Dietary Supplement for Mood Symptoms in Early Postpartum: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial [ID 1781]

INTRODUCTION: Postpartum blues (PPB) is a frequent syndrome of sad mood, crying spells, anxiety, restlessness, reduced appetite, and irritability, typically peaking day 5 postpartum. When severe, it greatly increases risk for later postpartum depression. This trial compared a dietary supplement to placebo on PPB severity. The supplement was designed to counter the downstream effects of elevated monoamine oxidase A level, which is implicated in causing PPB. METHODS: An oral supplement or identical-appearing inert placebo was administered in randomized, double-blind fashion. The supplement was blueberry juice and extract given four times between nighttime day 3 and morning day 5 postpartum; tryptophan, 2 g, nighttime day 4 postpartum, and tyrosine, 10 g, morning day 5 postpartum. On day 5, depressed mood induction procedure (MIP) and PPB were assessed. RESULTS: Participants took supplement (n=51) or placebo (n=52). There was no significant effect of MIP on visual analog scale for depressed mood (mean difference −0.39 mm; 95% CI, −6.42 to 5.65 mm). Stein Maternity Blues scores, PPB measure, was lower in the active group (effect size 0.62; median, interquartile range [IQR]: active 2.00 [IQR 1, 4]; placebo 4.00 [IQR 1.5, 6]; regression with general linear model, supplement effect, β coefficient of −1.50 [95% CI, −2.60, −0.40], P =.008; effect of CES-D crying category before supplement, P =.03–.00000023). Twenty-six and 40 different adverse events occurred within 25% and 42% of supplement and placebo cases, respectively (chi-squared, P =.06). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: There was no effect on depressed mood induction; however, the supplement moderately reduced PPB.