Chris Shugart
The Natural Antidepressants
Antidepressants are overprescribed. Sure, some need these drugs, but many may just be suffering from basic nutritional deficiencies.
Not too long ago, enough opioid prescriptions were written for every American adult to have their own bottle. The first wave of this epidemic was driven by over-prescribing and aggressive Big Pharma marketing. After stricter guidelines were passed, many addicted Americans switched to heroin (second wave), and later, Fentanyl (third wave). From doctor to drug dealer to prison or coffin in just a few short years.
You'd think we'd learn our lessons. Nope. Not with billions of licit and illicit dollars at stake. Today, we're in the first wave of a new drug epidemic: the rampant overprescribing of antidepressants, including SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclics, and MAOIs.
As discussed here, 40% of antidepressant users probably don't even need them. And the vast majority (80%) of guideline writers for depression treatment have ties to drug companies.
Creating a hoard of mentally foggy, emotionally numbed, and physically sexless zombies probably isn't as destructive as the opioid crisis was. Still, ethical medical professionals are starting to call for revised guidelines for antidepressant prescriptions, just as they did with opioids.
While antidepressants aren't considered addictive, withdrawal-like symptoms occur (discontinuation syndrome). Will there be some sort of second and third wave of the antidepressant epidemic? Hopefully not. One way to prevent that is to take a step back and look for things that cause depressive symptoms, either non-situational causes or things that make it difficult to cope with normal depressing situations.
The Nutrition-First Approach
Thanks to hundreds of new studies, we now know that depression can be caused or exacerbated by certain nutritional deficiencies. Every doctor should be required to check for these deficiencies before prescribing an antidepressant. Some people with depression might still need medication, but most might not if these deficiencies are corrected.
I'm not a doctor, just a person with a psychology degree and 27 years of nutritional study under my belt. But if I were consulted about the issue, here's what I'd test for and "prescribe" for most depression sufferers:
1. Creatine Monohydrate (5 grams daily)
Creatine deficiency contributes to depressive symptoms. Creatine isn't just a supplement for athletes, it's a "conditionally essential" nutrient.
Creatine (Buy at Amazon) plays a key role in cellular energy metabolism, including in neurons. It's involved in the ATP-phosphocreatine system, which provides quick energy to brain cells with high metabolic demands. A creatine deficiency impairs this energy buffering system, causing reduced neurotransmitter activity, impaired synaptic plasticity, and dysregulation of mood-related pathways, including serotonin and dopamine systems.
About 69% of adults aren't getting enough creatine according to one report, thanks largely to the demonization of meat.
New research from 2025 also shows that people treated with creatine along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) experienced a significant reduction in depression severity compared to those treated with CBT alone.
2. Chelated Magnesium (400 mg every evening)
Study after study tells us that people with depression are very likely magnesium deficient.
Around 1967, researchers began to explore a possible connection between this mineral deficiency and depression, proposing that inadequate magnesium levels might play a role in mood disorders. Clinical reports suggested magnesium could influence the nervous system by modulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, impacting stress response, and stabilizing neuronal membranes.
And again, study after study confirmed that magnesium supplementation relieved mild to moderate depression. So what happened? The rise of much more profitable antidepressant medications.
Deficiencies in magnesium are incredibly common but easily corrected by taking 400 mg of chelated magnesium daily, as found in Elitepro Vital Minerals.
3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (4200 mg daily)
An omega-3 deficiency contributes to or worsens depression through several biological and neurological mechanisms. EPA and DHA are essential for brain health and emotional regulation. These fats are critical components of neuronal cell membranes. They influence fluidity, receptor function, and neurotransmitter signaling, including that of serotonin and dopamine.
Several studies show that people with major depressive disorder have lower levels of omega-3s in their blood or brain tissue. Taking a concentrated, self-emulsifying fish oil supplement daily, like Flameout (Buy at Amazon), quickly corrects this deficiency.
4. Microencapsulated Vitamin D (5000 IU daily)
Vitamin D deficiency contributes to depression through a combo of biological, neurological, and immune system mechanisms. Vitamin D is a nutrient that functions like a hormone, with receptors throughout the brain, including in areas involved in mood regulation such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus.
Numerous studies show that people with depression often have lower serum levels of vitamin D, and supplementation in deficient individuals is associated with mood improvements.
Standard vitamin D supplements often won't bring up blood levels, especially for those 40+. Use the microencapsulated form to ensure complete absorption.
Other Natural Options
While people don't technically have deficiencies in curcumin and lycopene (because they're not considered essential nutrients), both have been used successfully in depression treatment. If I were asked to consult on these issues, I'd recommend that doctors first test for and treat the nutritional deficiencies above. With those taken care of, I'd suggest micellar curcumin and a lycopene supplement, if needed. More info here:
Preventing the Next Crisis
Some people need to be on antidepressant drugs, and coming off them requires doctor supervision. But many have been unnecessarily prescribed these life-altering drugs. With revised guidelines and nutritional interventions, we could prevent the next prescription drug epidemic, or at least the second and third waves.
Reference
- Sherpa, et al. Efficacy and safety profile of oral creatine monohydrate in add-on to cognitive-behavioural therapy in depression: An 8-week pilot, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled feasibility and exploratory trial in an under-resourced area. European Neuropsychopharmacology, Volume 90, January 2025, Pages 28-35.
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