Baby Blues Diet: Nutritional Supplements May Prevent Post-Partum Depression
It seems like there’s nothing a good diet can’t fix. A new study found that a woman’s eating habits may reduce her risk of developing postpartum depression.
Previous research shows that post-pregnancy, mothers have increased levels of a particular enzyme known as MAO-A. This protein breaks down serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, which are three chemicals that help regulate mood. Without these, moms are at risk of developing the baby blues, a precurosr to postpartum depression. Scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, developed a dietary kit containing tryptophan and tyrosine to compensate for the loss as well as blueberry extract to provide antioxidants.
A small group of 21 mothers received the supplements, starting three days after giving birth, and 20 did not. The participants followed the plan for three days and underwent tests on day five post-birth, which is when new mothers typically hit their low and get the baby blues. Women given the treatment were less depressed than those who went without. However, this was an open-label study, meaning there could be some bias as participants knew they were receiving a treatment.
“We believe this is the first study to show such a strong, beneficial effect of an intervention in reducing the baby blues at a time when postpartum sadness peaks,” says Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, M.D. and PhD, in a statement. “Postpartum blues are common and usually resolves 10 days after giving birth, but when they are intense, the risk of postpartum depression increases four-fold.”
According to WebMD, three-fourths of new mothers will experience the baby blues, while nearly 12 percent will be stricken with postpartum depression. The differences between the two come down to length and intensity of the depressive feelings. Postpartum symptoms include trouble sleeping, appetite changes, inability to bond with the new baby and difficulty concentrating.
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More research is needed to detect how the supplements would work in a larger, randomized, controlled trial, but Meyer’s team believes there’s a possibility this nutritional kit could aide in developing treatments for postpartum depression.
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