A new study from researchers in China has found that hormones and body chemistry may play a bigger role in depression than we once thought.
The research, published in the Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, looked at how thyroid hormones, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels might affect people with major depressive disorder (MDD).
MDD is a serious mental health condition that affects millions of people around the world. It often brings intense sadness, lack of interest in daily life, and can deeply reduce a person’s quality of life.
While it’s known that genes, life experiences, and brain chemistry all play a part in depression, this study focused on physical factors in the body that are not often talked about.
The researchers studied people who were newly diagnosed with MDD, meaning it was their first episode. They looked at their thyroid hormone levels, blood sugar, and blood fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides.
They also used tools like the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale to measure symptoms of depression and anxiety. The goal was to see if these body measurements were related to how severe the depression was, how anxious the patients felt, and whether they had thoughts of suicide.
One of the most important discoveries was that changes in thyroid hormone levels were clearly linked to depression symptoms and suicide risk.
People with abnormal thyroid hormone levels were more likely to show serious signs of depression and were more likely to have suicidal thoughts. This supports findings from other studies that have shown similar links between the thyroid and mental health.
The study also found that people with MDD often had high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels. In fact, people with high fasting blood sugar were more likely to have suicidal thoughts.
People with high levels of certain blood fats, such as LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, also tended to have more severe depression and were at greater risk of suicide.
The research showed that these biological signs—thyroid function, blood sugar, and cholesterol—could serve as warning signals for doctors.
If these levels are off, it might mean the patient is at greater risk for severe depression or suicidal behavior. The researchers also found that patients with high anxiety had worse symptoms overall and were more likely to attempt suicide.
While the results are promising, the researchers also pointed out some limits in their study. It was a cross-sectional study, which means it looked at a single point in time and couldn’t prove that one thing caused another. The study also didn’t consider outside factors like income, life stress, or family support, which can also affect mental health.
Even with these limits, the study has big real-world meaning. It gives doctors new ideas about how to track and treat depression. For example, checking a patient’s thyroid and blood sugar levels after diagnosis could help catch serious risks early. It also shows that physical health and mental health are closely connected.
As we learn more about depression, studies like this help us move toward more personal and effective care. By finding new biological markers, we might one day be able to create custom treatments for each person. This could mean better outcomes and fewer lives lost to depression.
The researchers hope that this work will help improve both prevention and treatment of depression. Each discovery brings us closer to a future where people with MDD get the care they need, before it’s too late.
If you care about depression, please read studies that vegetarian diet may increase your depression risk, and Vitamin D could help reduce depression symptoms.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that ultra-processed foods may make you feel depressed, and these antioxidants could help reduce the risk of dementia.
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