intern_doc
Forum Guru
Topics: 98
Posts: 433
|
What vitamin deficiency is associated with depression ? and why ?
___________________
Please call me by my first name on March 17 - Dr.
|
| mash
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 147
Posts: 1,326
|
vitamin B6
___________________
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
--Confucius
|
| Bela
Forum Guru
Topics: 76
Posts: 412
|
Could it be b/c B6 is a cofactor in the following rxn?
Glutamine + B6 :arrow: Glutamate :arrow: GABA :?
However, the only cns symptom w/ B6 is convulsion.
How about folate? :?
What's the right answer?
___________________
La vita e bella!
|
| intern_doc
Forum Guru
Topics: 98
Posts: 433
|
NO guys ....try again
___________________
Please call me by my first name on March 17 - Dr.
|
| Bela
Forum Guru
Topics: 76
Posts: 412
|
What do u mean it's not?
Here, I just did some search on google, and here is what I got:
Nutritional Deficiencies
A particular note should be made about nutritional deficiencies and their relationship to depression. According to the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, "A deficiency of any single nutrient can alter brain function and lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders."
However, some nutritional deficiencies are more common than others.
Vitamin B2 deficiency is not common but can be created, ironically enough, by certain antidepressant drugs called tricyclics. This can lead to further depression.
Vitamin B6 is commonly very low in people who are depressed. This is particularly true in people taking birth control pills or estrogen in other forms. Those who are deficient in this vitamin normally do well with B6 supplements.
Folic acid and is the most common deficient vitamin. Studies have shown that 31-35% of depressed patients have folic acid deficiencies. The most common symptom of folic acid deficiency is, in fact, depression.
Vitamin B12 works along with folic acid in a number of biochemical functions. Deficiency becomes more common over the age of 50. One study showed deficiency rates as follows: Between the ages of 60-69, 24%, ages 70-79, 32%, over 80, nearly 40%. Supplementation of folic acid and B12 often produces dramatic results in people who are depressed because of deficiencies.
Vitamin C deficiency is not particularly common but can occur people with very poor diets or nonexistent intake of fruits and vegetables. Symptoms of a mild deficiency include fatigue, irritableness and "the blues." If not remedied, scurvy symptoms can develop.
Magnesium is a critical mineral used in sending messages along your nerves. By some estimates nearly 75% of Americans do not take in enough to meet minimum requirements. Magnesium deficiencies can result in muscle weakness and irritability.
Another deficiency can occur with amino acids, the building blocks that make up protein. One form of the amino acid methionine is called SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine). SAMe levels tend to be low in the elderly and in depressed people. SAMe supplements have been effective in alleviating depression. A common dosage of SAMe is to start with 1,600 mg a day - either 800 mg twice a day or 400 mg four times a day - for about two or three weeks, or until you start to feel the antidepressant effects. Then one gradually reduces the dosage to 800 mg or even 400-mg a day, based on one's depressive symptoms.
Tryptophan is another amino acid that affects depression. Many depressed people have low tryptophan levels. One supplement, 5-HTP, which contains a form of tryptophan, has been shown in numerous studies to be as effective as modern antidepressants (such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil) for less cost and with fewer and much milder side effects. A standard dosage of 5-HTP is 50-100 mg once or twice a day with meals.
Low fat diets can lead to depression if they are deficient in a specific fatty acid (the building block of fats) called omega-3. Omega-3 is common in certain seeds, canola oil, soybean oil, egg yolks, and cold-water ocean fish. Population studies in different countries have shown that decreased consumption of omega-3’s correlates with increased rates of depression.
___________________
La vita e bella!
|
| PsychDr2B
Forum Elite
Topics: 35
Posts: 197
|
Niacin deficiency (pellagra)
|
| mash
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 147
Posts: 1,326
|
B3 reqd fr serotonin synthesis?
___________________
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
--Confucius
|
| intern_doc
Forum Guru
Topics: 98
Posts: 433
|
Bela,
When you do the net search, it gaves you a very general ideas. I dont think you open up BRS or Kaplan and it list almost every vitamins on there associated with depression. (as it listed above). What I mean is NOT specific to one particular vitamin
Actually the answer I am looking for is Vit B3 (Niacin). Why ? b/c Niacin derived from tryptophan. And if you get defienciency in tryptophan, you will get DECREASED in serotonin which responsible for DEPRESSION.
I am NOT saying that you are wrong ok.
I hope you see my point.
___________________
Please call me by my first name on March 17 - Dr.
|
| Bela
Forum Guru
Topics: 76
Posts: 412
|
intern,
I am cool, man. That was my point, too. A lot of vitamins can cause neurological problems and I thought the question was vague.
Doesn't matter who's right and who's wrong cuz we're not in the Geneva Convention, trying to gobble up some country or exotic island  We just wanna become good doctors, right? Actually, we'd do ourselves injustice if we didn't accept suggestions/criticism from those who know more 
___________________
La vita e bella!
|
| uscan
Forum Senior
Topics: 19
Posts: 88
|
Intern, you said a deficiency in tryptophan ---> depression, and niacin is derived from tryptophan===>a deficiency in niacin cause depression???
This would be more logical if Tryptophan was derived from niacin===>no niacin---> no tryptophan===>depression !!!
Can someone clarify this please?
|
| mash
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 147
Posts: 1,326
|
uscan,
Niacin is required for the synthesis of the active forms of vitamin B 3 , NAD and NADP. Both NAD + and NADP + function as cofactors for dehydrogenase, e.g., lactate and malate dehydrogenases .
niacin can be derived frm tryptophan but the dose reqd fr niacin synthesis is v. high i.e 60 mg tryptophan fr 1mg of niacin.
tryptophan is also reqd fr serotonin synthesis..
if there is vit B3 def, tryptophan is utilized fr niacin synthesis so, less is available fr serotonin synthesis ===> dec serotonin ====>depression
___________________
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
--Confucius
|
| uscan
Forum Senior
Topics: 19
Posts: 88
|
Thanks mash!
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
