But for some patients prescription antidepressants only partially work. For them, I have found the addition of a specialized folic acid supplement to be helpful. Some people don’t produce enough of an enzyme (MTHFR) that converts folic acid into the active form—L-methylfolate—that the brain uses to make mood-enhancing chemicals, especially serotonin. Those with genes that code for dysfunctional folate-converting enzymes are not able to produce as much of the active form of folic acid, and are more likely to suffer from depression. In fact, one study found that 70 percent of depressed patients
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