have been noted to be reduced |
(Users who contributed to this page include KurtisFrank, Insamity)
