A glimmer of hope has emerged from a gloomy crisis. As suicide rates have soared to unprecedented levels across the United States, researchers at the University of California–San Diego (UC–San Diego) have uncovered a potential breakthrough: certain compounds in the blood that can identify those at highest risk.
They’ve found clues that something as simple as vitamin supplements may help roll back the dark tide of major depression and suicidal thoughts afflicting the country.
Blood Test Reveals Signs of Suicidal Thoughts
The United States faces a suicide crisis, with 2022 seeing record-high suicide mortality. Rates rose by 36 percent between 2000 and 2021. In 2021, a suicide was reported every 11 minutes. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 34, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
George Citroner
Author
George Citroner reports on health and medicine, covering topics that include cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions. He was awarded the Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence (MORE) award in 2020 for a story on osteoporosis risk in men.
