The primary emphasis is still on issues such as a neurochemical aberration, stress, and the like. But from own perspec­tive, doctor believe that nutrition is a factor in about 25 percent of depressed individuals.

Moreover, nutritional deficiencies are common in depressed people, adds doctor, though which comes first—deficiency or depression—isn’t entirely clear. “If people haven’t been eating right their whole lives, it can start to catch up with them in their forties or fifties. And if they have a ten­dency toward depression, it often shows up around the same time,” he says.

While poor nutrition probably doesn’t cause depression, correcting a defi­ciency can be beneficial if you’re battling it, says doctor. But nutri­tional supplements are no substitute for professional evaluation. “If you think you’re depressed,” he advises, “it’s crucial that you see a physician or psychia­trist for help.”