Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The efficacy of vitamins for reducing or preventing depression symptoms in healthy individuals: natural remedy or placebo?

  • Published:
Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Over-the-counter vitamins have become increasingly popular as a natural remedy for reducing or preventing depression symptoms and enhancing the emotional well-being of healthy individuals in the general population. This placebo-controlled, single-blind trial evaluated the effect of vitamins on depression symptoms experienced by a nonclinical sample of participants. One hundred and fourteen healthy young adults were randomly assigned to multivitamin, B-complex vitamin, placebo vitamin, or no-treatment control conditions. At the end of a 6-week regimen, participants administered vitamins reported significant reductions in depression symptoms as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory compared to those who received no treatment. There was no difference between the multivitamin, the B-vitamin, and the placebo. The effect of each of the vitamin regimens on depression symptoms was partially mediated by response expectancies. The results do not support the efficacy of vitamins as a natural remedy for reducing or preventing depression symptoms among healthy people in the general population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alpert, J. E., Mischoulon, D., Rubenstein, G. E. F., Bottonari, K., Nierenberg, A. A., & Fava, M. (2002). Folonic acid (Leucovorin) as an adjunctive treatment for SSRI-refractory depression. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 14, 33–38.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Balch, P. A., & Balch, J. F. (2000). Prescription for nutritional healing (3rd ed.). New York: Avery Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, P. M., Powell-Griner, E., McFann, K., & Nahin, R. L. (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002. Advance data from vital and health statistics; no. 343. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics.

  • Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., & Erbaugh, J. (1961). A scale for measuring depression. Archives in General Psychiatry, 4, 561–570.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, I. R., Edman, J. S., Morrow, F. D., Marby, D. W., Mirages, S., Perrone, G., Kayne, H. L., & Cole J. O. (1991). B complex vitamin patterns in geriatric and young adult inpatients with major depression. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 39, 252–257.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, I., Edman, J., Morrow, F., Marby, D., Perrone, G., Kayne, H., Greenwald, M., & Cole, J. (1992). Brief communications: Vitamin B1, B2, and B6 augmentation of tricyclic antidepressant treatment in geriatric depression with cognitive dysfunction. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 11, 159–163.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benton, D., Haller, J., & Fordy, J. (1995). Vitamin supplementation for 1 year improves mood. Neuropsychobiology, 32, 98–105.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, E. M., & Putnam, F. W. (1986). Development, reliability, and validity of a dissociation scale. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 174, 727–735.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bootzin, R. R., & Bailey, E. T. (2005). Understanding placebo, nocebo, and iatrogenic treatment effects. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61, 871–880.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bottiglieri, T. (2005). Homocysteine and folate metabolism in depression. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharamacology and Biological Psychiatry, 29, 1103–1112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bottiglieri, T., Laundy, M., Crellin, R., Toone, B. K., Carney, M. W., & Reynolds, E. H. (2000). Homocysteine, folate, methylation, and monoamine metabolism in depression. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 69, 228–232.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brandon, T. H., Juliano, L. M., & Copeland, A. L. (1999). Expectancies for tobacco smoking. In I. Kirsch (Ed.), How expectancies shape experience (pp. 263–299). Wahington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, J., Calvaresi, E., & Hughes, D. (2002). Short-term folate, vitamin B12 or vitamin B6 supplementation slightly effects memory performance but not mood in woman of various ages. Nutrition and Aging, 132, 1345–1356.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvaresi, E., & Bryan, J. (2001). B vitamins, cognition, and aging: A review. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 56, 327–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carney, M., Chary, T., Laundy, M., Bottiglieri, T., Chanarin, I., Reynolds, E., & Toone, B. (1990). Red cell folate concentrations psychiatric patients. Journal of Affective Disorders, 19, 207–213.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coppen, A., & Bailey, J. (2000). Enhancement of the antidepressant action of fluoxetine by folic acid: a randomized, placebo controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 60, 121–130.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coppen, A., Chandhry, S., & Swade, C. (1986). Folic acid enhances lithium prophylaxis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 10, 9–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D’Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2004). Folate and brain function in the elderly. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care, 7, 659–664.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D’Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2005). B vitamins and the brain: Depression. Nutrition in Clinical Care, 8, 143–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dozois, D. J. A. (2003). The psychometric characteristics of the Hamilton depression inventory. Journal of Personality Assessment, 80, 31–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dozois, D. J. A., Dobson, K. S., & Ahnberg, J. L. (1998). A psychometric evaluation of the Beck depression inventory-II. Psychological Assessment, 10, 83–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fava, M., Borus, J. S., Alpert, J. E., Nierenberg, A. A., Rosenbaum, J. F., & Bottiglieri, T. (1997). Folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in major depressive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 426–428.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Folstein, M., Liu, T., Peter, I., Buel, J., Arsenault, L., Scott, T., & Qiu, W. W. (2007). The homocysteine hypothesis of depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 861–867.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fetto, J. (2001). Quackery no more: Alternative medicine moves into the mainstream. American Demographics, 23, 10–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fugh-Berman, A., & Cott, J. M. (1999). Dietary supplements and natural products as psychotherapeutic agents. Psychosomatic Medicine, 61, 712–728.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Godfrey, P., Toone, B., Carney, M., Flynn, T., Bottiglieri, T., Laundy, M., Chanarin, M., & Reynolds, E. (1990). Enhancement of recovery from psychiatric illness by methylfolate. Lancet, 336, 392–95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs, C., & Haas, E. (1999). Vitamins for dummies. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S. K., & Blanchard, A. (2006). Alternative medicine and herbal use among university students. Journal of American College Health, 55, 163–168.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, A., Warner, H. A., & Brown, W. A. (2005). Symptom reduction and suicide risk in patients treated with placebo in antidepressant clinical trials: An analysis of the food and drug administration database. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57, 311–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P. C., Hollon, S. D., Beck, A. T., Hammen, C. L., Ingram, R. E. (1987). Issues and recommendations regarding use of the Beck depression inventory. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 11, 289–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Soukup, J., Davis, R. B., Foster, D. F., Wilkey, S. A., Van Rompay, M. et al. (2001). Complementary and alternative therapies to treat anxiety and depression in the United States. American Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 289–294.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch, I. (1985). Response expectancy as a determinant of experience and behavior. American Psychologist, 40, 1189–1202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch, I. (1990). Changing expectations. California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch, I. (2005). Placebo psychotherapy: Synonym or oxymoron. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61, 791–803.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch, I., Moore, T. J., Scoboria, A., & Nicholls, S. S. (2002). The emperor’s new drugs: An analysis of antidepressant medication data submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Prevention and Treatment, 5, Article 23. Retrieved June 14, 2007, from http://www.journals.apa.org/prevention/volume5/pre0050023a.html.

  • Kirsch, I., & Sapirstein, G. (1998). Listening to Prozac but hearing placebo: A meta-analysis of antidepressant medication. Prevention and Treatment, 1, Article 0002a. Retrieved June 14, 2007, from http://www.journals.apa.org/prevention/volume1/pre0010002a.html.

  • Knaudt, P. R., Conner, K. M., Weisler, R. H., Churchill, L. E., & Davidson, J. R. (1999). Alternative therapy use by psychiatric outpatients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 187, 692–695.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McNair, D., & Lorr, M. (1964). An analysis of mood in neurotics. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 69, 620–627.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milling, L. S., Reardon, J. M., & Carosella, G. M. (2006). Mediation and moderation of psychological pain treatments: Response expectancies and hypnotic suggestibility. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 253–262.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, G. H., & Bovbjerg, D. H. (2001). Specific response expectancies predict anticipatory nausea during chemotherapy for breast cancer. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69, 831–835.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, G. H., & Bovbjerg, D. H. (2004). Presurgery distress and specific response expectancies predict postsurgery outcomes in surgery patients confronting breast cancer. Health Psychology, 23, 381–387.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, G. H., Weltz, C. R., Seltz, M., & Bovbjerg, D. H. (2002). Brief presurgery hypnosis reduces distress and pain in excisional breast biopsy patients. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 50, 17–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, M. S., Fava, M., Jacques, P. F., Selhub, J., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2003). Depression and folate status in the U.S. population. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 72, 59–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newberry, H., Beerman, K., Duncan, S., McGuire, M., & Hillers, V. (2001). Use of nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements among college students. Journal of American College Health, 50, 123–129.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Null, G. (2005). The complete encyclopedia of natural healing. New York: Kensington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palace, E. (1995). Modification of dysfunctional patterns of sexual response through autonomic arousal and false physiological feedback. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 604–615.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Papakostas, G. I., Petersen, T., Mischoulon, D., Ryan, J. L., Nierenberg, A. A., Bottiglieri, T., Rosenbaum, J. F., Alpert, J. E., & Fava, M. (2004). Serum folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in major depressive disorder, part 1: Predictors of clinical response in fluoxetine-resistant depression. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 65, 1090–1095.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, E., Preece, J., Bailey, J., & Coppen, A. (1970). Folate deficiency in depressive illness. British Journal of Psychiatry, 117, 287–292.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruscio, A. M., & Ruscio, J. (2002). The latent structure of analogue depression: Should the Beck depression inventory be used to classify groups? Psychological Assessment, 14, 135–145.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smidt, L., Cremin, F., Grivetti, L., & Clifford, A. (1991). Influence of thiamin supplementation on the health and general well-being of an elderly Irish population with marginal thiamin deficiency. Journal of Gerontology, 46, M16–22.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sodergren, S. C., & Hyland, M. E. (1999). Expectancy and asthma. In I. Kirsch (Ed.), How expectancies shape experience (pp. 197–212). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tolmunen, T., Hintikka, J., Ruusunen, A., Voutilainen, S., Tanskanen, A., Valkonen, V., Viinamäki, H., Kaplan, G. A., & Salonen, J. T. (2004). Dietary folate and the risk of depression in Finnish middle-aged men. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 73, 334–339.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ussher, J., Dewberry, C., Malson, H., & Noakes, J. (1995). The relationship between health related quality of life and dietary supplementation in British middle managers: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Psychology and Health, 10, 97–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ussher, J., & Swann, C. (2000). A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining the relationship between health-related quality of life and dietary supplement. British Journal of Health Psychology, 5, 173–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, B. T., Seidman, S. N., Sysko, R., Gould, M. (2002). Placebo response in studies of major depression: Variable, substantial and growing. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287, 1840–1847.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ware, J. E., & Sherbourne, C. D. (1992). The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36): I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Medical Care, 30, 473–483.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woodruffe-Peacock, C., Turnbull, G. M., & Johnson, M. A. (1998). The quick mood scale: Development of a simple mood assessment scale for clinical pharmacology studies. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 13, 53–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This article is based on a master’s thesis prepared by Alison America under the direction of Leonard Milling. Alison America is now a research technician at the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory in Groton, Connecticut. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Anne Thode in conducting the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT, 06117, USA

    Alison America & Leonard S. Milling

Authors
  1. Alison America
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Leonard S. Milling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonard S. Milling.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

America, A., Milling, L.S. The efficacy of vitamins for reducing or preventing depression symptoms in healthy individuals: natural remedy or placebo?. J Behav Med 31, 157–167 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-007-9134-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-007-9134-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation