Anti-depressant tablets taken by millions of Britons may be a waste of time and money, research shows.

An analysis of dozens of studies involving thousands of patients revealed that some of the most widely-prescribed anti-depressants work little better than dummy pills.

The drugs studied - including Prozac, Seroxat and Efexor - were little more effective than placebos in improving the mental health in the majority of cases, the University of Hull research showed.

Only in the most extreme depression did the tablets, which are taken by around two million Britons and have been linked to a host of sideeffects including suicide, prove substantially superior in improving mental health.

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Dr Tim Kendall, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, described the results as "fantastically important".

He added that one of the study's strengths lay in the inclusion of data which drug companies had chosen not to publicise - perhaps because it was less favourable than they would like.

The study, published in the respected journal PLoS Medicine, suggests hundreds of thousands of Britons are needlessly taking powerful - and potentially dangerous - drugs.

As well as suicide and suicidal thoughts, side-effects associated with the drugs studied and other SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) anti-depressants range from self harm to anxiety, insomnia, nausea, headaches and vomiting.

Seroxat alone has been linked to at least 50 suicides - both adult and child - in the UK since 1990.

The research comes as prescriptionsfor anti-depressants are at record levels, with 31million written in 2006 at a cost to the NHS of almost £300million.

Around half of these were for Prozac, Seroxat, Efexor and other SSRIs.

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