Summary: New research has introduced a natural supplement that can significantly reduce symptoms of postpartum blues and depression. The four-year study found that supplementation shortly after delivery prevented the onset of postpartum blues in 66% of participants and clinical postpartum depression six months later.
This finding has significant implications for both mother and child, given the prevalence of postpartum blues and increased risk of postpartum depression among new mothers. The supplement, which is based on combating the increase in MAO-A protein after childbirth, opens a promising avenue for postpartum care and is marketed as Blues Away.
Key facts:
- The supplement developed by CAMH was proven to effectively prevent the postpartum blues and reduce symptoms of depression, and none of the supplement group reached clinical criteria for postpartum depression six months after delivery.
- The nutritional supplement targets the critical period after birth to prevent the brain’s MAO-A protein from being significantly increased, which is associated with mood regulation.
- Set for an April 2024 US release in partnership with Exceltis, the supplement represents a major advance in postpartum mental health care, pending regulatory approvals for a global distribution plan.
Source: CHAM
A new study published in the journal Lancet Discovery Science Clinical Medicine A new natural supplement—invented, researched, developed and developed by the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)—has been shown to prevent postpartum blues and reduce postpartum depression symptoms in the six months following delivery.
Up to 8 in ten new mothers experience the postpartum or ‘baby’ blues, characterized by mood swings, crying, anxiety and trouble sleeping. The disease usually begins in the first days after birth and can last up to two weeks. Postpartum blues significantly increase the risk of postpartum depression, a serious mental illness that affects 13 percent of mothers.
Postpartum depression has important health care consequences: it impairs quality of life, increases the risk of future depression and suicidality, and is associated with cognitive and emotional problems in children. Until now, there is a lack of widespread prevention options in both cases.
The study titled Dietary supplementation for mood symptoms during pregnancy: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Between January 2019 and December 2022, it involved more than 100 postpartum participants who took four doses of a natural supplement or a matching placebo several days after giving birth.
In the supplement group, two-thirds (66 percent) experienced no symptoms or only symptoms of the postpartum blues. In addition, over the next six months, participants who received the supplement had fewer symptoms of depression as they did not reach clinical levels of postpartum depression six months after giving birth.
“Globally, 140 million births occur every year. Most women experience postpartum blues, which, when severe, is at least four times more common than postpartum depression.”
“Our study showed that both postpartum blues and later depression symptoms were lower in women who received the nutritional supplement,” said Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, nutrition and senior author of the study.
“Providing this special nutritional support in the first few days after birth is a very important window to avoid symptoms of stress, as there is a high risk that they may recur and have lifelong effects.”
Dr. Meyer has been diagnosing postpartum blues for over 15 years. A previous imaging study showed that a protein called MAO-A increases significantly in the brains of postpartum women, and that this protein suppresses important brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine that support normal mood. It acts as an oxidant and is associated with the development and progression of certain mental illnesses.
To combat this effect, the patented nutraceutical ingredient is a unique combination of natural ingredients, including blueberry extract, which contains antioxidants and amino acids that support a healthy mood and fill the brain with important neurochemicals for the ability to concentrate under stress.
The supplement was well-tolerated and women who took it tended to report fewer symptoms, including insomnia, headaches and restlessness. The researchers previously showed that the amino acids in the supplement did not affect their total concentration in breast milk, which was expected because the amino acids are found in the proteins in breast milk.
CAMH has partnered with an international women’s health supplement and pharmaceutical company, Excellences, to bring the product to market under a licensing agreement. Blues Away®.
XLTIS has maintained a natural health product approach by preparing and manufacturing the supplement for widespread distribution. The product is expected to go on sale in the US starting April 11, 2024.
It is also progressing to other international markets – including Canada – depending on the regulatory requirements and reviews in each country.
“We are thrilled to announce the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration in the form of Nutrients for Postpartum Blues Prevention.
“It’s great to be able to share our clinical research around this product at the same time,” says Klara Wichnevetsky, director of industry partnerships and technology. transmission. By nurturing this innovation from its inception and leading it from bench to bedside, CAMH can make a rapid and profound difference to millions of women and their families.
A limitation of the study is that an additional of the several measures of depression included in the study did not show the expected protective effect in a pilot trial, including the induction of low mood by sad stimuli, although it is possible that the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic and the relocation of the study setting to the participants’ homes affected the results of this particular investigation. It can last.
Aristotle Voinescos, Vice President of Research, added, “Two major pillars of our CAMH research approach are the integration of scientific findings with mental health care and the importance of early intervention.
“Through the persistence and commitment of our researchers and technology transfer team, this novel preventive treatment will contribute to better practices in postpartum care and help women around the world avoid severe and chronic mental illness.”
Financial support This study was supported by CAMH with additional funding from Exeltis.
So postpartum depression research news
Author: Hayley Chazan
Source: CHAM
Contact: Hayley Chazan – CAMH
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News.
Preliminary study: Open Access.
“Dietary supplementation for mood symptoms in the early postpartum period: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.” by Jeffrey Meyer et al EClinicalMedicine
Draft
Dietary supplementation for mood symptoms in the early postpartum period: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.
Background
Postpartum blues (PPB) is characterized by recurrent feelings of sadness, crying, anxiety, restlessness, loss of appetite, and irritability, and is typically at its peak on the 5th postpartum day. When it is severe, it greatly increases the risk of postpartum depression later. This trial compared the dietary supplement to a placebo on PPB weight. The supplement is designed to prevent the downstream effects of elevated monoamine oxidase A levels, which cause PPB.
Methods
Participants recruited by advertisement from the Toronto area completed procedures at CAMH, Canada and/or participants’ homes. An oral supplement or a relatively inactive placebo was administered in a randomized, double-blind fashion. The supplement was blueberry juice and extract was given four times between the night of day 3 and the morning of day 5 postpartum; tryptophan 2 g in the evening day 4 postpartum, and tyrosine 10 g in the morning day 5 postpartum. On day 5, depressed mood induction process (MIP) and postpartum blues were assessed. All data submitted (NCT03296956 closed, clinicaltrials.gov).
Findings
Between January 2019 and December 2022, participants took the supplement (n = 51) or placebo (n = 52). No significant effect of the visual analog scale on the primary outcome MIP was found for depressive mood (mean difference = -0.39 mm, 95% CI: -6.42 to 5.65 mm). Stein’s postpartum blues scores, a survey PPB measure, were lower in the active group (effect size 0.62, median, interquartile range (IQR): active 2.00 (IQR 1, 4); placebo 4.00 (IQR 1.5, 6); regression with generalized linearity. Model, additive effect, β coefficient = -1.50 (95%: CI -2.60, -0.40), p = 0.008; CES-D crying category effect before supplementation, p = 0.03-0.0000023). Twenty-six and 40 different adverse events occurred in 25% and 42% of supplement and placebo cases, respectively (Chi-Square, p = 0.06).
Interpretation
The main effect was negative for the effect on the induction of depression, but the additional PPB was slightly reduced.
Financial support
CAMH/Exeltis