A board-certified physician in private practice in Boca Raton, Florida, Naval Parikh, MD, also serves as the clinical site coordinator for NAPA Research. A frequent presenter to physician groups, Naval Parikh, MD, has published articles in peer-reviewed journals on topics such as the relationship between folate supplementation and depression.
While many people associate folic acid intake with pregnancy, research shows that folate is a critical vitamin throughout life. Folic acid is needed to produce DNA and RNA, and it also serves as an essential component of neurotransmitters, which enable messages to be communicated through different parts of the brain.
People who are deficient in folic acid generally have low levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), which is associated with depressive symptoms. A recent review of 11 studies that included 15,315 people revealed that low folic acid levels were linked with depression. This finding has led researchers to believe that increasing folic acid intake will trigger an increase in SAMe, which may lead to a reduction in depressive symptoms.
However, depression is a complicated illness that generally requires more than one treatment. Those who think they are experiencing depression should seek medical advice and therapy in addition to considering an increase in folic acid intake.
No comments:
Post a Comment