Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a medication that was originally approved by the FDA in 1993 for the treatment of major depression. Upon ingestion, Effexor functions as an SNRI (or dual-reuptake inhibitor) by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, and to a lesser extent, norepinephrine. As a result of serotonergic and noradrenergic reuptake inhibition, concentrations of serotonin and …
Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a drug that was introduced in 1993 as a pharmaceutical antidepressant by Wyeth; its marketing rights are now owned by Pfizer. Pharmacodynamically, it functions primarily as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) and is understood to be the first-ever “dual reuptake inhibitor” approved by the FDA for the treatment of major depressive disorder. …
Inositol (cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol) is a non-essential nutrient synthesized within the body from glucose and is abundant within spinal fluid. Although inositol exists in the form of 9 distinct stereoisomers, the most abundant format within cellular membranes is myo-inositol, accounting for approximately 95% of free inositol within the body. Myo-inositol was initially isolated by researchers in 1849, …
It seems as though society is on the verge of ushering in a new generation of treatment modalities for depression and other psychiatric conditions. While most people turn to pharmaceutical drugs for major depressive disorder, approximately 1 out of 3 people fail to get sufficient symptomatic relief. To make matters worse, many end up trying …
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Most people know that serotonin is associated with mood. It has long been marketed that high serotonin results in happiness, and low serotonin results in major depression. Despite the incessant marketing of serotonin to the mainstream by pharmaceutical companies, serotonin does more than …
Making the right dietary changes can have a huge impact on our cognitive function, neurotransmitter levels, and overall health. Since the neurotransmitter serotonin has been associated with a variety of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, many people have resorted to eating diets high in foods that contain tryptophan and carbohydrates. The theory behind …
Everyone’s heard that low serotonin levels are associated with depression. While the serotonin theory of depression may be valid for some people, clearly not everyone with depression has low serotonin. However, we do know that for the majority of people, SSRIs (selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors) help treat depression. This has lead many people to wrongfully conclude …