Zinc Supplementation May Enhance Effects of Anti-Depressant Medications

March 16, 2009

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Zinc Supplementation May Enhance Effects of Anti-Depressant Medications

Reference: " Zinc supplementation augments efficacy of imipramine in

treatment resistant patients: A double blind, placebo-controlled study, "

Siwek M, Dudek D, et al, J Affect Disord, 2009 March 9; [Epub ahead of

print]. (Address: Department of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum,

Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. E-mail: nowak@... ).

Summary: In a study involving 60 patients with major depression

(without any psychotic symptoms), treatment with zinc (25 mg/d), added

to standard anti-depressant drug therapy (imipramine, 140 mg/d), was

found to significantly reduce depression scores and improve treatment

outcomes in anti-depressant-resistant patients, as compared to

supplementation with a placebo. These results support results from a

preliminary clinical report suggesting that supplementation with zinc

may augment the effects of anti-depressant drug therapy. The authors

conclude, " Zinc supplementation augments the efficacy and speed of onset

of therapeutic response to imipramine treatment, particularly in

patients previously nonresponsive to antidepressant pharmacotherapies.

These data suggest the participation of disturbed zinc/glutamatergic

transmission in the pathophysiology of drug resistance. "

--

ne Holden, MS, RD

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

" Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease "

" Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy "

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