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Many individuals with depression turn to complementary health approaches as an adjunct to or in place of conventional treatment. Although these approaches are commonly used and readily available in the marketplace, many of them have not been rigorously studied for the treatment of depression. For some approaches, there is uncertainty regarding their efficacy while, for others, the evidence suggests a modest reduction in the symptoms of depression. Some natural products used in this regard (e.g., St. John’s wort) have significant herb-drug interaction concerns. Health care providers should know what complementary approaches their patients are using alone, or in combination with, conventional care. For this reason, it’s important that you understand the benefits and risks of these complementary approaches to advise your patients.
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What the Science Says:
Depression and Complementary Health Approaches
Learn what current research has to say about:
 Omega-3 Fatty Acids
St. John’s Wort
SAMe
Inositol
Acupuncture
Music Therapy
Yoga
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Additional Resources
Scientific Literature
For Your Patients
5 Tips: What You Should Know About the Science Behind Depression and Complementary Health Approaches
Visit NCCIH’s website to read the full issue of this month’s Clinical Digest
NCCIH Clinical Digest is a service of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NCCIH Clinical Digest, a monthly e-newsletter, offers evidence-based information on complementary and integrative health, including scientific literature searches, summaries of NCCIH-funded research, fact sheets for patients, and more.
NCCIH is 1 of 27 institutes and centers at the NIH. The mission of NCCIH is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and alternative medicine interventions and their roles in improving health and health care. For additional information, call NCCIH’s Clearinghouse toll free at 1-888-644-6226, or visit the NCCIH Web site at nccih.nih.gov.
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