Depression
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Depression - Editor's Choice

| Modified on Apr 11, 2025
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Omega 3 Fish Oil.

Depression affects millions of people worldwide, leading to persistent feelings of sadness, fatigue, and a loss of interest in daily activities. While conventional treatments like medication and therapy are widely used, natural remedies for depression can provide additional support by enhancing mood, reducing stress, and improving overall mental well-being.

Top Natural Remedies for Depression

Several natural treatments can help alleviate symptoms of depression and promote emotional balance. Below are the most effective remedies:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

  • Found in fish oil, flaxseeds, and walnuts, omega-3 fatty acids are essential for brain health.
  • Studies suggest omega-3s help regulate mood and reduce symptoms of depression.
  • Recommended dosage: 1,000-2,000 mg of EPA and DHA daily.

2. St. John’s Wort

  • A widely used herbal remedy that may help with mild to moderate depression.
  • Enhances serotonin levels, similar to prescription antidepressants.
  • Consult a healthcare provider before use, especially if taking other medications.

3. Magnesium

  • Magnesium plays a crucial role in brain function and mood regulation.
  • Low magnesium levels are linked to increased symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  • Sources include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and magnesium supplements.

4. Vitamin D

  • A deficiency in vitamin D is associated with depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
  • Spending time in sunlight, eating vitamin D-rich foods, or taking supplements can help.
  • Recommended dosage: 2,000-5,000 IU daily, depending on deficiency levels.

5. Probiotics for Gut Health

  • The gut-brain connection plays a significant role in mental health.
  • Probiotics found in yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and supplements support a healthy gut microbiome, which may improve mood.

6. 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)

  • A naturally occurring amino acid that helps increase serotonin levels.
  • Can improve mood, reduce anxiety, and enhance sleep quality.
  • Recommended dosage: 50-200 mg daily.

7. Rhodiola Rosea

  • An adaptogenic herb that helps the body manage stress and fight fatigue.
  • Shown to reduce symptoms of depression and improve resilience to stress.

8. Exercise & Physical Activity

  • Regular exercise boosts endorphins and serotonin, improving overall mood.
  • Activities like walking, yoga, swimming, and strength training are highly beneficial.
  • Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.

9. Herbal Teas for Relaxation

  • Chamomile, lavender, and ashwagandha teas can promote relaxation and reduce stress.
  • Drinking a warm cup before bed can aid in better sleep and emotional well-being.

10. Meditation & Mindfulness

  • Practicing mindfulness, deep breathing, and meditation can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
  • Try guided meditation apps or join a meditation class for structured support.

11. Journaling & Gratitude Practices

  • Writing down thoughts, emotions, and positive experiences can help manage depression.
  • Keeping a gratitude journal encourages positive thinking and emotional resilience.

12. Adequate Sleep

  • Poor sleep is strongly linked to depression and anxiety.
  • Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and create a relaxing bedtime routine.
  • Avoid screen time before bed and reduce caffeine intake in the evening.

Cautions & Considerations

  • Always consult a healthcare provider before starting new supplements or herbs.
  • Some natural remedies may interact with medications, including antidepressants.
  • Severe depression should be managed with professional medical support in addition to natural approaches.

Conclusion

While conventional treatments like medication and therapy are essential for managing depression, natural remedies can provide valuable support in improving mental well-being. Incorporating nutrient-rich foods, supplements, exercise, meditation, and lifestyle changes can make a significant difference in overall mood and emotional resilience.

Share Your Experience

Have you tried natural remedies for depression? We’d love to hear about your experiences! Continue reading below for feedback from Earth Clinic readers who have successfully used these natural remedies to improve their mood and well-being.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Palo Santo Essential Oil

Posted by ron (Idaho) on 08/01/2021
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

An unbelievable cure for depression is an essential oil named palo santo.

I have an occasional bit of depression and using palo santo is like magic, I have recommended it to a couple people and they had the same result; one person came to me with bad depression and while we were talking she sniffed the palo santo a couple of times and a while later I asked her how was her depression she replied she had not realized it was gone.

I have found many herbal remedies are so subtle that you don't realize the condition is gone or lessened. I have seen the same result for pain remedies anyway I don't need to keep on, best wishes

Flaxseed

Posted by Teena (Melbourne, Australia) on 05/24/2019 233 posts
 ★★★★☆

Editor's Choice

Hello all it is early days but caught up with a friend who suffers depression and anxiety and is on different meds, twice a day. She was strangely severely affected by afternoons. She about 6 weeks ago started my suggestion of the spoonful of linseeds (flaxseeds) soaked overnight in water, consumed in the morning. As it had been awhile I asked her how she was doing on it. Apart from actually enjoying drinking the seeds, she grasped my hands to advise she no longer had the dark cloud over her head in the afternoon, and often didn't take her afternoon antidepressant because she didn't need it. We both had tears in our eyes at this development. Hope this encourages someone who needs it.

Sage

Posted by Suzy (Paris, Il.) on 10/11/2017
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Hello, I have a cure for depression to share with you!!! Simply sage the herb you cook with. I started with half a tablespoon daily and worked up to one tablespoon in the span of one week. I mix it with a little honey to form a paste and swallow with my coffee in the morning. Within days I had no more depression, which I have had since my early teens! Very inexpensive to buy a bottle of sage, this is a mircle cure! Can also use fresh sage leaves and brew into a cup of tea.

Magnesium

Posted by Art (California ) on 09/10/2017 2519 posts
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Many people have reported the benefits of magnesium chloride oil applied topically here on EC, but magnesium chloride tablets are also well absorbed and according to the recent study link below, at the proper dose can have a significant impact on depression in people. This is important because many of the side effects from prescription antidepressants can be hard to deal with and even unhealthful, so alternatives like magnesium chloride tablets which are more likely to have healthful side effects are very useful in the treatment of depression.

This study is very helpful because it not only shows that mag chloride tablets are useful for depression, but it is also well tolerated with a very good safety profile. This study is also useful because it shows the dosing used and describes the benefit achieved. According to the study, some participants started to see benefit after just two weeks of supplementing. Participants of the treatment group took 4 tablets of magnesium chloride per day. This is the manufacturer who supplied the magnesium chloride tablets and the tablets are similar to those used in the study, but possibly 20mg more per tablet.

https://www.amazon.com/Alta-Health-Magnesium-Chloride-200/dp/B00IX05914/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1505075869&sr=8-3&keywords=alta+health+magnesium+chloride

As you can see from the study they used four tablets of Alta Health Magnesium Chloride at 500mg per tablet for a total of 248 mg of elemental magnesium per day. Magnesium chloride is well absorbed topically or orally. The tablets seem relatively easy to take compared to mag oil application to the skin everyday.

Here is a link to the full study:

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0180067

One important finding from the study is that some people may be able to get by with a smaller dose than what was used in this study.

Art

Cold Showers

Posted by Charles (Portlaoise, Ireland ) on 05/05/2017 1 posts
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Thank you God for directing me to earthclinic website. My depression and anxiety level was unbearable today, and I stumbled upon this Cold Shower Therapy by accident, tried my first cold shower, (5 minutes, ) and the effect has been AMAZING. Feel GREAT, and can see a future again for the 1st time in MONTHS, can't wait to get up and into another COLD shower in the morning..what a difference, I normally have to DRAG myself out of bed. Thank you earthclinic.

Vitamin C

Posted by Stephanie (Napa, Ca) on 10/20/2016
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Vitamin C for depression.

I started taking 1,000mg of vitamin C per day for my skin and immediately started noticing an elevated, happier mood, for no apparent reason. I have tried many supplements for depression and anxiety over the years and I have to say that staying hydrated and taking vitamin C regularly have proven to be directly related to my ups and downs. I also found the following, which relates vitamin C to seratonin production.

Dr. Hugh Riordan also supports using vitamin C as a treatment for depression. He teaches medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He received the Linus Pauling Award from the American College for Advancement in Medicine. He believes that vitamin C is effective against depression because it increases serotonin production. That's the brain chemical that improves mood and promotes relaxation.

“Medical text books [used] to indicate that one of the most common effects of inadequate vitamin C is depression, " says Dr. Riordan. “But we very seldom go to a psychiatrist who measures our vitamin C level."

Beets, Cayenne

Posted by Jenna (North Carolina) on 04/13/2016
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

When I'm feeling depressed it's hard to get motivated to do the things that help fight depression like exercise, getting out of bed, calling a friend, etc. But I have found that eating either cayenne or beets give me a super quick mood boost.

Raw is better, and for cayennes I often de-seed them and eat two or three. It's seems like my vision gets clearer and brighter, my thoughts are clear, and I am energized within a few minutes.

I find it more difficult to eat raw beets, so I roast them, make lemon herb beet and leek soup, or shred them and lightly sauté them in olive oil. It gives me the same clarity of mind and eyesight as the cayennes and improves my mood in just a few minutes.

While I have found that dried cayenne does okay for this purpose, I don't think that canned or pickled beets have quite the same effect as fresh beets for me. (But if thats all you have on hand there is no harm in trying! )

I've been struggling with depression for as long as I can remember. While there is no cure all I wanted to share the pick-me-ups I use to give myself enough motivation to get up and move around. I hope it helps someone else out there as well. Good luck to you all.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Jason (Peoria, Az United States) on 06/30/2011
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Wow, I'm totally shocked how well this works. I have been dealing with depression for 18 years and have tried medications, supplements, everything except for this. Last Sunday I was feeling down in the dumps and I thought I would just go for it and drank a whole shot down. Within 15 minutes, I was full of energy and ready to do things. I would exercise caution and reccomend only doing a tablespoon and chase it down with water and don't drink too much apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach your first time. The shot I drank got me out of the dumps but it was way too much and too strong, I couldn't fall asleep and felt a little hyper on the edge. I was extremely productive with my work over the next couple days, so I decided I wait wait till I felt depressed again and only do a little bit before trying the ACV again.

Well now it is 4 days later and I was feeling pretty hopeless, depressed, and no motivation to do anything. I took a tablespoon of ACV and drank a bottle of water right afterwords. This is truely magical, I can't believe how good I feel, this is not placebo. I'm going to go to the gym and get some work done, and work on some music, something I did not feel like doing all day until I had the 2nd dose of ACV. I reccomend this with all my heart. Who would have known? Be sure to get the raw, unfiltered kind with mother!

Acetyl L-Carnitine

Posted by Sveta (Des Plaines, IL) on 07/28/2009
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Having been suffering from bipolar, bulimia, anxiety disorder and depression for 5 years. Tried ACETYL L-CARNITINE. Have one thing to say, it's freaking amazing! I'm surprised you don't hear about it much. It helps my anxiety better than cold showers, antidepressants, and even Xanax! I'm so happy that that i found out about it. It's like the hell I've been living in for years is over. This supplement has the strength of a prescription drug. I advise everyone who has anxiety problem to give a try. Though I need like 50 mg a day instead of 5000 the way they recommend. 5000 is too much for me to tolerate. Find your dosage. And never give up. Try every supplement for depression and anxiety out there, one by one. Some will do nothing, some will make you feel worse, but there'll be one, two, or even more that will help you and make your life a beautiful and joyful thing to have. Good luck everyone.

Acetyl L-Carnitine
Posted by Molly (Madison, USA) on 04/11/2008
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

One time I purchased a bottle of 5-htp, and after taking one capsule morning & evening, just twice, I threw the bottle away. My reaction to 5-htp was horrific; upon further research I learned that high levels of serotonin are associated with SEVERE ANXIETY. I also read that the spice ginger is a serotonin antagonist, so I have a bottle on hand, just in case I ever feel so anxious ever again.

Then I read somewhere online that there is a set of people whose depression responds to Acetyl L-Carnitine, they said the depression lifted in these people when using 3-4 grams a day, and to take two grams of acetylcarnitine on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning.

This amino acid is the most amazing substance; I've never been able to take more than 2 grams per day - there is such great mental clarity, there is utter inability to be depressed, but there simultaneously is no euphoria - just calm lucid clarity. I've read that it assists the brain in making many different neurotransmitters - so it is not anything, not anything at all like 5-htp which floods the brain with serotonin - which, if you don't need it, might create severe anxiety.


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