Selenium for Depression

While there is evidence that many people suffer from a selenium deficiency and that supplementing selenium leads to noticeable improvements in mood, there have been no controlled studies for the use of selenium in treating depression.

If you beleive your diet may be low in selenium, supplementation is a good idea and could improve your mood.

Research

Benton, D. Cook, R. The impact of selenium supplementation on mood. Biol-Psychiatry. 1991 Jun 1; 29(11): 1092-8.

In a double-blind crossover placebo-controlled study of 50 subjects, it was found that selenium supplements improve overall mood, especially for those whose diets were lower in selenium. Seemed to indicate a subclinical deficiency that was affecting mood.

Jorm, A. Effectiveness of complementary and self-help treatments
for depression. Med Jounral Australia 2002; 176: S84–S96.

Reviewed evidence for selenium as a depression treatment and found that there have been no controlled trials to date.

Sher, L. Role of thyroid hormones in the effects of selenium on mood, behavior, and cognitive function. Medical Hypotheses. Volume 57, Issue 4, October 2001, Pages 480-483.

Suggests that people who are experiencing depression, hypothyroidism and susceptibility to viral infections should be tested for selenium deficiency.

Rayman, M. The importance of selenium to human health. Lancet. Volume 356, Issue 9225, 15 July 2000, Pages 233-241.

Discusses the importance of selenium for proper thyroid function and reviews that deficiencies have a negative impact on mood.

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