Depression, the most common type of mental illness, is the second leading cause of disability and is increasing among Americans. The effect of improved nutrition, particularly with dietary supplements, on depression may provide an alternative to standard medical treatment. Some studies have shown that certain nutrients (e.g., inositol and S-adenosyl methionine) are effective at improving depressed mood, although the results are not unequivocal. The current study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a vitamin B complex nutritional supplement (Max Stress B) for improving depressive and anxiety symptoms according to the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories (BDI and BAI) in 60 adults diagnosed with major depression or other forms of depressive disorders. Secondary outcomes included quality of life according to the SF-36. Participants were assessed at baseline and 30- and 60-day followups. Max Stress B showed significant and more continuous improvements in depressive and anxiety symptoms, compared to placebo. Additionally, Max Stress B showed significant improvement on the mental health scale of the SF-36 compared to placebo. Thus, we showed modest utility of Max Stress B to improve mood symptoms and mental health quality of life in adults with depression. 1. Introduction Approximately 26% of American adults are suffering from a diagnosable mental disease, and nearly half (45%) of them meet criteria for two or more disorders strongly related to comorbidity [1]. Major depressive disorder (MDD), one of the most common mental disorders, affects almost 15 million American adults (about 7% of the population) [1], and women report more depressive symptoms than men [2]. Furthermore, MDD is the leading cause of disability in the United States for persons between the ages of 15 and 44 [3], resulting in almost half of all lost productivity that translates into a cost burden of $44 billion per year [4]. In addition, the World Health Organization’s Global Burden of Disease Study measured lost years of healthy life in the developed world, regardless of whether they were lost to premature death or disability for various diseases [5], concluding that disability burden caused by MDD ranks second only to cardiovascular disease. While 35–45% of depressed patients receiving FDA-approved antidepressants experience complete relief from their symptoms, 55–65% have inadequate response and/or side effects, such as sexual dysfunction, insomnia, weight gain, restlessness, and memory lapses, among others [6]. Moreover, antidepressants
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