Depression can affect some people particularly strongly during winter months due to the scarcity of sunshine, but one expert has discussed some of the other origins of the condition.

Writing for empowher.com, an online women’s health resource, commentator Shamir Benji stated that physicians have long known that a deficiency of vitamin B12 and related health supplements like folate may lead to an imbalance of neurochemicals in the brain and cause depression.

In addition to that, inadequate levels of many other minerals have been linked to the disorder, in particular copper, zinc, selenium and iron.

Importantly, Benji’s insights into some of the possible causes of such deficiencies may reduce the need for medications in favor of a more natural approach.

In his view, poor diet is one of the most common causes of low levels of vitamin B12. Therefore, rebalancing the diet should be the first approach before medical treatment is considered.

He also suggests that vegetarians and people over the age of 50 may consider using vitamin supplements to boost their intake.

Benji’s advice comes at a time when new studies have shown that vitamin B12, in combination with other nutrients, appears to decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration in women and may be helpful in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.