For almost 40 years, it has been suspected that folate plays a role in depression. We have a general sense that low folate can cause depressive symptoms, and that treatment with folate (of low folate patients) can help, but it is still debatable whether or not folate supplementation helps people who are not otherwise deficient.

Folate vs. Deplin (R)

Additionally, it is known that some medications, especially seizure meds such as valproate, carbamazepine and to some degree lamotrigine, reduce the amount of available folate. (And so it is always a good idea to be taking a folate supplement if you are on these meds.)

Recently, a new drug l-methylfolate (trade name Deplin), a shortening of the proper name l-methyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF), has been investigated for the treatment of depression. Why? Because folate itself is converted to MTHF, the active chemical that actually produces the results in depression.

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