Posted by SLS on September 27, 2000, at 22:28:12
In reply to Re: vitamin info please » ksvt, posted by Cam W. on September 27, 2000, at 7:08:54
> > I've read somewhere that people who are on ADs should supplement with vitamin B=12 and folic acid. Can someone please tell me why and what amounts are recommended? Thanks ksvt
>
> ksvt - Unless you have low blood levels of B12, adding more will not help (can be checked via a blood test, I believe). The B vitamins work as a complex (they all work together). A B-complex supplement usually works better and any excess B-vitamins your body doesn't need are peed off.> The folic acid never hurts, but I believe that higher doses are available by prescription only (at least in Canada). If you are lucky you may be able to find a "stress tab" contain B & C vitamins, as well as folic acid. Folic acid also helps with nerve cell maintenance.
>
> Hope this helps - Cam
Recently, there has been an association observed between depression and high levels of homocysteine and low levels of both folate (folic acid) and B-12 (pyridoxine). I believe that the degree of anomolous levels increases with the severity of depression. There may also be an association linking low levels of folate with resistance to antidepressant treatment. Studies are now underway evaluating the efficacy of administering folic acid to potentiate the therapeutic response to antidepressants. Low levels of S-AMe (S-AdenosylMethionine) have also been associated with high levels of homocysteine.In many depressed individuals:
homocysteine - increased
folate - decreased
S-AMe - decreasedI thought B-12 was only negligibly absorbed through ingestion, and that this is why B-12 shots are necessary. I recall someone here describing a preparation that was more readily absorbed.
1. Enhancement of the antidepressant action of fluoxetine by folic acid: a randomised, placebo controlled trial.
2. Homocysteine, folate, methylation, and monoamine metabolism in depression.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:45336
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000926/msgs/45394.html