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Mental health struggles are an unfortunate reality that is dealt with by many teens today and has been on the rise in recent years. Depression is one of the main struggles faced, and seeking professional help for depression is commonly accompanied by being prescribed antidepressants.
What are antidepressants?
Antidepressants are a type of medicine commonly prescribed to treat conditions such as depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. They work by increasing the activity of chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine inside the brain. These chemicals help regulate mood, behavior, and emotion. Common types of antidepressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).
Antidepressants can be very effective at helping with symptoms of depression, but they are not without their side effects. Side effects can include: weight gain, insomnia/drowsiness, increased anxiety/agitation, and emotional numbness. Moreover, adjusting to antidepressants can be challenging, and even after adjusting, individuals can experience a medication plateau, where the effects of antidepressants slowly reduce over time. Users could experience withdrawal symptoms too.
A better alternative?
While showing benefits, many might not want to take antidepressants due to the possible side effects, and that’s very understandable. So, there’s another option that’s over the counter, effective, and has very little side effects: magnesium. Magnesium is a nutrient that is deficient in up to 50% of americans. Low magnesium levels can decrease serotonin levels in the brain, which is what antidepressants try to boost. Taking magnesium supplements can therefore help with symptoms of depression, and this has been proven by numerous studies as well. Other benefits of magnesium supplements over antidepressants is that it's easier to access, fast acting, and helps with other symptoms of magnesium deficiency as well.
The recommended daily intake of magnesium for
Children 9-13 years is 240mg daily
Teen boys 14-18 is 410mg daily
Teen girls 14-18 is 360mg daily
Men 400-420mg is daily
Women 310-320mg is daily
In conclusion, magnesium can prove to be an effective alternative for antidepressants.
Written by: Shengze
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