Cure for Depression?
There may be a way to reduce symptoms of depression. In a new study, elderly men and women who sipped on several cups of green tea a day were less likely to have the blues. Dr. Kaijun Niu, at Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in Sendai, and colleagues found men and women aged 70 and older who drank four or more, versus one or fewer, cups of green tea daily were 44 percent less likely to have symptoms of depression.
If green tea turns out to help cure depression, millions of people could be impacted. More than 20 million people in the United States have depression, and the feelings often interfere with their everyday life. Symptoms can include:
- Sadness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
- Change in weight
- Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
- Energy loss
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Thoughts of death or suicide
There have been several prior studies on the health benefits of green tea. For the mind, green tea contains L-Theanine, an amino acid which is said to create a mental calmness. Worries may not be completely eradicated, but things in life may seem less troublesome. Green tea, and other teas as well, lower the levels of the stress hormone, Cortisol, by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. These neurotransmitters, like Serotonin for example, need to be at a high level to combat things like depression, insomnia, PMS, suicide, and other stress related conditions. When serotonin is low in the brain, these conditions are more apparent.
According to the researchers, the apparent effect of drinking more green tea on alleviating symptoms of depression did not fade after they factored in social and economic status, gender, diet, history of medical problems and use of antidepressants. However, further studies are necessary to confirm whether greater green tea intake actually has antidepressant effects. Therefore, Niu shied away from recommending greater green tea intake to minimize depression among the elderly.
If you think you are have depression, there are effective treatments including anti-depressants and talk therapy. Most people do best by using both. As with any medical illness or condition, only your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional can provide a diagnosis of depression.
Lenneice A. Drew is an experienced journalist currently focused on healthcare reform. She is working to help others achieve better lives by finding affordable health insurance alternatives and reporting stories related to the healthcare industry. She lives in Miami, Florida. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/cure-for-depression-1609786.html
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