Vitamin
B supplements may help people to fight depression, research
suggests. Scientists found that people with depression responded
better to treatment if they had high levels of vitamin B12 in
their blood.
They suggest taking vitamin B supplements may be a way to boost
the effectiveness of anti-depressants.
The research, by Kuopio University in Finland, is published
in the journal BMC Psychiatry.
"As
many as three in four cases of depression are neither recognized
nor treated." --- Amelia Mustapha
The
researchers monitored 115 outpatients who were receiving treatment
for depression over a six-month period.
They measured vitamin B12 levels in the patients' blood when
they first came to the clinic, and again at their six-month
check up.
The patients who responded fully to treatment had higher concentrations
of vitamin B12 in their blood at both the start and the end
of the study than those for whom treatment was less effective.
The association remained significant even after other factors
such as smoking and drinking habits, type of treatment received,
and family history of depression were taken into consideration.
Lead researcher Professor Jukka Hintikka told BBC News Online
the finding was potentially significant as many people do
not respond to anti-depression treatments.
Theories
He said it was possible that vitamin B12 was needed to manufacture
substances called monoamines. A shortage of these compounds
in the central nervous system is thought to be linked to depression.
Another theory is that vitamin B12 deficiency results in an
accumulation of another compound called homocysteine, which
may enhance depression.
Professor Hintikka said more work was needed to corroborate
the results.
"It is still too early to suggest generally that patients
should take vitamin B12 or any other vitamin supplements to
treat depression.
"But it is possible that the use of vitamin B supplements
might help to prevent depressive symptoms in cases of low
intake of these vitamins."
B12 increase
Previous research has shown elderly patients with depression
responded better to treatment if they took a supplement containing
vitamins B1, B2 and B6.
This supplement indirectly increased the level of vitamin
B12 in these patients' blood.
Another study found people with low levels of the vitamin
B12 may have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods including fish,
milk and milk products, eggs, meat, and poultry.
More than 2.9 million people in the UK are diagnosed with
having depression at any one time.
Seven out of ten recorded suicides are by people affected
by depression - a total of 7,000 lives lost every year in
the UK and Ireland.
Amelia Mustapha, of the charity Depression Alliance, said:
"Whilst we applaud the focus on positive ways to treat this
prevalent illness, the concern is that at present as many
as three in four cases of depression are neither recognized
nor treated, and options for some treatment involve long waiting
lists or are simply not available."
Vitamin
B supplements may help people to fight depression, research
suggests. Scientists found that people with depression responded
better to treatment if they had high levels of vitamin B12 in
their blood. 
