CLINICAL MOOD MODULATOR™

Countless numbers of people experience negative moods which can range from frank depression to boredom, anxiety, isolation and restlessness. Temporary changes in mood are common and do not necessarily require drug treatment. In modern society, stressful life events are all too common and people are increasingly approaching such stresses with “relaxation responses” e.g. Yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts, hypnosis, bodywork and meditation.

There is no doubt that adverse lifestyle precipitates mood changes and it is known that people who smoke or drink excessively are prone to episodes of simple depression (“the blues”). Therefore, before anyone discusses natural approaches to mood elevation, one must reinforce the importance of exercise, good diet and other lifestyle issues in the promotion of healthy and stable moods. Depression is a disease.

Certain criteria are listed to help healthcare professionals diagnose negative mood changes. The most common and significant of all mental disorders is depression. It is accepted that anyone with five of the following eight symptoms is likely to be a victim of clinical depression: sleep disorder, insomnia or excessive sleeping, major appetite change with weight gain or weight loss, physical inactivity or too much activity, loss of
pleasure or interest in day-to-day activities, e.g., sex, feelings of fatigue or energy loss, excessive guilt or sense of worthlessness, poor ability to remember, think or concentrate and thoughts about harming oneself or dying.

Depression itself can range from mild to severe, and many people are taking antidepressants and tranquilizers. Anyone with a mood disorder should first consider the correction of adverse life events or poor diet, the depressing effect of some drugs, hormonal changes, allergic reactions and common diseases, such as flu. It is well recognized that common infectious
disease may precipitate negative mood changes, which usually last only for a few weeks. The role of environmental toxins in causing mood change is an active area of research.

People with significant changes of mood or prolonged disturbances of mood should not self-medicate and people who are taking medications for mood disorders, e.g. antidepressant drugs are strongly advised not to mix dietary supplements with drugs, without the supervision of their healthcare professional. The person with a negative mood must review smoking habits, levels of alcohol or caffeine intake and exercise. Negative lifestyle must be converted to positive lifestyle, with the addition of optimal nutrition.

There are many different nutrients, herbs or botanicals that can be proposed for the nutritional support of the normal body function of mood regulation (a body function). An overlooked way of supporting mood with nutrition is to use nutrients that have beneficial effects on brain structure or function. Such nutrients include lecithin for its phospholipid content, inositol, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin C and selenium. The popular herb Saint John’s Wort has a long history of use for its mood-elevating benefits and L-theanine, found in green tea has calming properties. A herb that has been underestimated in terms of its ability to mimic effects of chemical messages in the brain is Mucuna pruriens. These variably evidence-based nutrients and botanicals form the basis of the formula of Clinical Mood Modulator™, but the primary treatment of psychiatric disease is the usual and customary use of psychotropic drugs, in conventional medical practice.