Study Finds Turmeric Is As Effective As Prozac To Treat Depression

Written by Ravi Teja Tadimalla, BSc, Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition and Health  • 

I have been through depression. And trust me, it’s not a good place to stay. You will be at that stage in life where things can’t get worse. It will seem like the end – only that it really isn’t.

Most people diagnosed with depression end up taking drugs and other medications, only to further suffer due to the side effects. But that isn’t the case anymore! A groundbreaking study reveals how turmeric can help in treating depression.

The Study

Conducted at the Department of Pharmacology, Gujarat, India, this study compared the effects of curcumin (the main polyphenol in turmeric) and Prozac, a popular antidepressant, in treating depression.

Around 60 patients diagnosed with MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) were made to participate in the study. About 20 of these took 500 mg of curcumin capsules twice a day, 20 took 20 mg of Prozac on a regular basis, and the remaining 20 took a combination of the two regularly.

The Findings

What the study found could be one of the most popular revelations ever made in health sciences. Curcumin was found to work just as well as Prozac in treating MDD. What’s more? Curcumin was also found to not cause any of the side effects that otherwise come with Prozac, which is known to result in suicidal ideation and other psychotic disorders.

Turmeric has many other benefits for skin, hair, and health. But what has set it apart is its ability to treat depression, what is as common as it is dangerous.

Natural Is Better. Always.

The use of turmeric for treating depression is safer and less taxing on the human body, given its natural properties. Pharmaceutical drugs, on the other hand, do not cure depression. Instead, they mask the symptoms and make the patient dependent on them for life.

But, natural treatments like curcumin tackle the roots of the disease. They fight the cause of the ailment, thereby treating the patient completely – that too, with no side effects.

In addition to treating depression, curcumin can also have other positive effects on the patient. These include neuroprotection, and providing anti-inflammatory properties and immune support.

Depression, like a few other ailments, can get extremely serious if not treated on time. So, if anyone you know shows depression-like symptoms, you better get them treated immediately. And when it comes to treatment, natural methods always have an edge.

Though a larger scale study is required to totally prove the efficacy of turmeric in treating depression, it is undoubtedly better than those prescription drugs available in the market.

Be natural. Be healthy.

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