Tryptophan: Study finds teen girls more prone to depression than boys due to chemical imbalance

A girl suffering solitude and depression [Courtesy/Getty Image]

Scientists have discovered that an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain could help explain why teenage girls are at greater risk of depression than boys.

Specifically, researchers claim to have identified the role of a chemical called tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, a building block of protein that we obtain through our diets, particularly from foods, such as turkey, chicken, eggs, milk, nuts, and seeds.