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Natural Products and Supplements for Geriatric Depression and Cognitive Disorders: An Evaluation of the Research

  • Geriatric Disorders (W McDonald, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Numerous geriatric patients are using Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for late-life mood and cognitive disorders. Natural products and supplements are a common CAM intervention which have risks and benefits of which patients should be appropriately advised. The data for omega-3 fatty acids, ginkgo biloba, SAMe, St John’s wort, B vitamins and vitamin D, huperzine, caprylidene, and coconut oil will be evaluated. Since the evidence basis for natural products and supplements is limited, especially for the geriatric population, studies involving the general adult population are included to infer effects in the aging population. Despite the data available, more rigorous studies with larger sample sizes over longer periods of time are still needed. Regardless of a physician’s preference to recommend various natural supplements and products, a physician could protect their patients by having an understanding of the side effects and indications for various natural products.

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Conflict of Interest

Taya Varteresian declares no conflict of interest.

Helen Lavretsky declares that this work was supported by the NIH grants MH077650, MH86481 and AT003480, and grants from the Forest Research Institute, and Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation to Dr. Lavretsky.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Correspondence to Helen Lavretsky.

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Varteresian, T., Lavretsky, H. Natural Products and Supplements for Geriatric Depression and Cognitive Disorders: An Evaluation of the Research. Curr Psychiatry Rep 16, 456 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0456-x

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