kept saying “Not quite right? Take more pills.” Week after week, adverse ‘side’ effects worsened as my dose was increased. It was discouraging to worsen from dysthymia to major depression while taking doctor-recommended medications.

Synthetic antidepressants apparently help many people cope with depression but a significant number experience adverse effects. I do not know why these pills did not restore my mood, nor did my caregivers explain. They acknowledged ‘side’ effects, some related to dose. I asked “Why recommend medications which make sick people feel worse?” Their answer was “Not all depressed people feel worse on antidepressants.” Although I am a self-employed accountant in North York, my undergraduate degree included biological and medical science courses. When my doctors did not explain, I remembered my science education and began to ask questions, study, research, and interview healthcare professionals, drug manufacturers, and other depression survivors. I desperately wanted to restore normal mood.

Even while not feeling well, I was able to read, write and learn. My brain’s logic circuits seemed to keep working even while my mood control circuits were not upbeat, reliable or consistent. Basically I was in black or blue moods much of the time for no logical reason.

Fearfully, I kept reading, trying to understand and trying to cope. I read more than 150 books about depression, psychology, self-help topics and various medical aspects of brain function. There were many interesting references to the use of herbs, vitamins, amino acids, and minerals in the treatment of depression.^1,2,3,4 I found information about a supplement used in Europe by conventional doctors who prescribe it to thousands of people with depression and cognitive deficiencies, typically associated with old age. (I was then 44, not exactly geriatric, although while depressed, I felt 100). I did not believe that a supplement could help me. The possibility seemed too good to be true.

I knew nothing about herbs and several doctor clients of my accounting practice said that they would not recommend them. A pharmacist client offered cautions that herbs might be difficult to use, hard to determine dosage, and dangerous due to possible lack of quality control during processing. My skepticism was based on ignorance. I should have known better. I had good results several years earlier taking feverfew for relief of migraine. Feverfew took away the pain after a migraine began. I was surprised and pleased to experience good results several days after starting to take small doses of ginkgo biloba. A mild GI upset prompted me to take odourless garlic with the ginkgo, both in small doses three times a day while recording my progress. I also started to take valerian at night for sleeping and that seemed to help.

The three natural supplements together cost 1/8 the price of synthetics. I am self-employed with no drug plan so it was

helpful to find effective, low-cost natural supplements with no adverse side effects. Over the past 10 months, I gradually adjusted my dose. During the day I take five to six small doses of ginkgo biloba, with odourless garlic. The ginkgo comes in capsule form and the bottle states that there are 400 mg in each capsule: 300 mg ginkgo biloba leaves and 100 mg 8:1 ginkgo biloba extract. I divide each capsule into six doses using empty capsules purchased at my local health food store. My total daily dose of gingko biloba extract is approximately 135 mg I start with a 33 mg (of 1/3 capsule) in the morning and there-after, every two hours, I take a 17 mg. 1/6 capsule of gingko. This helps me to maintain normal mood during the day. At night, I take two small valerian tablets. Each valerian tablet contains 110 mg of 5.5:1

valerian root extract and 30 mg of 3:1 hops extract.

I also take small doses of supplemental zinc and B6 after reading that these can become depleted during episodes of depression. After 10 months taking these supplements, I feel much better. I feel restored with no adverse effects. I cannot say whether my approach will help other people who suffer with dysthymia or chronic unipolar depression. It seems logical that if European governments allow depressed people to be treated by conventional doctors using ginkgo and other herbal supplements, then supplements could help depressed people in North America. Many doctors here do not seem to know about them.

I do not write this story to give ‘false’ hope to anyone who suffers with the mood disorder known as depression. I can honestly report that my mood disorder

improved while taking supplements for the past nine months and I can share some recent European research that seems relevant. It appears that ginkgo biloba has a beneficial effect on the brain. Like medication, supplements should be taken with care according to doctors’ orders. However, it is not easy for patients in North America to get advice from conventional doctors because they are not trained to use herbs here. Practitioners of orthomolecular medicine recommend supplements, typically vitamins and minerals. Apparently conventional doctors receive very little training in nutrition so it is no wonder that they are not able to advise how patients can restore normal mood using nutrients, vitamins, minerals, or herbal supplements.

No doubt any healthcare professional would advise suitable patients to start with small doses of supplements and then gradually adjust to an appropriate maintenance dose. If you are taking synthetic anti-depressant medications, you should seek medical advice before starting, stopping or changing any medications and before using any supplements. There are many treatment plans for depressed people. Most involve synthetic anti-depressants, anxiety and sleep medications and / or talk therapies. Natural supplements may help some people recover zest for life and restore normal mood. Apparently most conventional doctors in North America either never learned or forgot about the variety of supplements which have long been known around the world. Supplements can help some depressed people restore normal mood without adverse effects.

A 1995 book⁵ by Rita Elkins entitled Depression and Natural Medicine outlines nutritional approaches to depression and mood swings. It reviews a range of food supplements which can restore brain function and aid recovery from depression. These include vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs. Some are in food; others can be taken as OTC food supplements.

Ginkgo biloba is one supplement. Recent European research indicates that this natural supplement, which mankind has known about for more than 5,000 years, has a multiplicity of beneficial effects on brain function.

Michael Murray’ s book⁶ The Healing Power of Herbs explains that in Germany, “extracts of Ginkgo biloba leaves are registered for the treatment of cerebral and peripheral vascular insufficiency. Ginkgo products are available by prescription and OTC purchase. Gingko extracts are among the three most widely prescribed drugs in both Germany and France, with a combined annual sales figure of more than $500 million dollars. In well designed studies, ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) has displayed a statistically significant regression of the major symptoms of cerebral vascular insufficiency and impaired mental performance. These symptoms include short-term memory loss, vertigo, headache, ringing in the ears, lack of vigilance and depression . Most of the clinical research on ginkgo biloba has utilized a standardized extract, containing 24% ginkgo heterosides (flavone glycosides), at a dosage of 40 mg three times daily. Clinical research shows that GBE should be taken consistently for at least 12 weeks in order to be effective. Although most people report benefits within two to three weeks, some may take longer to respond. In 44 double-blind studies involving 9,772 patients taking GBE, the number of reported side effects was extremely small. The most common side effect, gastrointestinal discomfort, occurred in only 21 cases, followed by headache (7) and dizziness (6).”