The importance of B complex vitamin for depression

Depression can happen to anyone. It is estimated that about 15 percent of us will have at least one bout of depression in their lifetimes that’s severe enough to require medical attention.

Because folic acid and the B-complex vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12 are known involved in the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, there has been considerable interest in their capacity to ameliorate mood disorders.

Serotonin is a brain chemical that transmits signals between nerve cells and causes blood vessels to narrow, while dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers. Norepinephrine is a substance that is released predominantly from the ends of sympathetic nerve fibers and that acts to increase the force of skeletal muscle contraction and the rate and force of contraction of the heart.

Vitamins are an essential component of human diet for proper health maintenance. Each vitamin has a distinct chemical structure and has important roles in proper functioning of key reactions within cellular metabolism and gene expression. Dr. Kim Skarupski in 2010 found a lower incidence of depression symptoms in association with higher intake, including supplementation, of vitamins B6, B12 and folate among a population of more than 3,000 older community residents.

Folate influences the production of the neurotransmitters involved in depression and has been used as a booster for antidepressants in people who have folate deficiency.
The importance of B complex vitamin for depression