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Review
. 2020 Oct 26;12(10):e11169.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.11169.

Vitamin B12 Supplementation: Preventing Onset and Improving Prognosis of Depression

Affiliations
Review

Vitamin B12 Supplementation: Preventing Onset and Improving Prognosis of Depression

Prerna Sangle et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Depression is a common mental health condition occurring across all ages, genders, and populations and is almost always multifaceted. It can manifest as a form of metabolic disorder, endocrine disorder, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory disorders, deficiencies, or neurodegenerative disorders. Although there have been various treatment options available for the treatment of depression, it is still a sizable global health concern requiring more attention. This review article was produced by researching data and studies to prove a relationship between Vitamin B12 and depression. Numerous studies were reviewed, and based on these studies, it was concluded that supplementation of Vitamin B12 early enough can delay the onset of depression and improve the effect of anti-depressants when used in conjunction with Vitamin B12. Although other vitamins like Vitamin B6 and folate are known to have an impact on depression, we have primarily focused on Vitamin B12 in an attempt to offer the providers a foundation to address this concern with their patients prone to depression or have had a major depressive episode in their life.

Keywords: depression prevention; hyperhomocysteinemia; neuro-psychiatric; serum vitamin b12.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Prevalence of Major Depressive Episodes Among US Adults
SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; NH/OPI: Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander; AI/AN: American Indian/Alaska Native
Figure 2
Figure 2. Neurochemical Pathways Affected by Vitamin B12 Levels
Figure 3
Figure 3. Pathophysiology of Depression

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