If the thyroid gland is under- or overactive, mood symptoms can result. Creatinine and BUN levels reflect how well the kidneys are working. If the liver is inflamed or damaged, there are often changes that are detectable with a simple blood test. Liver disease can cause symptoms similar to depression, such as lethargy. The amount of sugar in your blood after an overnight fast can be used to detect diabetes.
While the exact link is unclear, depression and diabetes often occur together. Several studies have also indicated that people with diabetes have an increased risk of developing depression.
Cholesterol is not known to be specifically linked with depression, but your levels do affect your overall health. Blood tests can detect if you have high cholesterol levels, which increases your risk for health problems associated with plaque buildup in your arteries.
Your doctor might want to check your cholesterol before prescribing certain antidepressants, which may affect your levels.
Low levels of folate vitamin B9 or vitamin B12 can indicate a condition called pernicious anemia, which often causes symptoms of depression. For example, if you have low levels of vitamin B12, your doctor may recommend you start taking a vitamin supplement or receive injections.
If you are diagnosed with a medical condition such as hypothyroidism or diabetes, you may find your depression symptoms start to get better as soon as you begin treatment for the underlying condition. They may even resolve once the condition is managed. When blood tests indicate you have high cholesterol, your doctor may recommend making some lifestyle changes.
You may find that adjusting your diet and getting regular exercise help ease your depression symptoms , too. The results of your blood tests may prompt your doctor to ask you about your alcohol and drug use as well. If you are using substances or dealing with addiction, it's crucial that you are honest with your doctor.
Getting support and treatment for addiction is part of addressing depression. For your safety, as well as the efficacy of treatment, your doctor needs to know if you are using drugs or alcohol, as it may influence the medications they prescribe.
If all the blood tests your doctor orders come back normal, they will likely feel much more confident that your depression is not being caused by an underlying medical condition. Once another cause has been ruled out, the focus can be turned toward finding the most effective treatment. Your doctor may start by prescribing an antidepressant for you to try, referring you to a therapist within the healthcare system or community, or both.
They may refer you to a psychiatrist for a more thorough assessment or to prescribe medication. Treatment for depression can be as complex as the condition itself. What works well for one person may not work at all for someone else.
You may also need to use more than one treatment, such as psychotherapy and antidepressants, at the same time. You may need to modify your depression treatment or start something completely new. For example, as you get older, changes in your life and your body can influence how well certain treatments work for you. While they are not yet in common use by most health care providers, in the realm of psychological research there is much interest in the potential of biomarkers to help diagnose depression and other psychiatric conditions.
There are many factors that determine whether someone develops depression in their lifetime, including genetics and environment. Research also continues to show how the brain and the body are inextricably connected; the health of one influences the health of the other. Some studies have been looking for a potential connection between levels of inflammation in the body and depression. A study published in explored the possibility of a connection between elevated cortisol levels in young adults particularly males and depression.
In , a study at UC San Diego proposed changes in a specific gene linked to the X chromosome may contribute to mental illness in women. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. For the time being, the most effective way to diagnose and treat depression is to be assessed by a doctor and mental health professional and establish an ongoing and supportive relationship them.
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