New study investigates the efficacy of curcumin supplementation in improving depression in diabetic patients

Depression is a major cause of disease burden worldwide which affects approximately 350 million people. Although there are numerous medications for the treatment of depression, less than 50% of patients take medications for depression.

According to a new study published three days ago in Nutrients, researchers investigated the efficacy of curcumin supplementation in improving depression in diabetic patients.

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial including 227 obese type 3 diabetic patients. Curcumin supplementation was dosed at 750 mg of curcuminoids twice daily. The primary endpoint was assessing depression severity using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Depression severity was categorized as follows: 0–4 (minimal), 5–9 (mild), 10–14 (moderate), 15–19 (moderately severe), and 20–27 (severe). The secondary outcomes were measured at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-month intervals. These biomarkers included serotonin levels, pro-inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant status, and malondialdehyde (MDA). At the end of the 12 months, the curcumin supplementation group demonstrated a significant improvement in depression severity. In addition, the curcumin supplementation group had increased levels of serotonin and lower levels of interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and TNF-alpha compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, the total antioxidant status, glutathione peroxidase activity, and superoxide dismutase activity were all increased in the curcumin group; MDA levels were higher in the placebo group. As a results, these findings demonstrate potential antidepressant effects of curcumin supplementation in obese type 2 diabetes patients.

Other nutrients to consider include essential fatty acids and vitamin D as most individuals are often deficient. Fish oils are essential for one’s overall health and reduce inflammation and  Vitamin D’s effects on the brain is due to the production of the active form of vitamin D in the brain and gene expression of VDRs in areas associated with mood and social behaviors.

Also, some natural alternatives to anti-depressants include Sceletium tortuosum and Saffron flower. Sceletium tortuosum has attracted increasing attention over past few decades for promoting a sense of wellbeing and treating depression and Saffron flower has had numerous studies demonstrating positive outcomes on MDD and has gone head-to-head with SSRIs demonstrating the same efficacy. Additional considerations include bacillus coagulans and melatonin.

By Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS

Source: Yaikwawong M, Jansarikit L, et al. (2024) Curcumin Reduces Depression in Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients 16(15):2414.

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