Treat depression with folate

[Conservationist]

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.

http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/49/16751/folate-deplin/

It seems to me that a lot of people, and a lot of people in rock and metal, are depressed and stay strung out to keep it at bay.

What if folate reduced the problem?

[scourge]

I actually get a buzz after a good meal followed up with B, C and minerals supplements. It's as good a buzz as after working out, maybe even like the rare runner's high. Drugs and booze is a sick joke by comparison. If your body needs it and you haven't abused it to breaking, it will probably give you a good feeling reward for providing it essential resources.

[Yodhin]

Folate deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. Diets low in vegetables, frequent alcohol and prescription drug use and the sensitivity of folate to light and heat contribute to this widespread deficiency. The elderly, alcoholics, psychiatric patients, people taking certain medications and women taking the contraceptive pill may be at greatest risk of folate deficiency. Prolonged stress, viral infections and chronic liver disease are also risk factors.

http://www.vitamin-update.com/definition.cfm/id/15.html

No surprises there. 

[Ymir]

Everything sold in supplement form has been claimed to help depression at one time or another. Just another easy fix for the masses. As long as you are where you are and think how you do, you will never be free from depression (that or take opiate drugs).

 

[istaros]

I don't know that it would be the same for anyone else, but I've found that depressive tendencies dissipate once one stops focusing one's thoughts on oneself. The same is true, even more obviously, for unbridled egotism; I wouldn't be surprised to see a link between the two. Reactions to a subconscious awareness of one's insignificance when one lacks the courage to consciously acknoweldge it?

[Jim Necroslaughter]

I don't know that it would be the same for anyone else, but I've found that depressive tendencies dissipate once one stops focusing one's thoughts on oneself. 

I absolutely agree.  Although I've never really gone through a long-term "bout" of depression, I have always, since a young age, found great strength and comfort in acknowledging that I, and humans in general, are, in a broad sense, insignificant.  It's funny, because a more literal-minded person would say, "oh, you think you're insignificant?  you must have low self-esteem."  But I've always found the opposite to be true.