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Magnesium and major depression (2011)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

31–40 of 235 posts

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#31
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>lithium [...] was discovered by accident. No it was not. Development of treatment with lithium was very much a part of psychiatric normal science.

I'm sorry - you are wrong. John Cade found the effects - with animals - by accident. And he was widely ignored because of his lack of fundamental, industry-wide standards for exploration. Neverless: lithium is now the way to go with clinical treatment of a wide range of disorders and reducing self-harm and suicide rates. The problem so far: nobody is sure why it works. The dose is worth mentioning. Clients receive a…

Development of lithium treatment involved a lot more than John Cade's accident.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bdi.12739

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#32
post #19

I once tried supplementing magnesium while in the midst of moderate depression. Interestingly enough, the effect was not relief, but rather major, absolutely crushing depression (i.e. cannot get out of bed all day depression). I went back to moderate depression after stopping the supplementation and a subsequent second attempt brought back the major depression. By that point I gave up on the whole thing. Anyone have…

There are many kinds of depression all shoveled into the one diagnosis. It's as if malaria, flu, bacterial meningitis, and every other infection were called "ague". (They were, once.)

The only way we know to tell one from another is by what med helps, if any. If none do, it's "non-responsive depression" or some other catch-all. Depression, like schizophrenia and a host of other DSM diagnoses are the DSM's equivalents to "wastebasket taxa" in taxonomy.

People insisting that randomized controlled trials ("RCTs") prove that depression meds, and other psychiatric meds, don't work demonstrate their ignorance of the major failure mode of RCTs: unreliable diagnosis. Given that last, the RCT tells you nothing, positive or negative, absent very careful, detailed deconstruction of individual outcomes.

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#33

I take magnesium in the form of trace mineral drops. These are de-salted sea water deposits. Besides magnesium they contain other rare trace minerals which would otherwise be difficult to obtain, particularly lithium which has quite strong evidence of mellowing mood. The liquid form leads me to believe they absorb well but not sure if that's actually true. Edit to say I believe these drops have reduced my anxiety and…

Where do you find such things?

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#34
post #11

I have found that taking Magnesium is like turning a switch on in my head and I'm suddenly happy again. I don't get upset or angry in the same way, I'm more patient and my thoughts are not obsessive. Magnesium is best taken with calcium and vitamin D as both are used in the uptake of magnesium. I have found that processed foods, alcohol, caffeine and sugar all make me worse, but magnesium gives me the will power to c…

What form are you taking them?

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#35
post #13

I'm quite skeptical on supplements, but I have to say that Magnesium helps me sleep like a baby and feel much more relaxed generally.

Whether it’s true or a placebo- sign me up :)

In the treatment of subjective mood the distinction between ‘true’ and ‘placebo’ vanishes

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#37
post #25

There are different forms to take Mg and they seem to come with different effects and side effects. It may take a while to find one that works.

Tried it briefly and then quit after I realized it was causing excruciating chest pain. Would be nice to have stayed on it to realize the mood effects, but not even close to worth it for me.

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#39

Poor man's TLDR: we're not sure yet, but consider taking magnesium supplementation to help with or prevent MD. The downside of light Mg supplementation seems trivial, and the upside could be strong.

It's also commonly recommended in the weightlifting world to aid in muscle recovery.

Re: Magnesium and major depression (2011)

#40

I'm quite skeptical on supplements, but I have to say that Magnesium helps me sleep like a baby and feel much more relaxed generally.

Add me to the list of happy magnesium supplementers. I always recommend it to anyone who mentions sleep problems and I've had good feedback from a couple of people who actually went through with it based on my recommendation.
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