Subtypes Of Depressive Disorder Respond Differently To Folic Acid, Vitamin B12

Scientists in Finland who studied 3,000 middle-aged and elderly adults report that two subtypes of depression disorder respond differently to intake of folic acid and vitamin B12. Higher intake of folic acid (folate) and B12 cuts the risk of melancholic depression – which has typical symptoms such as depressed mood – by as much as 50 percent. But no such effect was noticed among people with non-melancholic depression, characterized by low self-esteem and feelings of worry and anxiety. The researchers did, however, find a link between non-melancholic depression and increased risk of metabolic disorder, a precursor of obesity and diabetes.