Natural Remedies for Depression

Natural Remedies for Depression

By Donald Brown, N.D., Alan R. Gaby, M.D., and Ronald Reichert, N.D.

Altering the brain's chemistry to elevate mood

Depression is one of the most frequent psychological problems encountered in medical practice. Some studies say 13 to 20 percent of American adults exhibit some depressive symptoms.1 The mortality rate among those who are depressed is four times greater than those without depression—major depression accounts for 60 percent of all suicides.2

Yet, despite this professional recognition and the fact that depression is a treatable condition, only about a third of depressed patients receive appropriate intervention.2

While the exact etiology of depression is unknown, numerous factors appear to contribute. These include genetics, life/event sensitization and biochemical changes.

Family, twin and adoption studies demonstrate that predisposition toward depression can be inherited. In addition, stressful life events can contribute to depression; most studies concur that the likelihood of a depressive episode is five to six times greater six months after events such as early parental loss, job loss or divorce. The link between depression and stressful life events has been conceptualized in the form of the sensitization model, which proposes that prior exposure to stressful life events sensitizes the brain's limbic system to the degree that subsequently less stress is needed to produce a mood disorder.3 Many of the current biochemical theories of depression focus on the biogenic amines, which are a group of chemical compounds important in neurotransmission—most importantly norepinephrine, serotonin and, to a lesser extent, dopamine, acetylcholine and epinephrine.

Antidepressant medications, which address the brain's biochemistry, include monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. MAOs increase norepinephrine levels, while tricyclics essentially enhance norepinephrine transmission. Serotonin, in particular, has been the subject of intense research during the past 25 years, indicating its importance in the pathophysiology of depression. Basically, a functional deficiency in serotonin results in depression.4

Amino Acid Supplements
The nutritional treatment of depression includes dietary modifications, supportive treatment with vitamins and minerals, and supplementation with specific amino acids, which are precursors to neurotransmitters. Dietary modification and vitamin and mineral supplementation in some cases reduce the severity of depression or result in an improvement in general well-being. However, these interventions are usually considered adjunctive, since they are not typically effective by themselves as a treatment for clinical depression. On the other hand, supplementation with the amino acids L-tyrosine and D,L-phenylalanine can in many cases be used as an alternative to antidepressant drugs. Another particularly effective treatment is the amino acid L-tryptophan (see sidebar).

L-Tyrosine is the precursor to the biogenic amine norepinephrine and may therefore be valuable to the subset of people who fail to respond to all medications except amphetamines. Such people excrete much less than the usual amounts of 3-methoxy-4-
hydroxyphenylglycol, the byproduct of norepinephrine breakdown, suggesting a deficiency of brain norepinephrine.

One clinical study detailed two patients with long-standing depression who failed to respond to MAO inhibitor and tricyclic drugs as well as electroconvulsive therapy.5 One patient required 20 mg/day of dextroamphetamine to remain depression-free, and the other required 15 mg/day of D,L-amphetamine. Within two weeks of starting L-tyrosine, 100 mg/kg once a day before breakfast, the first patient was able to eliminate all dextroamphetamine, and the second was able to reduce the intake of D,L-amphetamine to 5 mg/day. In another case report, a 30-year-old female with a two-year history of depression showed marked improvement after two weeks of treatment with L-tyrosine, 100 mg/kg/day in three divided doses.6 No side effects were seen.

L-Phenylalanine, the naturally occurring form of phenylalanine, is converted in the body to L-tyrosine. D-phenylalanine, which does not normally occur in the body or in food, is metabolized to phenylethylamine (PEA), an amphetaminelike compound that occurs normally in the human brain and has been shown to have mood-elevating effects. Decreased urinary levels of PEA (suggesting a deficiency) have been found in some depressed patients.7 Although PEA can be synthesized from L-phenylalanine, a large proportion of this amino acid is preferentially converted to L-tyrosine. D-phenylalanine is therefore the preferred substrate for increasing the synthesis of PEA—although L-phenylalanine would also have a mild antidepressant effect because of its conversion to L-tyrosine and its partial conversion to PEA. Because D-phenylalanine is not widely available, the mixture D,L-phenylalanine is often used when an antidepressant effect is desired.

Studies of D,L-phenylalanine's efficacy show that it has promise as an antidepressant. Additional research is needed to determine the optimal dosage and which types of patients are most likely to respond to treatment.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause depression. Correcting deficiencies, when present, often relieves depression. However, even if a deficiency cannot be demonstrated, nutritional supplementation may improve symptoms in selected groups of depressed patients.

Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is the cofactor for enzymes that convert L-tryptophan to serotonin and L-tyrosine to norepinephrine. Consequently, vitamin B6 deficiency might result in depression. One person volunteered to eat a pyridoxine-free diet for 55 days. The resultant depression was alleviated soon after supplementation with pyridoxine was begun.8

While severe vitamin B6 deficiency is rare, marginal vitamin B6 status may be relatively common. A study using a sensitive enzymatic assay suggested the presence of subtle vitamin B6 deficiency among a group of 21 healthy individuals.9 Vitamin B6 deficiency may also be common in depressed patients. In one study, 21 percent of 101 depressed outpatients had low plasma levels of the vitamin.10 In another study, four of seven depressed patients had subnormal plasma concentrations of pyridoxal phosphate, the biologically active form of vitamin B6.11 Although low vitamin B6 levels could be a result of dietary changes associated with depression, vitamin B6 deficiency could also be a contributing factor to the depression.

Depression is also a relatively common side effect of oral contraceptives. The symptoms of contraceptive-induced depression differ from those found in endogenous and reactive depression. Pessimism, dissatisfaction, crying and tension predominate, whereas sleep disturbance and appetite disorders are uncommon. Of 22 women with depression associated with oral contraceptive use, 11 showed biochemical evidence of vitamin B6 deficiency. In a double-blind, crossover trial, women with vitamin B6 deficiency improved after treatment with pyridoxine, 2 mg twice a day for two months.12 Women who were not deficient in the vitamin did not respond to supplementation.

These studies indicate vitamin B6 supplementation is valuable for a subset of depressed patients. Because of its role in monoamine metabolism, this vitamin should be investigated as possible adjunctive treatment for other patients with depression. A typical vitamin B6 dose is 50 mg/day.

Folic acid deficiency may result from dietary deficiency, physical or psychological stress, excessive alcohol consumption, malabsorption or chronic diarrhea. Deficiency may also occur during pregnancy or with the use of oral contraceptives, other estrogen preparations or anticonvulsants. Psychiatric symptoms of folate deficiency include depression, insomnia, anorexia, forgetfulness, hyperirritability, apathy, fatigue and anxiety.13

Serum folate levels were measured in 48 hospitalized patients: 16 with depression, 13 psychiatric patients who were not depressed and 19 medical patients.14 Depressed patients had significantly lower serum folate concentrations than did patients in the other two groups. Depressed patients with low serum folate levels had higher depression ratings on the Hamilton Depression Scale than did depressed patients with normal folate levels.

These findings suggest that folic acid deficiency may be a contributing factor in some cases of depression. Serum folate levels should be determined in all depressed patients who are at risk for folic acid deficiency. The usual dose of folic acid is 0.4 to 1 mg/day. It should be noted that folic acid supplementation can mask the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency when the complete blood count is used as the sole screening test. Patients in whom vitamin B12 deficiency is suspected and who are taking folic acid should have their serum vitamin B12 measured.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can also manifest as depression.15 In depressed patients with documented vitamin B12 deficiency, parenteral (intravenous) administration of the vitamin has resulted in dramatic improvement.16 Vitamin B12, 1 mg/day for two days (route of administration not specified), also produced rapid resolution of postpartum psychosis in eight women.17

Vitamin C, as the cofactor for tryptophan-5-hydroxylase, catalyzes the hydroxylation of tryptophan to serotonin.18 Vitamin C may therefore be valuable for patients with depression associated with low levels of serotonin. In one study, 40 chronic psychiatric inpatients received 1 g/day of ascorbic acid or placebo for three weeks, in double-blind fashion.19 In the vitamin C group, significant improvements were seen in depressive, manic and paranoid symptom complexes, as well as in overall functioning.

Magnesium deficiency can cause numerous psychological changes, including depression. The symptoms of magnesium deficiency are nonspecific and include poor attention, memory loss, fear, restlessness, insomnia, tics, cramps and dizziness.20 Plasma magnesium levels have been found to be significantly lower in depressed patients than in controls.21 These levels increased significantly after recovery. In a study of more than 200 patients with depression and/or chronic pain, 75 percent had white blood cell magnesium levels below normal.22 In many of these patients, intravenous magnesium administration led to rapid resolution of symptoms. Muscle pain responded most frequently, but depression also improved.

Magnesium has also been used to treat premenstrual mood changes. In a double-blind trial, 32 women with premenstrual syndrome were randomly assigned to receive 360 mg/day of magnesium or placebo for two months.23 The treatments were given daily from day 15 of the menstrual cycle until the onset of menstruation. Magnesium was significantly more effective than placebo in relieving premenstrual symptoms related to mood changes.

These studies suggest that magnesium deficiency may be a factor in some cases of depression. Dietary surveys have shown that many Americans fail to achieve the Recommended Dietary Allowance for magnesium.24,25 As a result, subtle magnesium deficiency may be common in the United States. A nutritional supplement that contains 200­400 mg/day of magnesium may therefore improve mood in some patients with depression.

Phytomedicine Considerations
* St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) as a standardized extract is licensed in Germany and other European countries as a treatment for mild to moderate depression, anxiety and sleep disorders.

St. John's wort has a complex and diverse chemical makeup. Hypericin and pseudohypericin have received most of the attention based on their contributions to both the antidepressive and antiviral properties of St. John's wort. This explains why most modern St. John's wort extracts are standardized to contain measured amounts of hypericin. Recent research, however, indicates that the medicinal actions of St. John's wort can be ascribed to other mechanisms of action and also to the complex interplay of many constituents.26

While St. John's wort's ability to act as an antidepressant is not fully understood, previous literature points to its ability to inhibit MAOs. MAOs act by inhibiting MAO-A or -B isozymes, thereby increasing synaptic levels of the biogenic amines, especially norepinephrine. This earlier research showed that St. John's wort extracts not only inhibit MAO-A and MAO-B but also reduce the availability of serotonin receptors, resulting in the impaired uptake of serotonin by brain neurons.27

More than 20 clinical studies have been completed using several different St. John's wort extracts. Most have shown antidepressant action either greater than placebo or equal in action to standard prescription antidepressant drugs.28 A recent review analyzed 12 controlled clinical trials—nine were placebo-controlled and three compared St. John's wort extract to antidepressant drugs maprotiline or imipramine.29 All trials showed greater antidepressant effect with St. John's wort compared with placebo and comparable results with St. John's wort as with the standard antidepressant medications. The first U.S. government-sanctioned clinical trial of St. John's wort, a three-year study sponsored by the Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, based in Washington, D.C., began last year.

Dosage is typically based on hypericin concentration in the extract. The minimum daily hypericin dosage recommended is approximately 1 mg. For example, an extract standardized to contain 0.2 percent hypericin would require a daily dosage of 500 mg, usually given in two divided dosages. Clinical studies have used a St. John's wort extract standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin at a dose of 300 mg three times daily.

The German Commission E Monograph for St. John's wort lists no contraindications to its use during pregnancy and lactation.30 However, more safety studies are needed before St. John's wort is recommended for this population.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) extract, while clearly not a primary treatment of choice for most patients with major depression, should be considered an alternative for elderly patients with depression resistant to standard drug therapy. This is because depression is often an early sign of cognitive decline and cerebrovascular insufficiency in elderly patients. Frequently described as resistant depression, this form of depression is often unresponsive to standard antidepressant drugs or phytomedicines like St. John's wort. One study showed a global reduction in regional cerebral blood flow in depressed patients older than 50 when compared with age-matched, healthy controls.31

In that study, 40 patients, ages 51 to 78, with a diagnosis of resistant depression (insufficient response to treatment with tricyclic antidepressants for at least three months), were randomized to receive either Ginkgo biloba extract or placebo for eight weeks.32 Patients in the ginkgo group received 80 mg of the extract three times daily. During the study, patients remained on their antidepressant drugs. In patients treated with ginkgo, there was a decline in the median Hamilton Depression Scale scores from 14 to 7 after four weeks. This score was further reduced by 4.5 at eight weeks. There was a one-point reduction in the placebo group after eight weeks. In addition to the significant improvement in symptoms of depression for the ginkgo group, there was also a noted improvement in overall cognitive function. No side effects were reported.

Many nutrition-oriented practitioners have found that the answer to depression is as simple as one's diet. A diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates (with small, frequent meals) can produce symptomatic relief in some depressed patients. Individuals most likely to respond to this dietary approach are those who develop symptoms in the late morning or late afternoon or after missing a meal. In these patients, ingestion of sugar provides transient relief, followed by an exacerbation of symptoms several hours later.

Donald Brown, N.D., teaches herbal medicine and therapeutic nutrition at Bastyr University, Bothell, Wash. Alan R. Gaby, M.D., is past president of the American Holistic Medical Association. Ronald Reichert, N.D., is an expert in European phytotherapy and has an active medical practice in Vancouver, B.C.

Soferul "Sfarma-Tot"! A facut praf sase masini

Cinci si cu a lui, sase! Un sofer iubitor de viteza a facut praf vineri seara toate masinile care i-au iesit in cale pe o strada din Capitala. El a scapat nevatamat, are insa mai putini bani in buzunar...

Soferul "Sfarma-Tot"! A facut praf sase masini

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Pe Bulevardul Ion Mihalache, un singur sofer a reusit sa faca zob cinci masini parcate regulamentar. Dintr-una abia poti ghici marca, alta a ajuns tocmai in mijlocul strazii.

Propietarul autoturismului azvarlit in strada n-a fost vineri seara de gasit. Va afla de-abia sambata dimineata ce s-a ales din masina lui.

Cel care a facut prapadul e un barbat care venea dinspre Piata Domenii. Se pare ca uitase piciorul pe acceleratie. Soferul "sfarma-tot" a scapat fara o zgarietura.

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Haiti Earthquake

Look here for news updates on the aftermath of a 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti.

10:49 p.m. -- The Argentine Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Argentine Mobile Military Hospital -- which they say is the only hospital functioning in Port-au-Prince -- has treated more than 800 people. Argentine Armed Forces helicopters are helping evacuate the "gravely injured" people to Santo Domingo, in the neighboring Dominican Republic. Argentina also plans to send an airplane with aid to the area, the statement said.

10:42 p.m. -- CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, who is reporting from Haiti, wrote on his Twitter feed: "what i have seen here in #haiti, i have never seen before. while i hate to say this, it seems somewhat hopeless. bodies still in the streets" Follow Sanjay Gupta's reporting from Haiti through his Twitter feed.

9:54 p.m. -- The people of Jacmel, Haiti are lining the streets, setting tires on fire to light up a town that has been reduced to rubble in many parts and is without power. The flames are all that illuminate what remains of this town on the southern coast of Haiti, about 25 miles from the capital Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

9:47 p.m. -- At least 16 peacekeepers -- 11 Brazilians, three Jordanians, one Argentine and one Chadian -- working with the U.N. mission in Haiti were reported dead Wednesday afternoon, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

9:45 p.m. -- The New York Yankees announced a donation of $500,000 in support of rescue and relief efforts following the tragic earthquake in Haiti.

9:38 p.m. -- Video images captured just moments after the earthquake in Haiti show dust-covered survivors rushing through the streets, yelling in terror. Other trapped in buildings are seen punching out debris and bricks, and shouting for help and trying to squeeze themselves out through cracks in the structures.

9:00 p.m. -- The Dominican Republic was the first country give aid to Haiti in the aftermath of Tuesday's devastating earthquake.

8:57 p.m. -- "The hospitals themselves, the destination of those patients who might survive, they're nonexistent or have a terrible infrastructure," Gupta said.

8:54 p.m. -- "Simply getting through the streets to collect the dead bodies is seemingly an impossible task," CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports from the capital, where shooting could be heard in the background. "There's hardly any heavy machinery to try and dig through the rubble -- people are doing it by hand."

8:53 p.m. -- CNN's Sanjay Gupta reports hearing gunfire in the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as people stay on the streets, fearing aftershocks.

8:40 p.m. -- Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan, said he is organizing a congressional delegation visit to Haiti. Members will be leaving "as soon as we can," he said, adding that he expects "a large cross-section of members, even Republicans."

8:37 p.m. -- Air space is not open to charitable organizations.

8:36 p.m. -- A unit of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Forces left Hurlburt Field in Florida, with the unit including airmen, search-and-rescue experts and equipment to set up temporary air traffic control systems.

8:32 p.m -- 16 members of the Brazilian-led peacekeeping force deployed in Haiti are confirmed dead, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.

8:31 p.m. -- As many as 150 members of the U.N. mission in Haiti remained unaccounted for, U.N. officials say.

8:29 p.m. -- One of two U.S. miltary planes carrying a 30-man assessment team arrived at Port-au-Prince airport about 5:30 pm ET. The team will assess what Haiti needs to cope with the immediate aftermath of this disaster.

8:03 p.m. -- "I've seen people walking with coffins over their heads," Cooper reports.

8:02 p.m. -- Anderson Cooper reports that there are people digging with their hands on every street corner. One woman just found alive.

7:50 p.m. -- The Jolie-Pitt Foundation announced it would contribute $1 million to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières' (MSF) emergency medical operations responding to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12. "It is incredibly horrible to see a catastrophe of this size hit a people who have been suffering from extreme poverty, violence and unrest for so many decades," said Angelina Jolie.

7:39 p.m. -- The coordinator for U.S. assistance to Haiti in the aftermath of Tuesday's earthquake says the entire government is marshaling a massive response, with the immediate goal of saving as many lives as possible within the next 72 hours. "We are working aggressively and in a highly coordinated way, across the federal government, to bring all of the assets and capacities we have to bear to quickly and effectively provide as much assistance as possible," said Rajiv Shah, administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

7:31 p.m. -- "We need medicine. We need medical help in general," Haitian President Rene Preval told CNN. "Some of the hospitals, they collapsed. The hospitals, they are full and they put people in the outside the hospital. So we need some hospitals, some medicine and some doctors."

7:15 p.m. -- Former U.S. President and U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti Bill Clinton, who in 1975 honeymooned in Haiti with the current secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, urged people to donate to www.clintonfoundation.org/haitiearthquake

7:11 p.m. -- Under a U.S. State Department program, individuals with U.S. cell phones can donate $10 to the Red Cross by texting "Haiti" to 90999. The State Department said Wednesday afternoon that the campaign had received nearly 83,000 hits.

6:43 p.m. -- Iceland is sending a 37-man search-and-rescue team and offered to help evacuate foreign nationals, its foreign ministry said. Authorities in the United States, Sweden and Denmark have already accepted the offer.

6:41 p.m. -- Americans trying to locate family members in Haiti should contact the State Department at 888-407-4747.

6:39 p.m. -- "The major need is for search and rescue. We have enormous numbers of people trapped under the rubble," United Nations' Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told CNN's Christiane Amanpour. He added, "There's a big need for medical teams, medical facilities... "We need to get that on the ground very quickly."

6:36 p.m. -- Airlines are uncertain about when commercial service to disaster-ravaged Haiti will resume.

6:31 p.m. -- Pat Robertson, the evangelical Christian who once suggested God was punishing Americans with Hurricane Katrina, says a "pact to the devil" brought on the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

6:29 p.m. -- Washington Post: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has decided to cancel the remainder of her trip to Asia and will return to Washington, the State Department says. She had been scheduled to visit Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia.

5:59 p.m. -- U.S. State Department clarifies: Americans do not go to airport now. Seek safe shelter.

5:45 p.m. -- U.S. State Department: About 160 American citizens are at airport waiting for evacuation to Guantanamo. U.S. has heard from less than 100 other Americans. Two C-130s at airport, prepared to evacuate American citizens.

5:36 p.m. -- U.S. State Department asks journalists to get out the word: U.S. citizens in Haiti who want to be evacuated -- go to airport.

5:31 p.m. -- Search-and-rescue teams from the U.S. prepared to head to Haiti, among them the 72-person Los Angeles County, California, Fire Urban Search and Rescue team and the 80-member Miami-Dade, Florida, Urban Search and Rescue Team. The teams include paramedics, search dogs, communication specialists and rescuers trained in combing through collapsed structures looking for victims.Read

5:29 p.m. -- The quake affected roughly one in three Haitians -- about 3 million people, the Red Cross estimated.

4:58 p.m. -- 'Heroes' actor Jimmy Jean-Louis searching for parents in Haiti Read

4:48 p.m -- Question and answer with Edwidge Danticat, acclaimed Haitian-American writer, who says quake is a "catastrophe beyond measure" but that Haitians have incredible resilience and will rebuild. Read

4:47 p.m. -- The World Bank promised $100 million in emergency funding for recovery and reconstruction, subject to approval by the World Bank's board of directors.

4:44 p.m -- The main airport in Haiti appears to be operable, which should enable foreign aid to start flowing into the country in the wake of the powerful earthquake that slammed the impoverished nation late Tuesday afternoon.

4:37 p.m -- Former President Bill Clinton, U.N. special envoy to Haiti, speaks to United Nations on the devastation.

4:28 p.m. -- Another aftershock rattles Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

4:25 p.m. -- Miami Herald: The Obama administration is temporarily suspending deportations of undocumented Haitian nationals who are in the United States, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday at a news conference in Miami.

4:23 p.m. -- Estimated 40,000-45,000 Americans live in Haiti. Conditions of many unknown.

4:19 p.m. -- France, Haiti's former colonial ruler, dispatched two planeloads of rescue personnel, one from Guadeloupe in the Caribbean and one from Marseilles, France. Alain Joyandet, the French minister of cooperation, said there was particular concern about approximately 200 French tourists who were staying at the Hotel Montana in Port au Prince. Reports said the hotel had collapsed.

4:18 p.m. -- Cuba sent an additional 30 doctors, plus medical supplies, to join the 344 doctors and paramedics it already had working throughout Haiti on humanitarian missions, said Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

4:10 p.m. -- U.S House of Representatives holds a moment of silence for earthquake victims in Haiti.

4:09 p.m. -- "I cannot live in the palace; I cannot live in my own house," said President Preval. "The two collapsed."

4:08 p.m -- Haitian President Preval: "You have to see it to believe it. Lots of houses destroyed, hospitals, schools, personal homes -- a lot of people in the street, dead."

4:07 p.m. -- Spain is sending three planeloads of aid -- two from Panama in Central America and one from Madrid, the Spanish capital, CNN affiliate CNN+ reported. Spain is also making 3 million euros ($4.35 million) available for aid and will coordinate the European Union response

4:06 p.m. -- Canada already had a five-man team in Haiti as part of U.N. activity there. All five are uninjured and are helping with the relief effort, Capt. Elizabeth Tremblay told CNN.

4:04 p.m. -- Brazil's Ministry of Defense ordered its troops in the country to offer whatever assistance they can, Brazil's official news agency reported. The South American nation has 1,266 troops -- including 250 in an engineering unit -- in Haiti as part of a United Nations stabilization force.

4:02 p.m. -- Habitat for Humanity is sending an assessment team to Haiti and putting together resources "to address shelter solutions for low-income families affected" by the quake, said Torre Nelson, area vice president in Habitat for Humanity International's Latin America and Caribbean office.

4:02 p.m. -- AmeriCares is sending $3 million worth of medical aid to Haiti, including antibiotics, bandages and other medical supplies, and is sending relief workers to help distribute the supplies. It will also send another 10,000 pounds of emergency relief supplies in the coming days from its warehouse in Amsterdam, Netherlands, it said.

4:01 p.m. -- The World Health Organization is sending a 12-person team to Haiti to help with the medical response

4:00 p.m. -- The World Food Programme is immediately airlifting an additional 86 metric tons of food from its emergency hub in El Salvador, which will provide more than half a million emergency meals, the agency said. The aid includes ready-to-eat food and high-energy biscuits.

3:57 p.m -- The Haitian consul general to the United Nations, Felix Augustin, told reporters Port-au-Prince is "flattened."

3:55 p.m -- Haitian President Rene Preval told CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Port-au-Prince that he had heard that 30,000 or 100,000 people had been killed in the earthquake, but added "it's too early to give a number."

3:53 p.m. -- U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today released the following statement regarding the earthquake in Haiti: "Like all Rhode Islanders, my heart goes out to the people of Haiti and Haitian-Americans who are struggling with the devastation and loss of life following yesterday's earthquake. "President Obama has mobilized U.S. Coast Guard ships and aircraft and is sending additional resources to help with the relief effort. "I have been contacted by several families who have relatives in Haiti, some of whom were expected to return to Rhode Island within the week. My office continues to coordinate efforts with the State Department, the American Citizen Service Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian Consulate in New York, and the Haitian Embassy in Washington, DC. "I have also received many calls from Rhode Islanders wanting to help. Those wishing to help should contact the Red Cross, which is only taking cash donations at this time. Additionally, a volunteer list is being formed and there are efforts underway to help volunteers who have been trained in disaster relief to travel to Haiti, if needed. "I encourage Rhode Islanders who need assistance contacting family members and loved ones in Haiti to contact my office."

3:50 p.m. -- Rainn Wilson of "The Office" statement on Haiti: With a heavy and anxious heart, my prayers go out to the noble, beautiful, broken country of Haiti. My wife and I had the great good fortune to spend a week there this last October on behalf of some charities we were working with, plantingpeace.org and the Mona Foundation. We met beautiful, vital students in many schools, street-children trying to educate themselves and many selfless Haitian teachers and doctors working to be of service to their country. I don't know if they are all alive or dead right now and it's breaking my heart. The hotel we stayed at and most of the places we visited now lie in rubble. I believe in the power of prayer and I believe in the power of service. Even if you can only give 20 bucks, that will go a long, long way In a country as devastatingly poor as Haiti. Please also send prayers and hope that the world takes drastic action to remedy this horrific disaster. Rainn Wilson

3:47 p.m. -- Lumiere Medical Ministries e-mail to CNN: All 25 employees are fine. The ministry has been in Haiti for 25 years. They have a 30 bed hospital and an orphanage. Hank was able to get in touch with the Head Dr. by telephone and he says there is devastation everywhere and many injured. The ministry was scheduled to do the official ribbon cutting for the brand new hospital in February. They are able to treat out patient and some procedure. A container with supplies was sent last night.

3:45 p.m. -- "I'm still looking to understand the magnitude of the event," Preval says. "There are risks that the houses will continue to collapse."

3:43 p.m -- Haitian President Rene Preval to CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta: "We don't have the capacity" to bring all the injured to hospitals.

3:05 p.m. -- The U.S. Coast Guard has mobilized ships and aircraft to positions where they can be quickly sent to Haiti if needed, the service says on its Web site. Standing by are: A C-130 Hercules aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida; the cutter Valiant, homeported in Miami; The cutter Forward, homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia; the cutter Tahoma, homeported in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the cutter Mohawk, homeported in Key West, Florida.

2:11 p.m. -- "Port-au-Prince is flattened ... more than 100,000 are dead," Felix Augustin, the Haitian consul general to U.N., tells reporters in New York. The hospitals are gone and medical supplies and heavy equipment are desperately needed, he says.

2:09 p.m. -- Doctors Without Borders has about 800 staff in Haiti, many of whom have not been accounted for.

2:04 p.m. -- Want to more about Haiti? Check out this interactive snapshot.

1:21 p.m. -- With phone lines down and communication cut, Haitians living in U.S. are "sick with worry." State Department line for those seeking information about loved ones: 1-888-407-4747. Full story

1:15 p.m. -- From Anderson Cooper in Port-au-Prince: "The only thing to compare it to is Hurricane Katrina. But in the last 30 minutes -- or the last hour that I've been driving, I've seen probably 20 to 25 bodies on the streets. And that's just on the main avenues in downtown Port-au-Prince."

1 p.m. -- 40,000-45,000 Americans in Haiti, the U.S. State Department says. The Embassy has been in touch with about 40. No confirmed deaths. About a dozen injured. "Clearly that will go up," says Assistant Secretary P.J. Crowley.

12:41 p.m. -- Photo gallery shows the destruction.

12:30 p.m. -- At least 15 U.N. peacekeepers reported dead.

12:27 p.m. -- Joseph Serge Miot, the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, died in the quake, according to the official Vatican newspaper.

12:18 p.m. -- Haiti prime minister tells CNN he believes well over 100,000 have died in earthquake.

12:12 p.m. -- Anderson Cooper says situation at airport "pretty quiet." He says small military presence from Dominican Republic is at the airport.

11:45 a.m. -- National Penitentiary collapsed and inmates escaped, prompting worries about looting by escapees.

11:35 a.m. -- Want to help? Check out Impact Your World

11:13 a.m. -- Fabiola Surena shared photos of her parents' home and her aunt and uncle's property in Debussy, Haiti -- both areas are severely damaged. Aunt and uncle's property; Parents' home

11:07 a.m. -- Catholic Relief Services staff member Karel Zelenka provided this account via e-mail. "Damage incredible all around ... Some major buildings are gone -- the hotel Montana, the National Palace etc... People have been screaming and chanting all over the place ... It is a disaster of the century, we should be prepared for thousands and thousands of dead and injured."

11:03 a.m. -- 50-member Chinese rescue team ready to depart for Haiti, China's Xinhua news agency reports.

11:01 a.m. -- More than 100 employees of U.N. mission unaccounted for.

10:45 a.m. -- Read an easy-to-read guide on Haiti and its history.

10:39 a.m. -- A Haitian-American tells CNN her parents died in the quake, days after visiting her in South Florida. Full story

10:35 a.m. -- Twitter is playing a critical role in collecting donations to help disaster victims, CNNMoney.com reports.

10:26 a.m. -- The people of Haiti have a friend and partner in the United States, President Obama says in concluding news conference. Watch news conference

10:24 a.m. -- USAID Administrator Raj Shah will coordinate American relief efforts, Obama says.

10:23 a.m. -- President Obama extends "deep condolences" to people of Haiti. Says he has ordered a "swift" and "coordinated" response .

10:21 a.m. -- None of three aid centers run by Doctors without Borders in Haiti is operable, the group says.

10:20 a.m. -- People of Haiti will have full support of the United States, President Obama says.

10:16 a.m. -- The main airport in Haiti appears to be operable, U.S. State Department spokesman says.

10:15 a.m. -- The U.N. Haitian mission chief and the agency's deputy special representative are unaccounted for, says U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

10:11 a.m. -- Air traffic control "is very dicey," says CNN's Anderson Cooper. While flying over Haiti, his helicopter had to make last-minute maneuver to avoid hitting another aircraft. Watch Anderson Cooper video

10:10 a.m. -- People are standing around wondering where to go, says Anderson Cooper, who flew over Haiti in a helicopter. Major buildings have collapsed -- pancaked together.

10:07 a.m. -- "It's incredibly shocking," says Anderson Cooper.

10:04 a.m. -- President of Lumiere Medical Ministries, which has been in Haiti for 25 years, tells CNN all 25 employees are fine.

9:57 a.m. -- Follow Tweets from CNN's Anderson Cooper.

9:39 a.m. -- "I heard a lot of people praying, saying that Jesus is coming, saying that we need to pray, we need to save our lives by believing in God," witness Carel Pedre tells CNN.

8:53: a.m. -- President Obama to make statement on Haiti at 10 a.m. ET.

8:41 a.m. -- The U.N. Haitian mission chief and the agency's deputy special representative are unaccounted for, says U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

8:41 a.m. -- U.S. was the first to offer help, says Haitian ambassador to the U.S.

8: 32 a.m. -- Quake "destroyed" much of Port-au-Prince, the country's first lady reported. Full story

7: 30 a.m. -- Reconnaissance flights to go over Haiti soon, says U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.

7:07 a.m. --The quake affected roughly one in three Haitians -- about 3 million people, the Red Cross estimated. Full story

4:30 a.m. -- A "large number" of people with the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti were unaccounted for. Three Jordanian peacekeepers killed.

3:40 a.m. on January 13, 2009 -- Residents hunkered down for the night, awaiting daylight to ascertain full scope of devastation.

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11:45 p.m. -- "Can hear people gathered in the distance singing prayers," wrote Richard Morse, hotel manager at the Oloffson Hotel, wrote on Twitter.

10:32 p.m. -- Haiti's infrastructure world's worst even in the best of times, says country's ambassador to the U.S.

9:13 p.m. -- U.N. headquarters in Haiti collapsed, U.N. officials say.

8:45 p.m. -- Eyewitnesses report heavy damage and bodies in the streets of the capital.

7: 56 p.m. -- U.S. State Department told to expect "serious loss of life" in Haiti.

6:50 p.m. -- Tsunami watch cancelled.

5:23 p.m. -- A tsunami watch is in effect for Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.

5:14 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2009 -- A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck southern Haiti, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.