Original article appeared in Psychiatric Times, August 20, 2024. Preview below.
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Since the introduction of chlorpromazine in 1954, pharmaceutical approaches have been the mainstay treatment for mental health conditions. And although these agents are helpful, treatment resistance remains common. For instance, a 2021 analysis found that approximately 31% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) experienced treatment resistance. Related costs for treatment-resistant cases is estimated to be approximately $92.7 billion in the United States, and represent higher levels of unemployment, reduced productivity, and increased health care expenditures.
As research continues to look for strategies that result in better treatment outcomes, consensus has slowly been building that additional interventions should play a role in treating mental health conditions. Patients with mental illness have been consistently found to have lower levels of certain nutrients, including vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc, among others. Adjunctive treatments focusing on these deficiencies have yielded promising, positive results. Diet also appears to play an important role in mental health, including the reduction of ultra-processed foods to the potential benefits of implementing a ketogenic diet.