At CLCEC, your counselor is curious about your overall health. People taking medication for depression and anxiety may be at high risk of nutritional deficiency with longterm use of certain medications.

High-risk populations include:

• people who smoke and/or drink
• People with poor nutritional intake/diet
• Elderly
• People living with a serious medical condition
• Women taking birth control and an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication
• People who have been taking an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication over 2 years

Why should you be concerned about drug-induced nutrient depletion? Pharmaceutical drugs can be helpful when needed, but longterm use can also deplete your body of critical nutrients. The body loves to have a balance of nutrients in order to run smoothly and heal. Every medication has an impact on this balance.  Medication can increase the excretion of nutrients, block or impair the digestion of a nutrient, or impact the body’s ability to absorb and store nutrients.

Longterm use of an anti-depressant, anti-anxiety or anti-obsessional medication can result in nutritional deficiencies that worsen medical or mental health symptoms. And these deficiencies can cause additional symptoms and increase side effects.

To learn if your medication is depleting essential nutrients, google the name of your medication followed by the word “depletes” and click search.

Examples:

“Wellbutrin depletes”

“Antacids deplete”

“Birth control depletes”

“Xanax depletes”

“Metformin depletes”

A basic internet search will provide you with information and recommendations for nutritional supplementation. Armed with this information, talk to your provider about medical recommendations for lab work and possible supplements. Remember, the contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and/or medical questions.