Depression is Linked to Inflammation

One of my least favorite diagnoses is depression. It is often used as an umbrella diagnosis for anyone that just feels vaguely unwell.  Feelings of worthlessness? Depression. Don’t feel like doing anything? Depression. Appetite off? Depression. All of these very different symptoms are treated the same way, messing with the neurotransmitter levels in the brain. I’m not saying that depression doesn’t exist, in fact I’m arguing for the contrary. I think the current medical approach to treating depression is overly simplistic for such a complex disease with a huge array of symptoms.

Let’s say your dog or cat lost interest in eating and playing one day. What do you do? You don’t call them depressed; you assume they are sick and take them to the vet. Not eating and not being active are called “sick behaviors” because our body shuts down these things when we are sick. It has nothing to do with neurotransmitters and everything to do with inflammation. We do humans a disservice when we automatically assume it’s “just depression” and not sick behavior from inflammation.

Our immune system communicates with molecules called cytokines. Different cytokines have different roles. One cytokine that plays a major role in sick behavior is interleukin-1 (IL-1). It is associated with lethargy, sleep and appetite disturbances. Here is a study that talks more about this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5244798/ 

Furthermore, scientists have researched the connection between poor mood and inflammation without sickness. In one study, the subjects who experienced negative mood for over a week had higher levels of inflammation. So in order to adequately address depression, we have to move beyond neurotransmitters to look at inflammation.

Inflammation is not inherently bad. Inflammation is how our body starts the healing process and how it turns on the immune system. Unchecked inflammation or long term inflammation is where we start to run into problems. Because our body has finite resources, the most immediate needs are prioritized, which in the case of endless inflammation our body ends up drained. Here’s an example of what this might look like.

Let’s say you are allergic or sensitive to broccoli. Everytime you eat broccoli it turns on your immune system and creates some inflammation. If you eat broccoli every day, over time this will wear down your body and may result in fatigue, low motivation, poor mood, and so forth. Inflammation is a process that is supposed to turn on and then off again after the issue has been resolved. This person is not sick, but they still may have the symptoms of being sick.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to decrease inflammation is to change the diet. Some foods like dairy are inherently inflammatory, and so should be avoided entirely while trying to decrease inflammation. Other foods that could be avoided are the most common allergens including wheat, soy, peanuts, and eggs. I always like to do food sensitivity testing as well because sometimes perfectly healthy foods are the issue.

Another simple way to decrease inflammation is to support the immune system. Some viral infections can linger a long time and this low level infection can also drain the immune system. Warts and cold sores are viral in nature and may be a sign that your immune system is not functioning at its best. Other signs include getting sick easily, post nasal drip, and fatigue. Help your immune system work its best by getting adequate sleep, eating a diet rich in zinc and magnesium, and consider using some immune support herbs like lemon balm and echinacea. 

One interesting note is that the brain and inflammation is a two-way street. An emotional disturbance like heartbreak creates an inflammatory state in the body. In fact, broken heart syndrome is heart disease that starts immediately after an emotional trauma. Counselling, which helps with these emotional traumas, may work to decrease inflammation in the body.

These and other tactics to decrease inflammation in the body may improve depression. There are many other natural things that are specific for depression without necessarily addressing inflammation like inositol, magnesium, St. John’s wort, omega 3 fatty acids. Whether you choose these or pharmaceuticals to address depression, I think you are far more likely to have success if you address inflammation concurrently.