According to a recent study, people who are depressed have lower concentrations of zinc in their peripheral blood compared with nondepressed people.

This is actually promising news, as it suggests that something as simple as zinc supplements might help depressed people with their symptoms.

Early clinical trials suggest that adding zinc to antidepressant therapy may produce more rapid and effective relief from depressive symptoms.

“The pathophysiological relationships between zinc status and depression, and the potential benefits of zinc supplementation in depressed patients, warrant further investigation,” write Walter Swardfager, PhD, from the Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Canada, and colleagues.

Zinc, an antioxidant, and can also:

• Improve immunity
• Prevent Cancer
• Improve strength
• Improve male and female reproductive health and fertility
• Prevent Diabetes
• Prevent Alzheimer’s

Supplements and foods that could help increase zinc levels in an individual’s blood include:

Oysters      Sesame seeds      Pumpkin seeds
Squash seeds    Mushrooms    Dark chocolate
Fresh fruits   Beans    Brown Rice   Tahini    Garlic
Spinach   Oats     Miso