In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of depression, which is related to, inter alia, the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression can be fatal if not treated or treated ...inappropriately; is the main cause of suicide attempts. The disease is multifactorial, and pharmacotherapy often fails to bring satisfactory results. Therefore, more and more importance is attached to the natural healing substances and nutrients contained in food. They can significantly affect the process of therapy and prevention of depressive disorders. A proper diet plays a very important role in the prevention of depression and can be a valuable addition to psychological and pharmacological treatment. In turn, an inadequate diet may reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants or may increase their side effects, leading to life-threatening symptoms. The work is a review of the literature on the pathogenesis of the development and treatment of depression, with particular emphasis on dietary supplements and the role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of depressive disorders.
•Diet plays an important role in preventing depression.•Proper nutrition can be a valuable supplement to the psychological and pharmacologic treatment of depression.•Improper nutrition can contribute ...to the development of depressive disorders.•Nutrients may reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in depression, which is related to, among other things, the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression can be fatal if not treated or if treated inappropriately. Depression is the leading cause of suicide attempts. The disease is multifactorial, and pharmacotherapy often fails to bring satisfactory results. Therefore, increasingly more importance is attached to the natural healing substances and nutrients in food, which can significantly affect the therapy process and prevention of depressive disorders. A proper diet is vital to preventing depression and can be a valuable addition to psychological and pharmacologic treatment. An inadequate diet may reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants or increase their side effects, leading to life-threatening symptoms. This study aimed to review the literature on the pathogenesis of the development and treatment of depression, with particular emphasis on dietary supplements and the role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of depressive disorders.
