Treatment of Mood and Depressive Disorders With Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Efficacy Review.
Jasmine B R Cutler, Olivia Pane, Simran K Panesar, Wendy Updike, Thea R Moore
Journal of midwifery & women's health 2023 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13527 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | bright-light therapy yoga meditation St. John's wort folic acid |
| Topics | Depression |
| Keywords | Dhea S-adenosylmethionine St. john's wort Acupuncture Exercise Folate Light therapy Mindfulness/meditation yoga Omega-3 fatty acids |
| Citations | 30 |
| Key findings | The reliability of evidence for CAM therapies for depression remains low, with few randomized controlled trials and poor methodology in many available trials. |
Abstract
There has been a steady increase in people with symptoms of depression over the past several years (since 2011). The further increase in stress and depression in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an increase in unmet mental health needs. Many have turned to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies such as bright-light therapy, yoga, meditation, and dietary supplements like St. John's wort or folic acid. The reliability of evidence for use of CAM therapies for depression has remained low. There are few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the current literature and poor methodology in many of the trials that are available. This state of the science review examines current published guidelines, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and RCTs regarding use of CAM therapies in the management of depression.