If it seems that almost everyone you know is on antidepressants, your perceptions would be correct. Major depressive disorder affects up to 12% of men and 25% of women. Antidepressants can be effective in treating this disorder but only result in a remission in 30% of those treated. The response rate to medication (meaning there is some improvement) can be up to 70%.

The most popular antidepressants of choice are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac and Zoloft. These medications block the reuptake of serotonin by the brain keeping up levels available to the central nervous system.

New research has found that there may be something out there that can augment and perhaps treat depression alone. It gets to the very core of the problem and believe it or not it is not a medication. It is a vitamin. I know this sounds too good to be true, but it is not. Let me explain.

Folic acid is an essential B vitamin. It is found in green leafy vegetables, eggs, cereals and fortified foods (to name a few). When you take in folic acid in your diet it is absorbed by the small intestine where it is converted by a series of enzymes and ultimately into L-methylfolate. This metabolite is used to make serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, which are all important for mood regulation.

Scientists have identified 40 mutations on the gene responsible for making the enzyme that converts folic acid into L-methylfolate. The most common genotype is known as C677T. If there is one mutation on this gene your ability to convert folic acid is reduced by 34%. If you have two mutations, it is reduced by 71%. Now you probably are seeing where I am going with this.

If you have a defective enzyme then you cannot convert folic acid to L-methylfolate properly and you will have lower serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine levels. These gene mutations are extremely common. The treatment is simple. It is a prescription of L-methylfolate. This is a vitamin that is considered medicinal food. If given in the proper amounts (7.5 to 15 mgs) it can improve depression relatively quickly. In a study of elderly depressed patients, the response rate at 6 weeks was 81%. Results are often seen in just two weeks.

It is well tolerated with no more side effects than placebo. It does not interact with other medications. If an antidepressant has produced a positive response but the patient is still somewhat depressed L-methylfolate can help.

If you are depressed and/or on medication for depression, I recommend you ask your doctor to see if you have the genetic abnormality that I mentioned. The test is MTHFR. When I treat my depressed patients with this vitamin, I have seen amazing results. It just makes sense. If serotonin levels are genetically low then why not find a healthy way to boost them?