Depression is a common problem. Up to 20% of people suffer from it at some point in their lives. It can be assumed that about 5 % of the population currently suffer from depression – in Germany alone this is more than 3 million people! A special form of this disease with a frequency of about 25% is the so-called autumn-winter depression.
A popular hypothesis assumes that a “lack of sunlight” could be responsible for this. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence for this is inconclusive.
Only in severe cases must such diseases be treated with psychotropic drugs, but these are what they are supposed to be: a temporary chemical crutch for brain metabolism. They do not influence important areas of behaviour such as self-esteem, self-awareness, social behaviour, social competence, mindfulness, and other important behavioural parameters. This is the domain of therapy.
During the cold season, many people suffer from a special form of depression – autumn-winter depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). For some, this melancholic mood, which is also called “winter blues” in its subclinical form, is enough to simply go further out, while for others it is so pronounced that one can speak of a real clinical picture.
Typical symptoms are considered:
- lack of energy
- depressed and/or anxious mood
- increased appetite with weight gain
- increased need for sleep and daytime sleepiness
- concentration disorders
- diminished desire for sexuality
- Difficulties at work
- Problems in interpersonal relationships
The characteristic feature of an autumn-winter depression is that the symptoms subside again with the summer half-year. This is why they are also called “seasonal depression”. It is precisely this seasonality that has led to the hypothesis that the lack of sunlight could be responsible for this.
In rhythm with the light
The popular explanatory model states that light is absorbed via the retina of the eye and converted into electrical impulses that lead to a brain structure called nucleus suprachiasmaticus. This leads the change from light or brightness and darkness (sleep-wake rhythm) to certain parts of the brain, which are responsible for different body functions.
These functions also include the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, which is suppressed in light (promotes the “happiness hormone” serotonin) and produced in darkness. The sleep hormone is said to have a “depression-promoting” effect. This is not completely conclusive, because many depressives sleep badly, so that sleep hormone and sleep disturbance lie in contradiction.
Blood pressure, body temperature, hunger, sexual need, and our mood can also be influenced by the daily rhythm of light and darkness. Unfortunately, science still lacks a concrete explanation of the actual biological mechanism of action of the hypothesis.
Movement in nature is the first step to activate the body.
So what can we do about winter blues?
In nature the first answer would be to follow the hypothesis that even in the densest fog there would be enough UV rays to boost our body’s serotonin production. But we simply don’t move enough, especially outdoors, which also leads to problems such as vitamin D deficiency.
Then one should think of a therapy when the symptoms are worse. For example, the still relatively new MGT therapy (Mediziniorientierte TierGestützte Therapie, www.aiaasr.com) has very good and above all rapid success. But also nut/mother nature offers some possibilities of helping as it were “nourish-chemically” the organism again to more equilibrium.
Antidepressants work only with half of the patients
In major depression, i.e. the fully developed form of depression, there is no way around antidepressants. However, only if they work, because they do so without complaint in only 50% of patients. The other half is divided into a group, in which they work insufficiently and one, which does not react at all – again in the ratio 1 : 1.
In addition, there are about 80,000 people in Austria alone who suffer from HIT (histamine intolerance) and they are not well advised to take drugs that increase serotonin levels. The enzyme that is supposed to degrade histamine during metabolism – histaminase – has a pronounced “weakness” for the degradation of serotonin if it has the choice. With the effect that it neglects histamine degradation and thus causes histamine congestion. As a result, those affected show some alarming symptoms such as racing headaches, itching, etc. The symptoms are often accompanied by a lack of histamine.
What else there is…
A depression diagnosis belongs to the therapist and to the doctor. However, seasonal depression is more of a disorder than a clinical depression. Certainly no reason for the use of heavy pharmaceuticals.
If there is no HIT, the Griffonia plant, for example, is an interesting option in this context.
Griffonia miracle weapon?
The Griffonia plant serves as a natural donor of plant 5-HTPs (Hydroxy-TryptoPhan). 5-HTP is the compound from which serotonin (5-HT/hydroxy-tryptamine) is produced in the organism. Vitamins of the B-complex serve as co-factors.
In the organism, serotonin is mainly found in the intestines. It is therefore all the more surprising that the lack of serotonin is regarded as one of the main causes of the imbalance of news substances in the brain which is said to be the cause of depression. Even if this is one of the key assumptions about the background of depression, it should be noted that this is a hypothesis. This hypothesis is closely related to the mechanism of action of numerous antidepressants and is therefore strongly supported by the producers of these drugs. Although they only show reliable effects in 50% of the cases.
There is a direct connection between our brain and the microbiome in our intestines.
The centre for emotions
A relatively recent discovery in neurobiology fits the context of intestine – serotonin – brain. There is a direct nerve conduction between the gastrointestinal tract and the limbic system. This is the centre that is responsible for the processing of emotions and plays an important role in depression. What 20 years ago was ridiculed pitifully by scientists may be today accepted.
After this short excursion back to Griffonia: This plant is the “African black bean”, a climbing plant with large pods. These contain black seeds from which 5-HTP, the chemical precursor of serotonin, is extracted. In Africa, the plant is traditionally used as a mood enhancer and aphrodisiac.
Some study data indicate an antidepressant effect. There is also speculation about other uses such as migraine, weight loss (possibly increasing the feeling of satiety), fibromyalgia and sleep disorders. Unfortunately, the study situation is still somewhat poor.
Happiness from preliminary stages
A second approach, which concerns noradrenalin (NA), fits in well with this. This news substance is also believed to play an important deficiency role in the depressive brain metabolism imbalance. Its precursor is L-phenylalanine, which can also be added to increase NA levels.
The general practitioner Dr. Walter Wührer from Salzburg and his team investigated the effect of Griffonia on depressive moods, mild anxiety and stress in 2015. The so-called DASS (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale) – an internationally recognised professional measuring system – was used to assess the depressive symptoms.
The choice of words is decisive here. It is about “depressive mood”, as it often occurs in connection with autumn-winter depression, and not about “major depression” (full picture of depression, severe depression). It is also not about “manifest anxiety disorders” such as panic attacks or the generalized anxiety disorder, but about “mild anxiety states”.
The effect of the combination 5-HTP
A commercially available preparation was used which contains 50 mg 5-HTP, 50 mg phenylalanine and vitamins of the B-complex per capsule as the main active substances. Furthermore, the study was placebo-controlled, double-blind and randomized as an intervention study. This corresponds to the standard required for testing pharmaceuticals according to the guidelines of GCP (Good Clinical Practice) and EBM (Evidence Based Medicine).
The dosage was 2×1 capsule/day, whereby 5-HTP could also be dosed twice as high. A total of 46 patients with signs of depression, anxiety and/or stress or completely symptom-free in the comparison group were included in the study.
Griffonia reduced perceived depression by 33%, anxiety by 29% and stress by 11% compared to placebo.
Griffonia is effective against depression, anxiety and stress.
The results of the Salzburg study were pleasing. There were measurable, in some cases statistically significant improvements in all indication fields. The preparation from the black bean showed significantly better results than the placebo: in depression by 45 % compared to 22 % in placebo; in anxiety 63 % compared to 34 %; in stress the Griffonia subjects achieved 50 % compared to 39 % in those who used the placebo.
However, since this is ultimately an indirect administration of serotonin, all contraindications must be considered in practice. In particular, in individual cases it is not possible to predict how well the individual organism responds to the administration of a precursor. The individual speed of metabolism can also vary greatly.
In this sense, it is not advisable to take such a therapeutic approach without competent medical support. You should not take Griffonia together with St. John’s wort, antidepressants, sedatives and some painkillers, as it increases their effects. Pregnant women should avoid the preparations.
Alternatives in therapy
Without a detailed evaluation, further basic possibilities for countering dysphoric-depressive stress will be outlined here.
High doses of vitamin D
In fact, there is growing evidence that more and more people are showing a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is actually a hormone and the “gland” that produces it is the skin. The essential factor is …. Sunlight. Simplified: If you never go outside, always sit in front of your PC, you have the best chance of a valid deficiency of this hormone. A connection with the general conditions of autumn-winter depression is very tempting. Unfortunately, this hypothesis has not finally been proven, but it is certainly worth considering as an additive factor.
In fact, around 500,000 papers on the importance of vitamin D have been published in the last 15 years. A deficiency is associated with the following problems: risk increase for chronic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as well as risk increase for premature birth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and depression.
Rose Root / Rhodiola rosea
Serotonin is an important news substance in the nervous system, also known as a neurotransmitter. Its deficiency leads to depressive states of varying severity and to different forms of anxiety.
Rhodiola rosea extract showed amazing results in animal experiments. An increase in serotonin (5-HT) levels in the blood as well as an increase in the number of so-called serotonin A1 receptors could be observed. These are the most common “docking sites” of serotonin in the brain. They are of medical importance not only in connection with nicotine withdrawal, but also in depression, anxiety disorders, psychoses and aggressive behavioural disorders.
It is believed that Rhodiola rosea also increases the body’s own stress tolerance by influencing key chemical substances in the brain such as serotonin and norepinephrine together with other feel-good messengers such as beta-endorphin.
Cannabidiol – CBD
This is the main content substance of the domestic industrial hemp, not of the intoxicating plant related to it. Two receptors are known in the organism, CB-1 and CB-2, the first of which is associated with anxiety and stress, and at higher doses of CBD oil may even be interesting for depression.
CB1 probably conveys the following qualities:
- Dampening of excessive neuronal activity, from which the anxiety-relieving effect is derived
- pain relief
- inflammation inhibition
- Regulation of movement and posture control
- Sensory perception, memory and cognition
Does it help to drink tea?
Point 3 of the above list finally leads to a concept that is rarely mentioned due to a lack of interest from the pharmaceutical industry – oxidative stress. There is serious evidence that the development of what is known as subclinical inflammation occurs in connection with mental overload in the organism. Simplified, an inflammation that could be determined on the basis of special parameters (not the general blood count), but which could not be “seen” (= subclinical) due to the lack of leading symptoms.
With some probability, this is a stress induced early reaction of the immune system, which can, however, affect the entire body. The close connection between mental health and the immune system has long been known, but little research has been done.
Thus, in connection with the mostly relatively “mild” autumn-winter depression, almost anything that reduces oxidative stress in the organism could be of interest. This brings into play the use of various antioxidants such as EGCG contained in green tea. The same applies to vitamins E and C, the coenzyme Q10 or the Chaga mushroom native to the far north.
