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Notes:
Nutrients
Inositol
- Inositol is essential
for synthesis of phosphatidylinositol, the precursor of phosphytidylinositol
triphosphate, which is an important second messenger for many neurotransmitters.
Murphy, 1995:1151 (2)
- Inositol is an
isomer of glucose and a natural constituent of the normal human diet.
- Depressed patients
have been reported to have decreased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) inositol
levels. Levine, 1995:792 (1)
- Large inositol
doses (12 g/d) have been shown to increase inositol concentrations in
human CSF by 70%. Murphy, 1995:1151 (2)
- Improvement in
depression was demonstrated with a 12 g/d regimen of inositol in a double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial. Murphy, 1995:1151 (2); Levine, 1995:792 (1)
- It has been
suggested that higher doses may increase benefit. Benjamin, 1993:
173 (5)
Tryptophan
- 5-HT synthesis
requires the amino acid L-tryptophan.
- Plasma tryptophan
levels appear to be significantly lower in patients with major depression,
compared with normal controls or patients with minor depression. Maes,
1995:934 (1)
- It has also been
found that a reduction of dietary L-tryptophan can induce symptoms of
depression under certain circumstances. Maes, 1995:934 (3)
- Dietary L-tryptophan
has been used to augment TCAs and MAOIs.
- Although the
literature is mixed with respect to L-tryptophan efficacy, it may
be particularly useful in augmenting antidepressant response in
the case of MAOI treatment failure. Joffe, 1996:28 (5); Thase, 1995:1091
(6); Sussman, 1995:28 (5)
- Addition
of L-tryptophan to some antidepressant drug regimens may precipitate
the 5-HT syndrome, however. Bridges, 1995:504 (6)
- Not available
in US due to eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS).
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