Private MD News

Linking lifestyle with outlook issues

Category: General Health

Depression is a common symptom of the stresses people must go through on a daily basis. Going to work, paying the bills and dealing with problems associated with friends and family can lead many to develop depressed feelings throughout their lives, sometimes in greater consistency than others, but a recent study shows that other issues outside of basic environmental factors could be increasing people's likelihoodof developing these ailments. Blood tests may measure other elements of depression, but doctors may want to start looking for factors tied to drinking habitsto catch specific problems.

Researchers looked at the correlation between drinking large amounts of beverages with high sugar concentration, including soda, juice and sweetened coffee and depressed feelings. The American Academy of Neurology reported that there seemed to be a link between drinking these beverages and feeling depressed.

Scientists at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences looked at adults who drank four cups of any of these three substances per day, finding negative associations between these beverage amounts and the likelihood of showing depressive symptoms as compared to those who did not drink such high quantities. MedlinePlus reported that soda and juice drinkers were one-third more likely to develop side effects, whereas coffee drinkers were only one-tenth as likely to feel depressed. Researchers stressed that these results are only cursory and more research is necessary to draw a solid connection, but these results could be beneficial to those still suffering from depression despite blood testsshowing adequate levels of antidepressants in their systems, among other treatments.

Early detection aids fight
The OneMedForum also discussed the methods doctors can use to implement blood testing in detecting these issues and determining if patients are likely to express depressive symptomsin the future. Looking for specific genetic markers can pick up inherited traits, helping clinicians treat ailments before they become problems, but for those dealing with people lacking these signs, other indicators could lie in their personal habits. Warning individuals to avoid excessive consumption of sugary products could help deter depression's onset.

Zara Aziz, a general practitioner writing for The Guardian, stated that economic problems are making more people depressed and sending them to their doctors for medicine to combat the negativity. These pills are also expensive, perpetuating the stress, so doctors should be mindful of this issue before ordering expensive tests or pills.