Depression, folate deficiency vitamin

Like folate and vitamin C, vitamin B6 (pyroxidine) is water soluble and like folate has several vitamers. Vitamin B6 may be involved in more bodily functions than any other nutrient (Tambasco-Studart et al., 2005), is a cofactor for many enzymes, especially those involved in protein metabolism, and is also a cofactor for folate metabolism. Vitamin B6 has anticancer activity (Theodoratou et al., 2008), is a strong antioxidant (Denslow et al., 2005), is involved in hemoglobin biosynthesis, lipid and glucose metabolism and immune and nervous system function. Possible consequences of deficiency include anemia, impaired immune function, depression, confusion, and dermatitis (Spinneker et al., 2007). Vitamin B6 deficiency is generally not a problem in the developed world, but there could be as yet poorly defined consequences of suboptimal intake particularly for the elderly. 

A depressed uptake of deoxyuridine brought about by a deficiency of vitamin B12 can be reversed as reflected by a reduction in labeled thymidine uptake by the addition of as little as 1 xg of the vitamin. Folic acid added to a concentration of 50 p.g/ml of the culture will correct abnormal results due to folate deficiency and may partially correct abnormal results due to vitamin B12 deficiency. Abnormal results may occur in bone marrow from patients with iron deficiency and from patients being treated with 5-fluorouracil (B7). 

Both vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies are associated with psychiatric illness. Folate deficiency is most commonly associated with depression, whereas cognitive impairment and dementia are seen in about 25% of patients with either deficiency (Bottiglieri, 1996 Green and Miller, 1999). Herbert (1962) noted insomnia, forgetfulness, and irritability during the development of self-imposed folate deficiency which responded well to the administration of the vitamin. 

Adverse effects include CNS symptoms (reversible blurring of vision, diplopia, dizziness and ataxia) and depression of cardiac AV conduction. Alimentary symptoms, skin rashes, blood disorders and liver and kidney dysfunction also occur. Osteomalacia by enhanced metabolism of vitamin D (enzyme induction) occurs over years so also does folate deficiency. Enzyme induction reduces the efficacy of combined and progestogen-only contraceptives. Carbamazepine impairs cognitive function less than phenytoin. 

Importance of thiamine An important water-soluble vitamin used as a cofactor in enzymatic reactions involving the transfer of an aldehyde group. Without thiamine, individuals can develop dementia, macrocytic anemia (folate deficiency), gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, liver disease, depression, nutritional deficiencies, cardiomyopathy, and pancreatitis. 

Patients with folate deficiency and organic mental changes, polyneuropathy, and depression have been found to have a reduced cerebrospinal fluid level of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Following treatment with the vitamin the 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid level was found to return to normal in those patients who showed improvement in their neuropsychiatric signs. However, patients who were folate deficient with neuropsychiatric symptoms which were not responsive to treatment with folic acid showed no change in their level of cerebrospinal 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (BIT). 

The cause of megaloblastosis is depressed DNA synthesis, as a result of impaired methylation of dCDP to TDP, catalyzed by thymidylate synthetase, but more or less normal synthesis of RNA. As discussed in Section 10.3.3, thymidylate synthetase uses methylene tetrahydrofolate as the methyl donor it is obvious that folic acid deficiency will result in unpaired thymidylate synthesis. It is less easy to see how vitamin B12 deficiency results in impaired thymidylate synthesis without invoking the methyl folate trap hypothesis (Section 10.3.4.1). The main circulating form of folic acid is methyl-tetrahydrofolate before this can be used for other reactions in tissues, it must be demethylated to yield free folic acid. The only reaction that achieves this is the reaction of methionine synthetase (Section 10.8.1). Thus, vitamin B12 deficiency results in a functional deficiency of folate. 

The population thought to be nxost at risk for Bf, deficiency comprises chronic alcoholics. The deficiency arises fixim a low intakt of the vitamin as well as from alcoho[-induced impairments in the metabolism of the vitamin. An alcoholic deriving of his or her energy requirement from whiskey might be expected to be consuming only 20% of the KDA for vitamin 8, as well as for other nutrients such as protein, folate, and thiamin. 1 he symptoms of deficiency are not specific for this nutrient- They include depression, confusion, and sometimes convulsions. 

A depressed uptake of deoxyuridine brought about by a deficiency of folate can be reversed by the addition of as little as 50 xg/ml of the vitamin. 

Folic acid A shortage of folic acid may be the most common vitamin deficiency in the world. If you re prone to depression, you ll want to be especially careful about consuming enough folic acid (also known as folate). Researchers in England found that one-... 

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