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Integrative medicine for treating depression: an update on the latest evidence.

Current psychiatry reports
September 1, 2013
Christina M Luberto et al. (4 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to critically review the scientific evidence for integrative medicine techniques, including mindfulness-based interventions, in treating adult unipolar depression.

Results Summary

The study found strong evidence supporting mindfulness-based interventions as monotherapies for adult unipolar depression, highlighting their effectiveness compared to other integrative medicine techniques.

Population

Adults with unipolar depression.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (4)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
mindfulness-based interventions
no change
treating adult unipolar depression
adults
-
strongest evidence currently exists for
#1
St. John's Wort (SJW)
no change
treating adult unipolar depression
adults
-
strongest evidence currently exists for
#2
omega-3 fatty acids
no change
treating adult unipolar depression
adults
-
relatively strong evidence to support the use of
#3
exercise
no change
treating adult unipolar depression
adults
-
relatively strong evidence to support the use of
#4
Abstract

Integrative medicine (IntM) is a growing medical trend combining conventional medical approaches with evidence-based complementary therapies to promote well-being. Over half of individuals with depression use some form of IntM for symptom management. The purpose of the current study was to critically review the scientific evidence for IntM techniques in treating adult unipolar depression. We examined randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in the last one to three years using PsychINFO, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases. The strongest evidence currently exists for mindfulness-based interventions and St. John's Wort (SJW) as monotherapies, and there is relatively strong evidence to support the use of omega-3 fatty acids and exercise as adjunct therapies. However, there remains an overall lack of methodologically rigorous research to support the efficacy of many other IntM techniques. Providers should be aware that many patients use IntM techniques for depression treatment and inquire regularly about such use.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Complementary TherapiesDepressive DisorderEvidence-Based MedicineHumansIntegrative MedicineRandomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality90/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations12
Citations/Year1.0
Relative Citation Ratio0.55
NIH Percentile29.8%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.50
Weight Score1.58
Normalized Score0.72
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