In the near future, your blood might tell your doctor whether or not you have or are prone to major depression. These findings are immense, a means of a possible early detection and intervention in cases of depression.
“Depressive disorders can present differently in different people. What is known now is that depression affects not just the brain but the whole organism,” said Natalie Rasgon, the lead author of the Stanford University study, which was published in Proceedings in the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.
Three hundred million people suffer from depression worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
In the Stanford study, researchers in the U.S. and Sweden isolated a chemical in the brain called acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC for short) to see the role it plays in depression. The study notes that low levels of LAC can predict the severity and longevity of depression.
Earlier studies with mice have shown similar outcomes.
“Previous animal studies convincingly showed the role of LAC in models of depression,” Rasgon told ABC News.“This study is the first confirmation of the results from animal studies in human subjects with depression.”
LAC is naturally occurring in the body, but it can also be purchased as a supplement at drug stores. The chemical was often used for dementia until it was proven that it does not help relieve dementia symptoms, according to a peer review.
The substance performs certain tasks in the human body, such as regulation of how the brain and nervous system use energy. It can also interact with DNA to change how specific genes are expressed.
The LAC supplement works better than placebo in eliminating or reducing depression and comes with fewer side effects, according to a 2003 scientific review.
However, Rasgon’s study did not ascertain whether or not LAC should or should not be used as a treatment for depression.
For Rasgon’s study, scientists measured the amounts of LAC in the blood of 116 subjects. In those who were hardwired for depression, lower amounts of the chemical existed, and the more severe the depression, the lower the LAC. The severity of depression by people who experienced childhood trauma or depression from an early age was the lowest.
The good news from this study is that measuring LAC levels may be a credible way to intervene early in cases of depression.
The study also discovered that people who are on antidepressants also had low levels of LAC in their blood, indicating that a dietary supplement might help in the treatment of depression.
However, Rasgon stressed that she and other scientists are in the early stages of determining the effectiveness of an LAC supplement.
“We are at the very beginning of this discovery and can’t recommend people to buy this supplement at the GNC store,” Rasgon said. “There are many questions to be answered,” she continued. “Who will ultimately benefit from taking this supplement, what is the right dose, what is the appropriate duration of use.”
The impact of these findings are palpable, and with further research, the blood test may become a reality in predicting depression.
