You have probably heard of the numerous health benefits of turmeric, but did you also know that turmeric can help with depression?
Turmeric is a very popular nutraceutical product, which is able to help with numerous health conditions because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric has been shown to improve many types of physical health conditions, including arthritis. However, turmeric’s health benefits may also extend to include mental health benefits, as several new studies have shown promising results about the potential of turmeric to help with depression and other mental health conditions. Because of this, turmeric supplements have become popular with consumers who are trying to enjoy the health benefits of turmeric.
Anti-inflammatory Products Can Improve Depression
Turmeric has already been used for centuries for a variety of health conditions, and it has even already been used for stress relief in countries such as China or India. Ayurvedic Medicine uses turmeric, among other products, to help to relieve symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. In western countries, people also add turmeric to their foods or drinks, and also occasionally take turmeric supplements.
The main reason that turmeric can help with depression is that it is an anti-inflammatory product. Studies have shown that inflammation is linked to both depression and fatigue. This could both cause symptoms or exacerbate the symptoms of a person that is struggling with mental health issues such as depression. Notably, one of the benefits of antidepressant medication includes its ability to lower inflammation.
What is currently unclear is how turmeric interferes with other types of medications used to treat depression. For this reason, it is best to naturally include turmeric in your diet and to not rely on turmeric supplements unless you consult with a doctor. The recommended daily dose of turmeric is 500mg/day ( around 2.5 teaspoons), while turmeric supplements may contain more than 1,000mg.
How Turmeric Can Help with Depression
Numerous studies have been conducted focusing on how turmeric can help with depression. At the very least, it is clear to see that turmeric can help with depression. However, it is unclear whether turmeric alone can be used to treat a major depressive disorder or other mental health conditions. At best, turmeric may only be able to help relieve some of the symptoms, and would likely need to be combined with other traditional forms of medication.
Medical professionals have been exploring alternative treatments, including anti-inflammatory products, as these products are shown to combat some of the symptoms of major depressive disorder. This area is especially worth exploring, given that non-compliance is an issue, as patients sometimes avoid taking medication in the long term because of undesirable side effects. Turmeric, on the other hand, can easily be added to one’s diet, and turmeric supplements are also very affordable and have limited undesirable side effects.
Other 8 week trials have revealed that people with depression stand to benefit from consuming turmeric and that these effects tend to show up after the first four weeks. Turmeric’s ability to reduce depression was attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. People with depression tend to have inflammation and oxidative stress, so combating these two symptoms may be one of several important steps to reduce the symptoms of depression.
Takeaway
It is clear that turmeric can help with depression, but is still not reliable enough to use on its own because of the lack of research in this area. Furthermore, turmeric is one of many nutraceutical products that help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. It is worthwhile to also consider other alternatives and to improve your health through your diet and exercise. In our view, other nutraceutical products such as lithium or magnesium may be more reliable for alternative treatments for mental health disorders. Turmeric, on the other hand, should be used as a holistic approach to both your physical and mental health.
Turmeric supplements may be necessary for some individuals, although it is certainly easy to consume 500mg+/day of turmeric naturally in your food and in drinks. It is unclear how much turmeric is necessary to fully alleviate mental health symptoms, so it is best to focus on taking the standard amount used for general health purposes.
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