London, Jan 28 (IANS): Giving common anti-depressants to children and young adults may put them at a greater risk of developing aggression and even suicidal tendencies, warns a study.

According to the researchers from Denmark, there is double the risk of aggression and suicides in children and adolescents.

They, however, found no significant association between anti-depressants and suicide and aggression in adults.

To reach this conclusion, the team carried out a study with 18,526 patients to examine the use of anti-depressants and associated serious harms.

The study, published in BMJ, recommends "minimal use of anti-depressants in children, adolescents and young adults as the serious harms seem to be greater, and as their effect seems to be below what is clinically relevant," and suggests alternative treatments such as exercise or psychotherapy.

They also call for the need to identify "hidden information in clinical study reports to form a more accurate view of the benefits and harms of drugs."