By Brandon Kamins
Most of us have struggled with our weight at some point in our lives. In fact, the average American is now 23 pounds heavier than his/her ideal weight. If our growing rotundity were merely an aesthetic issue, doctors wouldn’t be sounding the klaxons about our ever-expanding waistline. But the truth is that obesity is now the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S., ahead of smoking! Described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a “national epidemic” and a “public health crisis,” the problem is far more complex than many believe.
Why are we so fat?
In a country where everyone has unfettered access to cheap, calorie-laden foods, the culprits are far too numerous to count. Fast food, sugary sodas, fruit/energy drinks, snacks, etc. are favorites of people who struggle with their weight. But why, exactly, do these individuals feel compelled to not just eat, but to chronically overeat? One reason may be that they suffer from depression.
Much like the whole chicken-and-the-egg debate, it is impossible to say if people are depressed because they overeat, or overeat because they are depressed. What we do know, however, is that the two conditions are linked, and that they feed off each other (no pun intended). In most cases, the symptoms of depression worsen obesity, which in turn deepens the depression.
The Science
Completed in March 2010, a comprehensive review of 15 clinical studies linked obesity to a greater risk of depression, and vice versa. Published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers also found that depressed people tend to put on weight faster than people who don’t suffer from the disorder. Moreover, most of that extra weight went straight to their waists – and that’s not good! Numerous studies have found that belly fat is a major risk factor of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Because all of the aforementioned are linked to obesity, the fact that depression increases the likelihood of any or all of them is disconcerting, to say the least.
The Source
In study after study of obesity and depression, one common culprit keeps cropping up. A powerful stress hormone, cortisol suppresses neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for regulating appetite, mood, and sleep. It is believed that these disruptions are largely, or at least partly, responsible for major depressive episodes. We know this because depressed people have consistently high levels of cortisol and consistently low levels of serotonin and dopamine. It is further speculated that cortisol itself is responsible for increased belly fat that often accompanies bouts of depression.
Treatment Options
At the end of the day, it doesn’t much matter if a person is overeating because they feel blue or because they are overweight/obese – the vicious cycle most be broken. One of the biggest obstacles to that objective is the medical establishment itself. How can we say that? Because, sadly, it happens to be true!
At any given time, more than 10 percent of Americans are on antidepressants. A common side effect of these popular prescription medications, weight gain is reported by millions of users. As you might expect, getting fat doesn’t help the depression. In fact for most users, the side effect actually exacerbates the symptoms of their illness, causing them to either discontinue usage or sink further into their depression. Which drugs cause weight gain?
One of the most popular and effective prescriptions treatments for anxiety/depression, Paxil (paroxetine) causes many, perhaps even most users to pack on the pounds. Another widely-prescribed SSRI, Prozac (fluoxetine) may result in weight gain if used over a protracted period of time. Both medications have other, equally serious side effects that scare off countess patients that genuinely need them. So what is a depressed person to do?
Dietary Supplements
A large and growing market, dietary supplements appeal to people to who worry about the sometimes dangerous side effects of prescription drugs. Often derived from natural sources, there are several over-the-counter medications that claim to boost mood or improve depression. Some are even sold as alternatives to prescription antidepressants. But are these supplements effective substitutes or simply a modern version of snake oil? Let’s find out!
Curcumin
What is it: A chemical compound found in the popular South Asian spice turmeric, curcumin is a natural phenol that is responsible for the distinct yellow color of the spice. In addition to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, curcumin extract is also used as a natural antidepressant.
Evidence: A little-known supplement at the time, curcumin made global headlines when a groundbreaking clinical study out of India found it to be as effective as Prozac at treating major depressive episodes. Unlike Prozac, however, curcumin does not cause weight gain or any other serious side effect. Although poorly understood, researchers believe that curcumin works by raising levels of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin in the brain.
Phenibut
What is it: Naturally derived from the brain chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), phenibut was discovered in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and is now sold as a psychotropic drug in Russia and neighboring countries. Because it is not approved for prescription use anywhere else, phenibut is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States.
Evidence: A powerful and effective anxiolytic (anti-anxiety medication), phenibut is one of the few dietary supplements that can effectively cross the blood-brain barrier, which means it should have an effect on chemical imbalances in the brain. As we mentioned earlier, depression has long been linked to low levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly serotonin and dopamine. Testing has revealed that phenibut stimulates dopamine receptors, which increases production of the vital brain chemical and may correct harmful imbalances caused by depressive episodes.
Tianeptine
What is it: Approved for prescription use in certain parts of Asia, Latin America, and Europe, tianeptine is a tricyclic antidepressant that is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). Although it is not chemically or medically a dietary supplement, it is sold as one in the United States because it is not approved for prescription use.
Evidence: Because it has both antidepressant and anxiolytic properties with comparatively mild sedative effects, tianeptine is a suitable alternative to mainstream psychotropic drugs. The supplement/drug also has mood brightening effects that help combat clinical depression as well as a wide range of anxiety disorders. Decades of testing have cemented tianeptine as one of the most reliable and effective antidepressants in the countries where it is used as prescription psychotropic.